Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1905-06-08
A New Case of
DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde
tOriginal.l

~ Shko al StthNii
~ America In Cromwelrs time, and
his grandson was n 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
arrived there I'm time for dinner and
spent part OF the evening examining
the house and many heirlooms IL con-
tanned. This finished. we sat hy the
great fireplace. built centuries ago. and
my host told me stories AMI legends OF
the family.
i went To my room with my head full
of visions OF different general .ons pass
ing and requesting aS in u panorama.
The house had never been changed into
modern abode. and my only light was
candle. While undrc ss.ng I noticed
a portrait hanging on the wall whose
white wig. high collarcd red coat. with
large buttons. ana rutiied shirt bosom
marked the original for the period OF
George Ill. i noticed him especially
for the benevolent expression OF his
face. and since he bore II strong family
resemblance l did not doubt that he
was one Of the carl.s and my own an
cestors
Placing the candle OH q table beside
the bsd-thc candlg lex. OF heavy sill
yer, had lighted people To bed 2Oo or
more years beforc-I put the extin-
Suisher over il. shut my eyes and went
TO sleep.
i soon awOke with one OF those in
dcscrihahlc sensations til, only definite
thing about which il certainty Of
some cause for wakefuincss 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 i'm establishment. Through
this mar who had lived from one to
two hundred years ago there seemed to
be looking from the back ground the
portrait Of one i'm the costume OF either
Charles III. or James III. At any rate.
he wore the curls and lace collar OF
that period. What u face! Never have
seen such malevOlencc combined with
such despair. thought Of Stevenson's
"Strange Case of DIR. JekylI and Mr..
HIDE" the good and the bad I'm 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. ! could not bear the thought OF
remaining under the gaze Of that horri-
bic face. 1 dared not put out the can
die. for 1 dreaded the darkness more
than the tight: so, getting out OF bed.
placed the candle on n dresser where IL
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 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 ut
last l fell asleep. awoke again, how.
ever. in few hours. The candle was
hickerinS i'm the socket. Being thirsty.
1 got up to get drink Of water before
the candle should go out. Turning to
go back to bed. 1 cast glance mt the
portrait. There again was the face I
dreaded
i must have started and caused n dis
turbancc OF the air sufficient to extin-
guish the pickering candle. At any
rate ii fared and went out. and DASH
ell for the bed, climbed into IL and bu-
ried my head under the clothes. NV
heart beating like a triphammer. An
other hour OF wakefulness, then sIum-
Der relieved me of the dreadful feeling
that that evil face was looking mt 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 IL and
reach our train to London. My first
thought was Of the portrait. I looked
ut 1t. and there. as had seen the night
before. were the two faces I'm one.
Explain that" I said, pointing.
The earl looked at II. surprised.
beg thousand pardons.- he said.
Tor putting you In n room with that
picture. When last here I gave an
order for its removal. but I see the
order has not been obeyed. Did it
trouble you I'm the nIghty-
trouble me? I should say IL didr'
Come. get your clothes on. and Mt
breakfast Ill tell you about H.,
This Is the story OF the picture:
When the Duke Of Monmouth.
Charles Ills natural son, returned
from the Netherlands to dispute the
throne with James III. the Earl of Etch-
woth was deep I'm the plot. His am-
bition was fired at the prospect Of hav-
Ing been one OF the principal adherents
OF n king I'm adversely. and he staked
all on the result. When Monmouth was
defeated Mt Ledgemoor and executed
the earl was one OF those whom JEFF
fries tried and condemned. The fall
ure OF the earIs plans and the result
embittered him and made n devil OF
him. The night before his execution
nm artist visited him I'm prison and.
struck by his expression, hurried to his
studio to put IL on canvas. The picture
eventually passed into the Etchwoth
family. but was kept In a garrett.
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