Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-09-27

tility of the effort she was making, but
| every sinew in ones body tightened in
| sympathy. Both white hands clutched
| at the monsters throat. and the loathlng
horror upon her face told how she fully
realized what must he her doom. Two
| folds of the cleaning body encircled her
waist and limbs, and the terrible head,
with distended jaws and diamond bright
eyes, gradually nearing her face.
ugh! Whatever possessed Valette to
paint such picture? 1t is so horribly
realistic" grumbled Martineau. "See,
Webster, the woman's face and form
have already the hue of the dead.
1t was so, and shivered as l had in
gazing upon a decaying corpse a few
days before.
l did not ask my friend how he knew
this was Valette's picture, for there was
no mark upon it. AS gazed, the con-
viction grew upon me that it was and
as l at length tore myself away l re-
echoed Martineau's words, "Whatever
possessed Valette to paint such horrible
things?"
returned every day to gaze upon it,
and it indeed seemed as if decay had
fastened upon the rounded limbs and
beautiful face, so perfectly was the hue
of death depicted.
l said nothing to Valette upon the
subject, however but waited with i'm
patience for the opening of the next
months exhibit
This time it did not need Martineau to
point out Valettes work, though as be-
fore there was no mark by which to
identify it.
a wide stretch of angry tossing sea,
extending on all sides to dull sodden
sky, no living object visible, but in the
foreground the floating form of a woman,
her dead ia e, with half closed eyes,
cleaning CHASTITY white through the
semi-gloom. Her delicate rounded
limbs were half visible through the en-
shrouding waters, and they wore the
same terrible hue of death we had shud-
dered over in the former picture. The
coloring of every feature of the scene
was so life like, the outlines so perfect,
that one could almost hear the swish of
the waves, and catch the undulating
motion of the dead
l went away more dissatisfied than
ever. Who was Valette's model, and
how had he caught the hue of death
which others found so impossible to
master!
At last the grand exhibition opened,
and only paused to give self con-
gratulatory nod as l saw what an adj
vantageous light had been given my own
picture, in hurrying on to find Valettes
masterpiece.
Worse and worse. Ugh! shudder at
the remembrance even at this late date,
but among all that immense collection
of pictures, there was none before which
the crowd so persist"ntly fingered.
1t was a second sea scene. Under a
glaring tropical sky, where the sun
cleaned like ball of fire-t9ated raft,
upon sea whose waves We're copper
hued and scorching. Upon the raft were
three human forms. One, woman SO
grandly proportioned, so wondrously
beautiful, that you instinctively envied
death her possession. She clasped
babe lovingly to her barred breast, as if
the mother love had sought even in death
to prolong the feeble life. The other
form was that of man, as superbly
formed and proportioned as that of the
woman. Death had claimed them all,
as was proved by their CLASSY eyes and
upturned faces, helpless under the burn
ing sun. Here again was the grayish
paIlor horribly suggestive OF decay.
AS l gazed fascinated by the very
horror of the scene, messenger put
note in my hand 1t was from Valette,
urging me to come to him at once, as he
was ill. | instantly left the building,
nor paused until stood by his bedside
A sister of charity and an old gray beard
of doctor were in attendance. 1t was
Roman fever, and would likely prove
fatal, was the verdict.
Valette bore the sentence bravely, and
then requested to be left alone with me.
II shall be delirious in moment, he
said, grasping my hand eagerly, 80
must talk fast. Behind yon curtain you
will find large box of which this is the
key pushing one into my hand; take
one look at its contents and then see it
laid in consecrated ground. When am
dead lay me beside it. Keep my secret
-promise-promise." The last words
came gaspingly, and ere | could reply he
sank into unconsciousness.
I hastily recalled the attendants, then,
with a pitying glance at the doomed
man, lifted the curtain behind which |
had never been, Notwithstanding my in
timacy with Valette. There was moth
ing remarkable in sight, save the box
of which he had spoken. Ii was large,
and stood upright against the wall,
where the afternoon light streamed full
upon it.
Inserting the key in the lock, | quickly
swung open the door. A Cry of horror
had near escaped me as its contents were
thus revealed. Its sides were padded,
and lined with white satin and costly
lace. In the center, in a knenling p"s.-
ure. was the half nude form of Il d al
woman. The original of all his horrible
pictures I saw at once, for here we're
the superb limbs and wol dr.u' beauty.
Here was the molel, about whom we
had made so many conjcctnres.
The emhaImer's work had lean skill
fully done, but an unm ,s'aAa1lr charncl
house odor came to my most lis and L
fastened to close aid loc'l the door, de5.
tined never to be r1openel
lost no time in seeing the fearful
thing underground, although it waS not
accomplished withou some risI, unlim.
itel lying, and a generous ne of 3 id.
| then devoted myself to V lie te's
care, and had the satisfaction of seeilG
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