Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-04-09
THAT Spanish WOMAN
A Painting and n Ghost All In One
Frame.


faving in set terms of art concerning the
picture.
"Why didn't you buy it?" I asked.
~ offered old Doughty $500, and he
ieered."
gasped as much as Doughty jeered
$500 was an awful sum then.
Five years after old Doughty died, and
my husband went to sale of his pictures
and things He came back gloomy. He
told me that young Doughty was there,
and he could not bid against him. They
made an arrangement. The artists son
was to bid up to $50, and the husband
to what amount he pleased. 1t went for
$3.50.
Lately young Doughty went bankrupt
Ignorance of bookkeeping was his ex-
planation to the creditors. My husband
was on the warpath again. He asked
young Doughty to dinner and said he
meant to buy the picture. The young
artist raised his paint stained hands in
horror.
"It's accursed! 1t has the evil eye! The
guv'nor bought it for $3.50 and sworshiped
it. Whenever lie was rich. people tempt
ed him with splendid offers. md when he
was poor he couldn't sell it. He once
pawned it for S15. The beasty thing
has ruined me. I've been offered $1,000
for it-when I was flush"
"And refuscd?'
eyes. Worse luck! Last year, when
I'd sold my academy picture, a rich Aus
tralian came to tho studio. He was just
about to buy The Gem for $3.000-'The
Gem Is an old salon 16 footer-whcn he
saw "The Garrido,' and said, who paint.
ed that ugly thins!'
"'Oh, it's nothi. g. I replied. but he
went and gnzed and fell victim to the
ugly Spanish woman and offered S1.002.
~ was firm; he got angry and stalked
out of the place. The Gem will be in
the sale: but don't buy THE Garrido.
It'll bring bad luck"
My husband went to the sale and
brought back the picture in a cab. lie
paid only $35.
looked with great curiosity at the
work of art. undoubtedly n superb piece
OF painting. 1t represented C young
Spanish woman, full face, with pas.
sionate. scowllng codntenance eyes that
followed you about the room and black
hair which somehow stood out against n
black ground. She was an ugly woman
and yet fascinating.
We hung the picture over the mantel-
piece in the dining room and a'cd
about it during dinner. and cane back a
dozen times after dinner to gaze ct it
The husband even stopped tying trout
casts to visit "the Spanish woman"
luck" he said. Hang luck" And
he stuck peacock feather in the frame.
1t may have been mere coincidence,
but there cnlnc unexpectedly slump in
the husbands work. he got "broken" in
tho first Thames trout he ever hooked, a
plate of soup was spilled over my best
new frock; the moths got into my furs.
the parlormaid caught the measles and
the dog distemper. All these triacs were
within a month, but we were resolute,
placid and philosophic.
A friend. hearing us talk. and. ad-
miring the picture, offered us $3.50. We
jeered. He left for Jericho.
One night / heard a strange noise in
the fiat. I did not awaken the husband
he has theories about not attacking bur.
glars, but is very hotheaded. crept
down to the dining room. There was a
noise inside. | burst open the door, say
ing all in a breath: You'd better GO
quickly and leave everything. I've rung
the cnll for police, hoy messenger, cab
doctor and f-e escape. You've just time
to get away" A cat, mere, harmless
cat. bolted past me.
went to close the window. The blind
was up and the moon strcamed in.
chanced TO look at the Spanish wo
man; she was looking at me. staring
glaring. gasped. then walked bravely
toward her step or two. The eyes were
opened wider than usual and there was O
fierce light in them.
My mouth grew dry; I tried to scream
my tongue merely clnttcred. In a mo-
ment AL the ghost stories l had evel
read passed through my mind.
A subdued storm of words rushed from
the thick lips, and teeth cleaned withir
them. The language was foreign: the
voice was like that of Bernhardt wher
she curses in a whisper. The head ad
vanced, fury in the face. mad glare IL
| the eyes. The frame became a kind OF
| black mist
Nearer nearer: could feel her breath
I thanked God silently that she had nc
arms. and put up my trembling hand,
to keep her off,
Suddenly strength came to my legs.
rushed across the room, stumbled over ;
chair and fell The head turned.
| could see coarse, black curls on the ,napt
OF its neck as II turned. Closer 1t came
closer, but slowly Only a foot or two
separated the face from mine, and wa:
| paralyzed.
Closer-only an inch off, when all Al
once my muscles awokc, and fed from
the room. banging the door.
said nothing at breakfast to my hus
band about the matter; he is very sym
pathetic, but somewhat skeptical and
quizzical.
At II a. m. the housemaid and l took
down the nicture-at least looked OF
and she took il down. There seemed
nothing abnormal about il.
| Then we put it into a cab. The dealer
refused to give more thnn S25 for it,
Hitherto he and l have ncycr had n