Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-01-23
THE CAMERA KNEW.
WHY THE PHOTOGRAPHS COULDN'T
GETA GOOD NEGATIVE.

The Sensitized Plate Discovered an Erup.
ton Before the Eye Could See lit
Showed In This Case That "Beauty Il
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 tongue S
end which are new and entertaining.
Some time ago a handsome and inter
esting society woman entered the studio
of 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 "a subject. Conse-
quently he spared neither time nor care
in arranging a satisfactory pose.
Finally everything was in 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 a 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 We're hopelessly
ruined, and he would have to beg her
to give him another sitting.
The lady was in hurry, as she had
dinner engagement, but, anxious to
have the business over with as long as
she had commenced it, she reluctantly
prepared to undergo another siege of
contortions and poses. The photographer
was slightly nervous by this time, and
it was somehow not SO easy to arrange
the draperies in careless ease or to ar
range that queenly head to the best ad-
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 imperfections existed there
81 will 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 a smile as she asked,
"Well?''
''No, madam, not we'll at all-in
fact, never saw sicker looking mega
tives. To tell the truth, 1 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 any thing
like it before, nor can I in any way ac-
count for it," said the artist. 81 am
sure the plates We're in perfect condition,
as l examined them most carefully. The
fault must be in the chemicals, though
l never had any trouble that way before.
l am really very sorry for the unfortu-
nate failures, but if your patience is not
wholly exhausted 1 would like to try
once more.
The lady herself was not only very
determined character. but of an inquir-
ing mind as we'll, and little relished be-
ing baffled at any undertaking; so she
replied facetiously:
81 have heard tell of people breaking
the camera i'll attempting to have their
ugliness perpetuated, but really, now,
l fiattered myself that l was not quite
so bad as that. / don't like to be defeat
ed in so small matter, so we will try
again, even if l miss my engagement.
Suppose we try 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 idealized. Make it per-
feet profile. know my own features
and good points so we'll that 1 am sure
we shall have better results if l simply
take my own natural position, and, be-
sides, it will save time
And so the lady's Grccian 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.
IL lCaily llo ust, elltk tIc uEtiSb
finally as he showed her plate he had
tried to develop, and which revealed,
instead of her classic profile, a blurred.
indistinct mass of-what? Neither could
tell, but certainly it resembled nothing
human.
''It is quito incomprehensible," said
the artist. "There is no use trying
again, for it is evident l cannot get a
picture of you. Why it is l cannot
tell, but may be able to unravel the
mystery some time. l 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-
cluded dolefully as the lady took her de-
parture, rather disguised.
The next day the artist received this
note:
No. - WEST FIFTY-NINTH STREET.
MY DEAR SIR-Were you to see my face to-
day it is possible your failure of yesterday
might be logically explained 1t is u perfect
mass of eruptions from the measles, which
made their appearance during the night. My
eyes are swollen shut and my face almost I'M
recognizable. Is it possible the condition of
my skin was such that the sensitive plate
produced itp will try again when l recover.
Yours, Mrs. -.
Per Maid.
1t was even as she suggested. That
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 thew apnparpd dorchester DEM