The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-26
MR.. HEAPHEYS GHOST


Heaphey was alone in his studio m Lon
don. 1t was a large apartment with al
coves, in one of which a number of por-
traits and pictures were hung upon the
walls, with the usual bric-a- brac of an art
lists reception room. This room was En-
tered directly from a landing place at the
head of broad flight Of stairs leading
down into the street and past . small por-
ter's room, for. the studio was in public
building occupied by number of persons.
Coming into his reception room from a
small cabinet, in which he was putting
away some papers, Mr. Heaphey was star
tied 10 see lady quite unknown to him,
young, of good figure and carriage, dressed
quietly, in perfect taste and in the fashion,
who was walking around the room and in
specting the pictures.
Mr., Heaphey approached and saluted her,
observing as he did 30 that, while she was
unQuestionably fine looking, her counter
anoe was unusually pale, and that her eyes,
which she fixed upon him as he spoke to
her, had a singular, and, as he afterward
descrbed4t, almost "uncanny" expression.
She made no explanation whatever of her
presence, bat at once asked him whether
he could paint Immediately portrait of
to send it as soon as possible.
Mr.. Heaphey replied that he would be
happy to do 80 if it were in his power, but
that he was on the point of leaving Lon
don for a roand of visits in the country;
that he had many professional engage
ments which would probably occupy him
during the remainder of the year, and that
he could not at all see his way clear to do
haf CHI ~ olr l,s 20 n
The lady treated these objections with
polite Indifference and persisted, saying
that it would not be necessary for Mr.
Heaphey that she should sit to him. "You
will not forget my face" she said, with a
informed as to your talents, you can make
a sketch of me now, from which you could
paint such portrait as wish.
Mr.. HeapheY thanked her for her good
opinion, but again excused himself.
Nothing would do, however, and the
lady finally carried her point so far that
Mr.. Heaphey-he could hardly say why,
aud certainly against his own will and
judgment-consented to undertake the
commission.
''It will be necessary for me-" he said
Ito find some time during the autumn
"ASA Ctiu give YOU ypuT SiJuiH5S, anu IL
you will oblige me with your name and
address I will see what I can do and will
let you know"
THAT Is hardly necessary" said the
lady. ~ will be here at any time you may
appoint"
Mr.. Heaphey looked at her with astonish-
ment.
but don't see how you can be here
L.
be"
81 shall have no difficulty about that, 4"
said tho lady almost petulantly I'm the
meantime l VIII see that you have an en-
craving of face which am told strongly
resembles my own-so strongly that it has
sometimes been mistaken for portrait Of
me. This will serve to keep me in your
mind" she said smiling. And, by the
way, I wish you would try to make a
sketch Of me now!'
Puzzled by the lady's manner rs much
rs by her words he quietly said:
"Oh, excuse me. must get my address
book, and we will arrange matters" And
with this he turned his back for moment
70 the lady, and going to desk opened it
to take out the book of which he spoke.
When he turned again with the book in
his hand to his profound establishment the
lady had vanished
The door of the studio was shut, as it
had been during the whole interview. 1t
was heavy door, and closed with strong
hpring lock. 1t seemed to Mr.. Heapbey
hardly possible that 1t could have been
opened and shut uDheard by him; but he
Instantly ran TO it, opened it and looked
down the broad flight of stairs to the street,
and this 50 rapidly that it seemed scarcely
Imaginable a lady could have gotten out OF
the house before he was upon the stairway.
No trace of her, however, could be seen.
He ran hastily down and questioned the
porter, who happened to be standing near
his window, which commanded a complete
view Of the stairway and of the entrance
70 the building. His amazement was
heightened when he found that the porter
not only protested that he had not seen
any lady go out, but declared that, so far
as be knew, no lady had entered the build
ing for more than en- hour before.
The man looked at Mr.. Heaphey as he
told him this with curious expression,
which satisfied Mr.. Hesphey that he would
not improve his reputation as a sane and
sober person by pressing his questions any
FSrther on the porter. He went up stairs
again and set about the occupation in
which he had been interrupted by his ex-
traordinary visitor II was impossible,
however, for him to shake of an unusual
and uncomfortable feeling for which he
could not account, but which finally be-
came so strong that be closed his desk and
left the building for the night.
His arrangements 10 leave town being
completed, the next morning he went back
TO the studio TO see that everything was
put in proper order for the vacation, and
70 give some final directions. On his desk
Law, with a number of letters from the
mail. a small roll Of psper addressed 70
him by name, but bearing no postmark or
any sign of having passed through the
mails. He took this roll OF paper up care
lessly, opened it, and, to his unopeSkabi bic
astonishment, found himself confronted
with an engraved portrait of lady bear
ing a most marvellous resemblance IN the
form of the head, manner Of wearing the
hair and the features TO his mysterious
visitor of the previous evening.
This engraving, on examination, ne
found had been taken out OF one or the
handsome ANIMALS which had been in
vogue many years before--I think from one
OF Heath's Books OF Beauty" 1t was
portrait Of young lady of rank celebrated
for her beauty, the daughter of an English
earl, who many yaass believe the time OF