The Topeka state journal., 1905-08-03
THE EVENING STORY

New Case OF DIR. JekyH and Mr.. Hyde.
In my veins runs the same blood as
the Earl of Etchwoth. An ancestor
cavalier and a stanch royalst-came
to America in Cromwelrs time, and
MS grandson was a noted Tory during
the Revolution Some years ago
visited London and sent my card to the
present earl, who invited me to visit
Etchwoth house, the family seat. we
arrived there in time for dinner and
spent part OF the evening examining
the house and many heirlooms it con-
tanned. This finished, we sat by the
great fireplace, built centuries ago, and
my host told me stories and legends
Of the family.
went to my room with my head
full of visions of different generations
passing and repassing as in a pano-
rama. The house had never been
changed Into modern abode, ana my
only light was a candle. While ul-
dressing noticed a portrait hanging
Jared red coat, with large buttons. and
ruffied shirt bosom marked the orig
lnal for the period of George III 1
noticed him especially for the benevo-
lent expression of his face, and since
he bore strong family resemblance I
did not doubt that he was one of the
earIs and my own ancestors.
Placing the candle on table beside
TIC OSO-~-tE0 CdHalOSllCk, Ol ACotJ Stt-
yer, had lighted people to bed 200 or
more years before-I put the extin-
guisher over it, shut my eyes and went
to sleep.
soon awoke with one of those in
describable sensations, the only def
mite thing about which is a certainty
of some cause for wakefuiness. I
lighted nay candle and, lying back on
my pillow, found myself facing the
picture of the benevolent gentleman
-aff of fkad a
started uo in establishment.
Through this man who had lived from
one to two hundred years ago there
seemed to be looking from the back
ground the portrait of one in the cos
tune of either Charles II or James II.
At any rate, he wore the curis and
lace collar of that period. What a
face! Never have I seen such male
violence, combined with such despair. I
thought of Stevenson's Strange Case
of DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde the good
and the bad in one body There were
the features of benevolence and male
violence, the one looking through the
other, though the former seemed to
have mastered the latter. I could not
bear the thought of remaining under
the gaze of that horrible face. 1 dared
not put out the candle, for l dreaded
the darkness more than the light; so,
getting out of bed, I placed the candle
on dresser where it would not shine
so fully on the picture. While re-
turning to my bed noticed that the
features of the evil face We're gradual
ly giving place to the good face, and
before I lay down the good had COM
pletely annihilated the evil.
An hour passed, during which occa-
sionally cast furtive glances at the por-
trait, dreading the return of the fiend
face. But there was no return. and at
last 1 fell asleep. I awoke again, how
ever. in few hours. The candle was
Pickering in the socket. Being thirsty
I got up to get drink of water before
the candle should go out. Turning to
go back to bed, cast a glance at the
portrait. There again was the face
dreaded.
must have started and caused a dis
turbance of the air sufficient to extin-
guish the fiickering candle. At any
rate it hared and went out, and 1 dash
ed for the bed, climbed into it and bu-
ried my head under the clothes, my
heart beating like a triphammer. sfAn-
Der relieved me of the dreadful feeling
that that evil face was looking at me.
In the morning my chamber door was
thrown open, and my host entered to
announce that breakfast was waiting,
and we had scarcely time to eat and
reach our train to London. My first
thought was of the portrait. l looked
at it. and there, as had seen the night
before, were the two faces in one.
Explain that l said, pointing.
The earl looked at it, surprised.
81 beg a thousand pardons.'' he said,
for putting you in room with that
picture. When last here 1 gave an or
der for its removal. but | see the order
has not been obeyed. Did it trouble you
in the night?"
Trouble me? 1 should say it did"
Come, get your clothes on, and at
breakfast I'll tell you about it..
This is the story of the picture:
When the Duke of Monmouth, Charles
IFS natural son, returned from the
Netherlands to dispute the throne with
James II. the Earl of Etchwoth was
deep in the plot. His ambition was fred
at the prospect of having been one OF
the principal adherents of king in ad-
versity, and he staked all on the re-
suit. When Monmouth was defeated at
Sedgemoor and executed the earl was
one of those whom Jeffries tried and
condemned. The failure of the earfs
plans and the result embittered him and
made a devil of him. The night before
his execution an artist visited him in
prison and, struck by his expression,
hurried to his studio to put it on can
vas. The picture eventually passed in
to the Etchwoth family, but was kept
in a garret. Three-quarters of a CEN
tury later, when a canvas was wanted
for a portrait for the incumbent of the
title at that time-the flower of them
aii-the one that had been used in the
case of the condemned earl was
brought from the garret and turned to
account. Indeed, the dirt had obscured
the painting, and the artist did not
know of its existence, so he painted over
it, At the end of another three-quarters
of a century the picture was cleaned.
with the result of bringing out the two
faces. JAMES CARTER SCOTT
GLOBE SIGHTS.