St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-05-19
Selected Story.
THITMORE'S MASTERPIECE.


dinner, come round to my
BINS this evening. | have some
ing strange to show you"
What is it ?" l asked. Another
+ HI Master that you have discovered,
II a new Venus that you have paint
"Neither," replied Brooks. "To
Iii you the truth, l don't know
That it is myself. but be sure and
anne, and we will together endeavor
NJ find out"
With this, he lighted cigar, and
=xeusing himself, left the cafe and
finished in the crowd upon the
feet.
That evening l FASTENED over to
2sfooks' suite-in the Hotel de Vile. /
him reclining in an easy-chair
hiking the very personihcation of
5zhnfort. | seated myself on a lounge
&ear by and said, Il am now ready,
hooks, for anything you have to
Dow me-"
Without replying he rose from his
*rivate desk, unlocked it and drew
nbm one of it's secret drawers a
*ackage carefully done up and sealed.
I'd n a moment he stood scanning it,
4 j if in deep and far away thought.
~ curiosity was piqued.
+ d watched him in silence, but with
Hexpressible eagerness.
4 Suddenly he turned toward me and
liked, How long is it since you
lard from Whitmore ?"
III have his letter here" l replied,
<n d taking it from my pocket l read
loud its date, march 6, 1880"
Z#'That is also the date Of my last
ter" said he, coming over and sit
ing down beside me- "But Yesterday
III received this parcel evidently from
#im. Tearing off the outer wrapper,
found this card attached to the in
Ede."
n He handed me, as he spoke, a card.
"a bore these words:
| send you this package, believing
Zpu, with the exception of Johnson,
ID be my warmest, trueSt friend. |
Id not chance to know his last adj
Hess. You will see him and notify
I'm that you are to open the parcel
La the evening of the first of Septem-
Yours as ever,
ERIC WHITMORE
AS | passed the card back to
Brooks, after reading it, found him
=egarding me with so strange an eX-
bression that it checked a bit of
l was about to utter. AS
be did not speak, too remained
$ilent, for l saw what l had been in
<lined to regard as one of Whitmore's
Practical jokes, Brooks had taken
Eeriously.
! During his silence my mind ran
over my acquaintance with
Rhitmore.
4 He had been the only American at
&he Institute of Art, where Brooks
Ind | had studied, except ourselves
Ind naturally there had sprung up
z5etween us three the warmest and
znost lasting friendship.
Brooks and l had been compelled
20 make our own way in the world,
Ehile Whitmore, possessing an in
dependent fortune, had pursued art,
Hot merely as a pastime, but as a
DaSS1On.
At the termination of our course
VI study, Brooks and / concluded to
emain in Paris, but Whitmore re-
ilrned to New York with burning
Hesire to do something that would
make his genius-for he had more
han talent, and he felt tan aston
Eminent to his native country. Since
6tlr separation. covering a period OF
bod oOr-acnan6a6
Nth Brooks and with me at regular
up to the sixth of March,
&ince which time we had neither of us
Heard anything from him.
u 1 was aroused from these reminis-
Fences by hearing Brooks exclaim,
The time has come, Johnson. Let
rs open the package"
"All right" said and forthwith he
proceeded to cut the binding and
break the seal. 1t took him but a
noment to do this, and then, amidst
IA silence in which you might have
Heard the traditional pin drop, he
drew forth two separate papers and
Laid them on the table between us
II On the back of one was written in
=Whitmore's familiar chirography
IA History to Satisfy My Friends. .
EOu the other was the legened, Last
will and Testament of Eric Whit
more"
Good Godi" said l, as with
trembling fingers REPLACED the latter
On the table from which | had
knatched it to make myself believe ii
was real. Can Whitmore be dead p
"Heavenk nows," replied Brooks
his face as the whitest marble
81 Heaven knows. Let us read the
History and see if it will not shed
light upon the matter"
Suiting the action to the word, he
lore it open. On the outer page
zNere these words:
ITO my friends. Brooks and John
Son, this is written in explanation o
the step which am about to take. If
after reading it, you are inclined t.
believe me insane, / cannot blam,
L l. l.