The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-12-08
THE CAMERA KNEW.
WHY THE PHOTOGRAPHER COULDN'T
GET A GOOD NEGATIVE.


Only Skin Deep" and the Skin Was Thin.
The following remarkable story is
vouched for by we'll known clerical
gentleman of this city, who always has
fund of amusing yarns at his tongues
end which are new and entertaining.
Some time ago handsome and inter
esting society woman entered the studio
of a famous metropolitan photographer
for the purpose of having her lovely
features perpetuated upon cardboard.
The artist knew his client and was very
anxious to please her and produce pic
ture worthy of SO fair subject. Conse-
quently he spared neither time nor care
in arranging satisfactory pose.
Finally everything was III readiness,
the lady was told to look pleasant, :"
the camera sprung and she had been
taken. = The lady sighed with relief,
and the artist disappeared with his
plates into the dark room. In short
time, however, he returned, wearing a
puzzled and somewhat chagrined look
upon his face With many apologies he
informed the lady that for some unac-
countable reason his plates would not
develop. In fact, they were hopelessly
ruined, and he would have to beg her
to give him another sitting.
The lady was i'll ii hurry, as she had
dinner engGgcm ent, but anxious to
have the business over with as long as
she had commenced il, she reluctantly
prepared to undergo another siege of
contortions and poses The photographer
was slightly nervous by this time, and
1t was somehow not so easy to arrange
the draperies in careless ease or TO ar
range that queonly head to the best adj
vantage. Do his best, she, who was nat
urally so graceful, seemed, when viewed
through the camera, to be all angles
the shoulders too high or the head too
low Bat at last all was we'll, and again
he removed the cap, having previously
most carefully examined the plates to
see that no impertections existed there.
4 viii wait for few moments, =
said the lady good naturally, "to see if
the results are more satisfactory than
before. =
"Oh, am sure there cannot possibly
be any defects this time. he replied re-
assuringly as he retired to the seclusion
of darkness. When in few moments
he appeared again, his face WAS study,
comical i'll its puzzled despair. The lady
could not refrain smile as she asked
"Well?"
mo, madam, not we'll ut all-in
fact, | never saw sicker looking mega
tives. To tell the truth | can't in the
least account for it, but the features are
so blurred as to be indistinguishable. l
never in all my experience had anything
like II before nor can i'll any way ac
count for it, " said the artist. 81 am
sure the plates were III perfect condition,
AS | examined them most carefully. The
fault must be i'll the chemicals, though
| never had any trouble that way before.
| am really very sorry for the unfortu-
nate failures, but if your patience is not
wholly exhausted | would like to try
once more.
The lady herself was not only a very
determined character, but of an inquir-
ing mind as well, and little relished be-
ing baffled at any undertaking; so she
replied facetlOuSly
Il have heard tell of people breaking
the camera i'll attempting to have their
ugliness perpetuated. but really, now,
| tlattered myself that | was not quito
SO bad as that. | don t like 20 be defeat
ed in so small matter, so we Will try
again, even if | miss my engagement.
Suppose we try ii different plan,
she continued as the artist again set
about arranging screens and shades.
Let me pose myself, and we will have
only the head localized. Make it per-
feet profile. / know my own features
and good points so we'll that | am sure
we shall have better results if | simply
take my own natural position, and, be-
sides, it will save time .
And so the ladys Grecian features
were sharply outlined against black
background, and again the artist at
tempted to make negative, and the
lady awaited the result She was not
long in suspense.
Its really no use, said the artist
finally as he showed her plate he had
tried to develop, and which revealed
instead of her classic profile, blurred,
indistinct mass of--what? Neither could
tell, but certainly it resembled nothing
human.
1T is quite incomprehensible, said
the artist. There is 40 use trying
again, for it is evident | cannot get
picture of you. Why it is | cannot
tell, but may be able to unravel the
mystery some time. | even tried fresh
chemicals with these, but with no bet
ter results. If you will call again some
other day, we may do better, he CON
Guided dolcfully rs the Lady took her de
parture, rather Disguised
The next day the artist reClNed this
note:
No. - WEST FifrY# sIsIit -rBtKr.
My DEAR SIR-Were yop n s,, my faae r..
day it Is possible your fllare 1f yesterday
might be logically explained 10 is perfect
mass Of eruptiun- from the measles which
made their appearance during tho night Ny
eyes are swollen shut and my fac1 almost TN
recognizable, is 1t possible the condition Of
my skin was such that TIN sensitive plate r..
produced b. viii try again when | recover.
Yours MIl~ ---
Per Maid.
1t was even Us she suggested Thai
which was so near the surface, but had
not yet penetrated the skin, was clearly
brought out by photography, In other
words, the measles We're photographed
before they appeared. Rochester Dem