Evening journal., 1905-05-30
A New Case of
DR.. JekyII and Mr.. Hyde


to America in Cromwelrs time. and
his grandson was a noted Tory during
the Revolution Some years ago I
visited London and sent my card to the /
present earl, who invited me to visit !
Etchwoth house. the family seat. We I
arrived there in time for dinner and /
spent a part Of the evening examining I
the house and many heirlooms 1t 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 10 my room with my head full
of visions OF different generations pass
ing and repasslng as in a panorama.
The house had never been changed into
a modern abode, and my only light was
a candle While undressing 1 noticed
a portrait hanging on the wall whose
white wig. high collared red coat, with
large buttons, and rufled shirt bosom
marked the original for the period Of
George Ill ! noticed him especially
for the benevolent expression Of his
face, and since he bore strong family
resemblance / did not doubt that he
was one Of the earrs and my own an
cestors.
Placing the candle on a table beside
the bed-the candlestick, of heavy sill
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.
1 soon awoke with one Of those In
describabie sensations, the only definite
thing about which is a certainty of
some cause for wakefulnCss. l lighted
my candle and, lying back on my pill
low, found myself facing the picture
of the benevolent gentleman that had
attracted my attention.
started up in astonishment. Through
this man who had lived from one to
two hundred years ago there seemed to
be looking from the background the
portrait of one IN the costume Of either
Charles H. or James II. At any rate,
he wore the curls and lace collar of
that period. What a face! Never have
Iseen- such malevolence combined with
such despair. ! thought of Stevenson's
Strange Case of DR.. Jekyll and Mr..
Hide" the good and the bad in one
body There were the features Of be-
nevOlence and malevOlence, the one
looking through the other. though the
former seemed to have mastered the
latter. l could not bear the thought Of
remaining under the gaze of that horri-
bic face. l dared not put out the can
die, for 1 dreaded the darkness more
than the light; so. getting out of bed, I
placed the candle on a dresser where it
would not shine so fully on the picture.
While returning 10 my bed ] noticed
that the features Of the evil face were
gradually giving place 70 the good face,
and before ] lay down the good had
completely annihilated the evil.
An hour passed, during which I occa-
sionally cast furtive glances at the por-
trait, dreading the return of the fiend
face. But there was no return, and at
last I fell asleep. awoke again, how
ever, in a few hours. The candle was
Pickering in the socket. Being thirsty,
I got up to get a drink Of water before
the candle should go out Turning to
go back 10 bed. 1 cast a glance at the
portrait. There again was the face l
dreaded
/ must have started and caused a dis
turbance of the air sufficient to extin-
guish the Pickering candle At any
ratei fiared and went out, and dash
ed for the bed. climbed into it and bu-
ried my head under the clothes, my
heart beating like a triphammer. An
other hour Of wakefulness, then slum-
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 it and
reach our train to London. My first
thought was of the portrait. I looked
at II, 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.
"I beg a thousand pardons,' he said
lor putting you in room with that
picture. When last here 1 gave an
order FOR its removal. but see the
order has not been obeyed. Did II
trouble you in the night?'
Trouble me? / should say II didF'
"Come. get your clothes on. and al
breakfast I'll tell you about it."
This is the story Of the picture:
When the Duke of Monmouth
Charles lis natural son, returned
from the Netherlands TO dispute the
throne with James II. the Earl of Etch
woth was deep in the plot His am
bition was fired at the prospect of hav
ing been one Of the principal adherent'
of king in adversely. and he staked
all on the result. When Monmouth was
defeated at LedgemOor and executed
the earl was one OF those whom JEFF
fries tried and condemned The fail
ure OF the earl's plans and the result
embittered him and made a devil ol
him. The night before his execution
an artist visited him in prison and
struck by his expression, hurried to hi,
4 studio to put it on canvas. The picture
eventually passed into the Etchwotl
family, but was kept in a garret
Three-quarters OF a century later, wheI
a canvas was wanted for portrait fof
the incumbent Of the title at tha
ume-the flower of them all-the on,
that had been used in the case of The
condemned earl was brought from th'
garret and turned TO account Indeed
the dirt had Obscured the paipting. ant