The Press., 1901-09-19


tent by the woven figure. with whom
he would tenderly converse when he
did not know he was being watched.
MIR. Wiltse Informed me that he had
purchased the tapestry several years
before, having been attracted by the
absurd treatment the subject had re-
ceiycd at the hands of the artist In
spired Of Vanloo. The piece seemed
grotesque to our vision. but 1t was not
without merit and, gazing steadily at 1t
for any length of time. had strange
effect even upon so prosaic person as
myself. l have fancied more than once
that | saw an undulating movement In
the lines of Omphale's beautiful neck
and that the delicate glow of her cheek
changed to deeper or paler shade.
You may laugh at me If you like, but
no one looking at the tapestry could
shake off the impression that the figure
of wooden and silken shreds was AMI
mate. Her languishing glance followed
one about the room, growing intense as
one gazed at her eyes.
NATURALLY tried the experiment Of
separating my patient from the infiu-
ence of the tapestry, but this, as fear
ed, only had the effect Of changing his
habitual melancholy into a violent pas
sion that was much more difficult to
deal with than melancholia. We then
tried hanging the tapestry In a much
used room, where some member of the
family was likely to be at all times.
There young Wiltse would sit before II
in silence, with an imploring express
sion on his face. Finally he became so
callous in regard to his strange infat-
uation that he took small pains to con-
ceal it. Uncomplimentary remarks
about Omphale would send him into
uncomfortable fits Of passion that bare
ly stopped short Of violence to the per-
son who had made the aspersion. No
one ever heard him address his enchan-
tress by name, but he would call her
Warehouses; and that, too. Is explain
ed, though at the time we were in the
dark as to his reason for comforting
this particular rank upon Omphale.
perhaps 1 exaggerated the impress
sion the tapestry made upon whoever
looked at it for any length Of time. I,
you must understand, was to some ex-
tent under the influence was studying
and trying to counteract in my patient
Suggestion in such cases goes far and
follows strange paths. Every one In
the family came more or less under
Omphale's influence"
1 had followed my uncle's story thus
far with intense interest, but here
lar influence Of the tapestry upon him
self largely or partly to it's known In
fiuence upon young Wiltse it made II
more difficult to understand how the
patient had in the first instance come
under Omphale's spell, since he did not
have any outside suggestion.
"That Is true" said my uncle, land
can only suppose that young Wiltse
had some time or other read this story
of Gautier's and come to imagine him
self a second lover of the beautiful
Warehouses de T., posed, to please hel
husband, in the romantic scene with
Hercules"
My uncle's whole story ran counter tt
my very strong projudices against be
lief in all things supernatural, spirit
ism" and the other "isms" Of the same
sort, do you mean to say" l ex
claimed, that you believe Gautier's
preposterous yarn about the amours OF
the young student and that WOODEN
ragY'
mot so fast: not so fast" he replied
II have not said that looked upon the
tale as q recital of fact. You miss the
point. will refresh your memory OF
the story and then you will under
Stand.
1.-THE youth Of GATHERS story was
deprived of his Omphale by an unfeel
ing guardian who had discovered the
boys infatuation. Years afterward the
man found the tapestry representation
Of his goddess in an oddly shop and
trembling with joy, hurried away to
get the 500 francs demanded for 1t by
the shopkeeper. Before he returned an
Englishman twhy not Wiltse, STD had
offered 600 francs for the tapestry, the
dealer had accepted, and the tapestry
had been carried away"
but" broke in again, '.you are still
supposing that Gautier's tapestry and
youth actually existed"
mot at all. Whether or not sGautiel
described an actually existing tapestry
| do not know. l am inclined to think
however that the novelist had seen
this very tapestry. And when young
Wiltse found it in his fathers house
either after or before he read the story
for am confident that he had read it.
Omphale's spell grasped him, and he
was never able to throw it off. He be
came the successor to GATHERS youth
but probably Omphale did not warmly
respond a second time to merely hui
man lovers advances, and hence his
despair"
"Poor fellow" said l. "Doyouknow'-
And then l hesitated, ashamed to dis
close to my uncle the intense inter
est he had excited in me. "Where is
that tapestry now?" finally demand
ed '-'
MY uncle first looked amused and
then serious. .~ -... ...-~
"You shall never see 1t, Hugh, until
you are too old to be foolish-until yoU
are as old as am."-St. Louis Repub
lie. .se
Old Militia Elections and New.
From the American Revolution to the
year 1923 the officers Of the militia Of
the state of New York had been ap
pointod nv tho council If aDnOint mQn1