The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-10-25
A SPIRITS PORTRAIT.
The Wrath Of a Dear One Which Re.
fused to Leave a Fair 6itter's Side.

A lady who is we'll known in So
ciety circles Of this city recently
had most curious experience at
photographers establishment. She
and the picture taker both desired
their names to be suppressed-the
lady because Of the notOriety which
would at once attach itself to her,
and the photographer because, as ne
expressed it, "such story would
ruin nv business" He is a most
respectable man, one of the best
known and favorite men in his busl-
ness in the city. Neither the lady
nor the man are spiritualists. The
man believes that all alleged spirit
photographs are frauds. The per-
sonal identity of the two IS not
essential. The story is told here
lust as it occurred, and if any one
can explain it they are smarter than
the participants are.
The lady, who for convenience
will be called Mrs. A., went to Mr..
BIS Photographic gallery some two
weeks ago to have her picture taken.
She took her position and the man
threw his cloth over his head to
arrange the focus, ETC., when with
un exclamation of fright his head
bobbed suddenly out from beneath
its covering and he stared at the
lady.
.What is the NATTER" she asked.
"Oh, nothing" he replied.
Ibid any one pass behind you
Just them" -
"Why, certainly not" she replied.
He, without going to the trouble
of looking through the camera,
again took the picture and went
into the dark room with it. He
came bouncing out in few min
utes and with q white face and
strange manner, said that she must
sit again. She complied, and again
when he proceeded to adjust the
lenses he could not restrain his ter
ror. His face became beaded with
a cold perspiration, his hands trem-
bled so that he could hardly pro
coed with the work. Five times did
he take the lady's picture, refusing
to give her any explanation OF his
strange behavior. At last he told
her she would have to 60 to some
other place; he could not take her
picture satisfactorily. Then she in
sisted on an explanation. He re-
fused for long time, but at last he
made her faithfully promise not to
divulge his name to any one, and
he brought her the five plates from
the dark room. In each of them by
her side, dressed in grave clothes,
with outstretched arm and beckon
ing finger, stood the figure of
person who had been very near ano
dear to her, but who had recently
died. The lady nearly tainted and
denounced the thing as trick, but
was soon convinced by absolute
proof that if there was fraud the
photographer did not know of it OF
participate in it. The photographer
fully developed the plates, and the
portraits of the living and the dead
are exact and startling.
The lady is not in the least super
stitious, but the inexplicable affair
and perhaps the reckoning finger
has worn on her nerves SO as to
render her seriously i'll, while the
photographer is so badly upset by
the gruesome incident that he hard
ly dares to peer through camera
any more: 80. BEL 81
There is the story. 1t is true
one; the facts as stated occurred
Just as described, and can be verified
if it should become necessary. II
is passing strange, is it not?-Los
Angeles Herald.