The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1905-06-30
A New Case Of
DIR. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde
IOriginal.l

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.
l went to my room with my head full
OF visions of different generations pass
ing and repaSSing as in a panorama.
The house had never been changed into
modern abode, and my only light was
a candle. While undressing l noticed
a portrait hanging on the wall whose
white wig, high collared red coat, with
large buttons, and rUffled shirt bosom
marked the original for the period Of
George III. / noticed him especially
face, and since he bore a strong family
resemblance l did not doubt that he
was one of the earls and my own an
cestors.
Placing the candle on 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.
| soon awoke with one of those in
describable sensations, the only definite
thing about which is a certainty of
some cause for wakefulneSs. I 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 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 costume of either
Charles II. or James II. At any rate,
he wore the curls and lace collar of
that period. What face! Never have
seen such malevolence combined with
such despair. 1 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. I could not bear the thought of
remaining under the gaze of that horri-
BILE face. l dared not put out the can
die, for | dreaded the darkness more
than the light; so, getting out of bed,
placed the candle on dresser where it
would not shine so fully on the picture
While returning to my bed I noticed
that the features of the evil face were
gradually giving place to the good face,
and before l lay down the good had
completely 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 I fell asleep. I awoke again, how
ever, in few hours The candle was
Pickering in the socket. Being thirsty,
| got up to get a 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 I
dreaded.
must have started and caused dis
turbance of the air sufficient to extin-
guish the Pickering candle. At any
rate it flared and went out, and I dash
ed for the bed, climbed into it and BIZ
rled 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 it, and there, as I had seen the night
before, were the two faces in one.
Explain that" I said, pointing
The earl looked at it, surprised
Il beg a thousand pardons,'' he said,
TOR putting you in a room with that
picture When last here / gave an
order for it's removal, out I see the
0. er has not been obeyed. Did it
trouble you in the night?"
Trouble me? | should say it didv'
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 lis natural son, returned
from the Netherlands to dispute the
throne with James II. the Earl of Fitch
woth was deep in the plot. His am
bition was fired at the prospect Of hav-
ing been one of the principal adherents
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
emhittered 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 nut III on canvas The nict1lre