Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-10-19


playmates' faces were there plainly
before me, 1t seemed to me that the
universe could hold nothing more en-
tranclng than amateur photography. OF
course, l had failures, but they We're
few compared with the successes.
One morning in May, after l had
become thoroughly versed in the art
of using the camera and had fitted up
dark room Of my own in the attic,
Lester and I sailed out with our cam
eras to secure snapshots whenever
desirable ones might present them
selves.
1t was an ideal day for picture TAX
Ing. Rain had fallen the night before
and had left the atmosphere clear and
brilliant, with none Of that dim haze
which Is the camerist's Nemesis SO
often.
We had strolled along the road, per-
haps two miles out Of the village, and
had caught three or four very pretty
views.
None other had presented them
selves, however, for some time, when,
by turn Of the road. we came upon
man drinking from a spring at the
side Of the road. He was but few
feet away, and was STOPPING down
with his back toward us.
Lets get him." said I in low tone.
Call right" replied Lester; ''you do
1t, though. I've only got one plate
left"
| had several unexposed plates re-
naming in my camera, so pointed the
box toward the man and pressed the
button. Just at the instant when the
shutter must have operated the man
heard us and turned his head, facing
us sQuarely.
He evidently understood what we
were about, for he scowled deeply and
walked rapidly away through the
woods, without, however, offering to
modest us. He. carried small, black
grip with him.
AS the mans retreating figure dis
appeared through the trees, Lester and
| drew long breath Of relief, for we
felt like criminals detected in crime,
and we were a trifie afraid Of the man
besides.
| We wandered a little further, snap
ping few more wayside pictures, and
then turned towards home and re-
traced our steps.
That afternoon Lester came over to
my fathers house to witness the devel-
opment of the mornings pictures.
AS, one by one, we put the plates
through the developer, majority came
out well. One or two were trife
under exposed, and there were minor
defects in others; but, on the whole,
they were very good.
The star negative Of the lot, how
ever, was that of the stranger whom ]
had photographed drinking, and who
had turned his head and caught nae in
the act. That was perfect Every.
thing was brilliantly sharp, and the
shutter had caught the mans full face
In the negative even so small an object
as his eyes stood out beautifully.
We made blueprint Of this mega
| tive, and both Lester and myself. rec
ognized the faithfulness Of the likeness
Notwithstanding the fact that we had
seen the man but moment.
About the middle Of the afternoon
my father returned from the neighbor
ing town, ten miles away, in one of the
banks Of which he was clerk. He seem
ed to be much excited and perturbe6
about something. Ny mother noticed
it and Immediately inquired as to thu
cause Of his uneasiness..
"The bank was robbed last night,
he answered, land over $4,000 stolen
Every cent I had in the world is gone
with the rest"
My mother made an exclamation o.
dismay.
"And the worst of 1t Is" went OF
my father, that we are almost certain
who the thief Is, but we haven't {
thing in the world to trace him by
not vestige Of photograph or any
thing like it, which we could give t,
detectives to guide them in the hunt
The mans gone, and the money will
I him."
And my father sank despondentl,
into a chair.
Meanwhile Lester and stood by lis
tening silently, the still wet blue prin
in my hand. After a minute l wen
and pressed the print out fat upon thu
table, on which my fathers arm wa
leaning. At any other time l woult
have proudly exhibited it to him, ant