Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-01-14
THE FLEETING SHOW.
Some of Its Facts and FancieS
Written for the Journal AND COIrRIER

AM 1hE1 "AhlNu DnhAMo:
Have those visionary faces that come
and 90 in the darkness, unoalled and un-
expected, ever been satisfactorily ao-
counted fors You are lying wide awake,
possessing your mind in all its sanity,
conscious of no physical disturbance, or
of any exercise of the imagination, when
suddenly strange face appears, distinct
and expressive, with every line clearly
cut. In an instant 1t is gone again, per-
haps to be followed by others, all equally
strange, animated and Aeeting. They are
faces only, but they come and go as If of
their own power and purpose.
To some, these phsntoms appear as
those who are known to them, but per-
hsps the general experience is that they
are entirely strange in features and express
sion. They are like the embodiment of
mood or passion, ara melancholy, severe,
mocking, proud, or repellant, and seldom
gentle or loving.
Says writer in the contemporary Re-
view": "Under my own eyelids I have
ily-all astir with animation. But the
greater number CT them are not of the too
terrible kind. Some faces expressive of
great nobility and serenity appear, but
have never seen among them the mask of
pity, of love, or any soft emotion. Grief
the most despairing, scorn, cunning, pride,
hate, inquiry, envious or triumphant mock
ery-no human face that ever was seen,
feel sure. displayed these emotions with
comparable fullnese and intensity. 1t is
not the characteristic of all, but it is of
some to an almost appalling extent; and if
Blake (Willism Blake. thu English artist
and poet) did see these faces, either in day
light or in darkness, he had more than his
imagination to draw upon when he depicted
the Passions"
Are these the stuff of which dreams are
made, and are they lost, as dreams, be-
cause they come too soona Do they look
upon US, and finding us not yet the cap
tive of Sleep, are bsffled in their purpose
to alright us, and go vanishi For 1t is the
experience of one that these faces, no
matter how intense their expression, never
alarm her. Nor do they ever come more
than once. They never reappsar in her
dreams; they may be "dream stuff" }"
or the precursors of Dreams" but
they are not the dreams them
selves, nor having looked In upon her
| in passing do they ever call again. When
| they shine out of the darkness for that
one wonderful instant, and melt away
| again, she feels that tho mood, savage or
| serene, that they express Is one which she
| has in no way excited, and with which che
| does not often at that moment sympathizs.
| She looks upon them as messengers sent by
| Sleep to tell her that he is upon the way
and coming fact, and it usually happens
that Drowsiness follows the phantoms, and
dear, coed Sleep brings mp the rear of the
| procession.
1 70 fok
| they might prove disturbing visitors, but
when the one who holds the reception is
we'll, and comfortable, and not mentally
disq uieted by the intense emotions of the
uninyited guests, they are simply interest
ing subjects of speculation.
Two faces 60 seen will never be forgot
ten. One came to young girl, as upon
her knees, by her bedside, she whispered
her evening prayer. Through her closed
lids struck the vision of a child's face, &c
wonderfully beautiful 80 lneffably sweet
that it might have been that of the Christ
child himself Had she been devotee sh.
might have believed herself specially hon
ored with heavenly vision, or considered
herself called to the service of the celestis
visitent. Being only q matter of fact
every day sort of girl, she only wondered
and admired. Other faces she has seeI
since, strong, dignifed and noble, bu
never one so striking in its beauty.
The second face Was seen not long ago
1t was that of young man with bronzet
complexion and thick, crisp, brown hair
a working man, evidently, and one VIII
was not in a good temper. A round
crowned eoft felt hat with rolling brir
was ismmed (the word jammed is used be
/ cause no other lie 80 suitably upon the bacl
, of his head; his collar was loose at tn
throat. There was look of half emuse
, ment in his eyes, as of one who, while In
tensely exasperated, must still see a littl
of the ludieTous side of the situation. b
4 shook his head SO defantly, and wrath
perplexity and struggling mirthtulnesi
, scowl aud laughter wrinkles, were g
=. strongly marked upon his face that th
locker on was obliged to utter soft nttl
;. he get there, and why did b
f come, and where did he goa An
= why should wrsthful blscksmiths, melar
choly philosophers, and mocking cynit
3 appear, when and wherever they choose
to people to whom they have never bee
introduced and who have no desire
y make their acquaintance Are they, pc
J. haps, q method of self-revealment-or
It own possibilities of mood, passion, feelir
!, made visible to the inward eyes, as v
lie wrapped in darkness and the languor
approaching rests
q PHOTOGRAPH FRAMES.
A pair of photograph frames will be
pretty gift as you can now begin to ma
~ for next Christmas. Or, having ma
them, you need not wait 60 long to fiud
10 delightful recipient. Any one who sc
n them will be willing to take them off 20
at hands at oncs.
In ! Two sets 4 bsvslsd boards with oval