The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-10
DAGUERREOTYPE MYSTERY
An OLD TIME PHOTOGRAPH
WITH WORDS
Worcester, Mass, ON Its Back, Helped
an Aged Woman Back to Pros

an Aged Woman Back to Pros
perity.
At the foot of one of the long. slOp-
ing hills that reach into the very heart
of the town of Bornheim, Germany, is
a little hut that has slowly but surely
tdegenerated from a comfortable cabin
into now what is practically howell.
On every side of this little speck of
human habitation deep in the heart of
the rough and rugged woodland, are
the crude signs of Indifferent civiliza7
itiOn intermingled indefinably with the
masterful efforts OF an all-powerful
mature to erase from its bosom the
trace of man.
The diminutive home had been con-
sVerted almost into forest bower by
the underground that covered what
had once been a yard, but which was
now obliterated, and the vines that
iran wild over the house on its every
lside. A path well worn by constant
travel wendell its way from the house
close by a bubbling spring and thence
onto the main road leading into the
town of Bornheim. The delapldated
condition Of the exterior of the house
was not factor when compared with
the appearance of the interior of the
place, and the emaciated and the pitt
able and tear-stained face Of the placid
old lady seemed to be in harmony with
all the apparent signs of decay and
neglect.
The face of the aged woman, wan
and worn though it may have been,
showed unmistakable sings of former
day refinement, although it required a
close scrutiny to reveal it under its
mask of resignation and despair A
peek into the one closet the place
boosted, disclosed to view nothing but
a few scattered crusts, while more
careful search proved the fact that
the woman was absolutely in want.
Succor seemed thing that was out of
the question and that fate had decreed
that this humble German fraulein was
to suffer the pangs of hunger until the
ravages of starvation attacked her
mind and that she was to slowly pass
out of this world a raving maniac.
The one peculiar feature of the de-
pressing scene was the fact that on the
side wall of the cabin daguerrotype
of handsome woman graced the wall
land stood out in marked contrast to it's
surroundings. Mrs. Martha Schnell,
for that was the woman's name. had
been one of the favored ones in days
past but fate had crowded the very es-
sentials of life out of her and, with the
losing of what fortune she possessed,
came the greatest blow of her life, the
disappearance of her husband. And
coming together left the woman on the
verge of distraction and she retired to
this little home to peacefully spend the
rest of her days.
In her youth, collector Of daguer
years of research to her forest home.
But Providence was unkind and after
lmany hitter struggles she was forced,
one by one, to sell them, to purchase
the necessities of life. Gradually her
collection grew smaller and as each
succeeding one was almost snatched
from her hands, great was her grief
and dispair Finally this last one re-
manned and she was ready almost to
grasp the angel of death In her arms,
than let the picture go. 1t was beau
tiful face with its soft dreamy eyes
looking out at the intruder from heavy
lashes that were almost connected over
her shapely nose. Character was writ
ten in visible signs over the face. and
to this Mrs. Schnell used to recite her
troubles and to feel glorifed in the
fact that it understood.
1 Nav Inv dow hnr cfn Of
ebbed away and day by day she wish
ed for the coming of that great stroke,
which obliterates the classes of man
kind. sweeps away the tortures and
depressions of the earth and opens up
a way for an indefinite happiness that
is as inexplicable as it Is hazy. Long
ingIy she gazed at the handsome face
on her wall and wonderment crept into
her eyes as she thought of the fair
maid in distant America When she
lived or who she was. was deep mys-
terry to her as the deflnable nature of
the hereafter, the only clue she pos
sessed was that on the back of the
daguerreotype. two words, Worcester,
Mass, were easily distinguishable.
Many times she wondered if the
maid still lived and If she would dare
to write to Worcester for some word
of her phantom heroine, These were
the daily thoughts that ran through
her mind and suffered her to take
some hope in living.
Days passed and none came and the
rancor in despair gradually expelled
the faint rays of hope out of her mind,
until without food for her physical be-
ing and without food for thought she
was ready for the end. The climax
was reached when every cent of her
money had disappeared and only the
crusts of bread were in the cupboard.
Life could be saved, however, at
the loss of the daguerreotype and af-
ter many hours Mrs Schnell decided to
sacrifice it,
The proprietor of the leading art
store of Bornhem, who had pur-
chased nearly all the others was sent
for. His arrival at the lonely cottage
marked strange change in the de-
Imeanor of the brave little woman and
as she reached for the pride Of her life,
the daguerreotype, visible tremor
passed over her frame.
But all this happened six months ago
and many changes can occur in that
time. The scene around the little howell
where once desolation and ruin held
sway was now utterly out of the
minds eye as the transformation dis
closed itself, The birds seemed to sing