The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-10-10
An Old Photograph.

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preserved it all these years the young man
would have lost his sweetheart, and his
career might have been biightod, because
scars of frightful burn were mistaken
for the effects of some dreadful blood dis
ease.
Most people in this town don't know
that Bellevue hospital has photograph
department. This story will inform them
of the fact and show them how it can do
a great deal of good outside of the scien-
tific purposes for which it was established.
The name of the young man whom this
story concerns will not be given, for the
reason that Mr.. Mason Is AS conscientious
man as he Is photographer and he
knows that the young man doesn't want
his name used, and 1t doesn't make any
particular difference anyway.
The young man told Mr.. Mason he
wanted IA photograph which was taken
when he was treated in the hospital 10
years ago Then he was n little chap
years old Mr.. Mason had not the slight
est difficulty in finding the plate among
his 5000 negatives, and prints were made
and given to the young man, who lives in
Denver now The young man explained
that he had come to New York to have an
operation performed in order to relieve
the painful drawing of the flesh about the
burned parts of his body, and he wanted
to show the surgeons at the New York
hospital what the burn was originally like
Now, as "a matter of fact, this was not
what the young man wanted the photo
graph for, or at least it was n secondary
reason. He didn't tell the particular one
at that time, but it came out later. The
young man was born in New York, and
nj he of w "a
chance he was one of those active and
lively boys who like to play in the streets,
and who are willing to celebrate any
event. provided there is an excuse, with
bonfire or something like that. The par
ticular bonfire which caused the young
man 5 woe was one which helped to cole
brate the success of Hayes in 1876. The
boy was not in politics at that time, but
he was in for any good celebration. This
was "a particularly big and hot bonfire.
There were lot of liquor barrels in it,
In an outburst of enthusiasm the boy
Slipped and si.U plump into the fire. He
sat on rodhot barrel hoops and stones that
were almost melting with heat. Io was
picked up terribly burned boy and taken
to Bellevue hospital. The skillful surgeons
treated him successfully, but the burn was
such bad one that it was carefully photo
graphed. 1t extended from the back of
the knees to the waist line. The surgeons
said that it was one of the worst burns
they had ever seen.
The boy recovered in the course of time
and grew up to be fine youth. The cor
rugations and drawing of the flesh about
the scars troubled him from time to time,
but it was not at all serious. AS he APP
preached man S estate he took great edi-
81 Ia
Denver, where he secured place with u
largo railroad company He won favor
with his employers and made excellent
progress. Then, like a wise and normal
young man, he fell in love with nice
girl, who appreciated him, and life looked
comfortable and rosy She was the daugh-
ter of superintendent of the railroad
Then it was that the innocent young man
was made the victim of his early misfor-
tune.
Being an active individual, he liked
outdoor sports. He was particularly fond
of swimming Ladies do not go swimming
in Colorado to any extent, and it being a
part of the free and untrammeled west it
Is not expected that finicky outgrowth
of an eastern civilization like bathing
suit should obtain there. At any rate, this
young man went bathing clothed as ma
ture made him, with the additional deco
! ration of those scars.
When his companions saw those scars,
they marveled much. And there was an
excuse for their wondering. Few living
persons carry such scars about with them.
The young man did not explain those scars,
as he could very easily have done, and
therein he made q mistake. The other fell
lows thought there was very good reason
for his not saying anything about them.
They did not think they were scars at all,
but The results of scrofula or some other
blood disease.
Now, it was certainly very mean of them
to talk about the young mans frightful
affliction. 1t wasn't very long before ev-
cry one in the circle in which he moved
knew about it. 1t came to the ears OF
the girls family. They made "a little in
vestigation, and then they made the girl
break off the engagement.
Now, the young man, as Is always the
case, was the last to hear Of the stories
floating about. When he learned of them,
he took immediate action. He wrote Il
manly letter to the girl and to her parents
asking them to suspend Judgment. He
told them that he could demonstrate that
his body was legitimately SCARED. Then
he took train for New York. He remem-
bered about the photograph, and he went
to Mr.. Mason and got the print. He had
the records of the hospital copied. He Sc
cured certificates from doctors. He had
an operation performed, which improved
his appearance-his Colorado bathing APP
pearance-very much. Armed with these
credentials and incontrovertible proofs,
the young man returned to Denver. He
exhibited them to the young woman IA
ther and brothers and was triumphantly
indicated. And now his standing with
the girl and her family is many degrees
higher than it ever was
There are very likely many romances in
Mr.. Mason's 5000 plates, but only now
md then they come to light. Frequently
the photographer who has been taking
pictures there for 20 years is called upo.
to furnish photographs of persons tie
since dead. Then the retoucher's ai' -
called into use to cover up the o'ur"Vioi ,
the very thing for which the hoVos . ~t'''
was taken. But it must DO c'ilossou .''''
the scientific part is more lhteressins w w
the handsome photographer, WIN las INV
, gray beard and clear eyes.
} There is no moro difficult branch Oh pho
Biography than that to which he has deVo'
ed himself, While the ordinary photos