Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-18

! there was no one in sight-no one il
q the room, in fact. went on paint
ing. with an uncomfortable feeling o
something uncanny, and in few
moments the sound was repeated
actually at my ear. l dropped M,
brush with the start l made, anc
then l went all through the house t.
see ii any one was in it. ] knew tina,
Annie and her grandmother had gone
home. and l Thought hoped-tha,
some poor soul had crept in to shelter
from the rain by the kitchen fire.
Well, there was not a soul near the
place. Hooked up carefully that night
when l went back to the inn, and
in the solace Of a glass of grog and a
pipe before l went to bed I almost
persuaded myself there was nothing
in It, In the morning l had really
forgotten it, fancy; but when 1 got
back to the studio curious thing
had happened. Right across the face
or my picture were couple of brush
marks, such as you might make il
you were trying the tooth of a can
vas, completely spelling my work Of
the day before. l called up Annie
AMI her grandmother, and accused
, them OF playing tricks. They were
indignant at the idea, and finally /
had to apologize for nv suspicious.
we searched the house together, but
could find no means by which any one
could have entered, and at last was
obliged to conclude that 1 must have
done the damage myself when l let
my brushes fall. In few days. how
ever. 1t became impossible to explain
the thing by this or any other natural
means; constantly my canvases were
tempered with, and l grew to have
the feeling that after twilight l was
never alone in the room; that faint
sigh. which startled me at first, I
came to listen for and expect, and I
began at last to clOthe it with Il per-
sonality, and to wish l had some
means of comforting the poor soul
who had no other language in which
to express her despair. Ibid not
think 1T was she who had defaced my
canvases, however, and l took to car
rying my work back with me at
night to the inn, where the can
vases were secure from interference.
II suppose the thing would have
ended there but for an accident
There was race meeting in the town
and the Ship was invaded by a low
set of fellows who got drunk and
made beasts OF themselves generally.
The place became unbearable, and L
determined to camp in the studio
until they cleared out l made up a |
big fire, got my old woman to leave
me some hot water in the kettle, and
with the help OF rug and a pillow
into the back OF my chair I
made myself tOlerably comfortable
for the night. How long l silent
don't know. l awoke suddenly, not
as one does in bed, with drowsy
feeling OF relief that it is too early to
get up. but with every sense on the
alert, and curious impression that
unusual was happening.
The fire was still bright and made a
glow on the opposite wall; but what
made the room so light was the
moon shining in through the square
window in the roof l could see
everything in the room quite plainly,
buG l seemed oppressed by some
weight that made me poweress to
move. l sat there staring at what
happened. as helpless as if / had been
bound. My painting things were
ust as had left them; my canvas,
IN which l had sketched in a head,
m the easel; and close by, on a stool,
'aints, brushes. and palette They
lad been there, that is to say, for
low there stood in front of the easel,
With his back TO me, a tail man, with
stOOp In his shoulders and dark
ray hair; he had my palette in his :
and, and he was painting with a
OFT OF nervous intensity that it
hrllled one to see. looked to see
THAT he was painting, for he kept !
lancing over toward the patch in the
lo0nlight; but at first l could see
othing. Then l heard that little !!
emile sigh. but not, it seemed to
lie. so utterly weary and heart.
roken as formerly; it was sigh al I
lost OF content, And as l pom
cred on this my eyes seemed I
, become more accustomed to
ne light and there in the t
loonlight, on the very chair in
hich Annie had sat. was woman.
,aning slightly forward, young. 3
eautiful and very pale--but you I
ave seen the picture. l looked at n
er now more than at him, only n
lancing now and then to see how "
ne work went on. AS l watched her v
ne face changed, and the sOrrowful. &
orn look gave place to kind of 0
ordering happiness-he has not I
lite got it in the picture: it was as
the feeling were so intense it made v
kind Of radiance round her. l don't t;
now how long l watched. At last a
una made me turn and look at the n
inter; he had thrown down the c.
ilette and brushes and was stand
e looking at his work; then he Y
lrned slowly and held out his hands
18th a duplicating gesture. She
III risen, too, and come step for "
ard, with wonderful light in her a.
es, and just as she put her hands
his, cloud crossed over the moon
nd n,pt