Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-08-10
DAILY SHORT STORIES

look under the bed Tor burglars. but
carry an electric hand lamp with me
wherever I 20. 1864
That night did not slecpiwcii.
was thinking OF the poor li,u.l Fellow
who had often doubtless played. per-.
haps slept. In this very rooM lie had
lived here nm luxury ignor,isi, OF the
fate that awaited him and now was
sleeping In squaild room In II peas.
ants hut After lying awake till .
heard the clock I'm the tower strike 2
got up. took my electric muip and
walked about the room. There were
pictures on the wall. and examined
them by the light OF my lamp One.
= picture OF an open window. had mr..
rested my attention before went ~
bed from the fact that the ar,ls, had
not put anything In the easement.
Why he should have painted win.
dow without some lowers or II bird.
cage or some one looking out Of IL ex.
cited my curiosity. Flashing my light
upon this picture, I started with ms.
constituent. The window was occupied.
I was ut first too much absorbed In
the phenomenon TO notice who was
the occupant. am not supcrstitious.
Indeed. l refer everything To n natural
cause. u was no ghost looking at
me. u was enc who had been put
there with some sort of paint that
would only appear when illuminated
Ivy certain Kind of artificial light
Doubtless IL required electric or simi.
TAR rayn
But the figure In the window-a
benutifiil boy of twelve. with thick
locks tunbled over his head. n child.s
children often do when Interested
looked ME straight In the face :. Ny
first thought WAS that he was The
disposscsscd lad. ISut. no. Little
| Franz was now twelve years old. and
| this boy could not be more than ten
In a corner my light revealed not the
artists Hame. but Herbert David Paul
lCzshardi-1S32." Lii =.
II occurred TO me Mt once that this
dispossessed boy. s
IL was near dawn before fen
asleep. and did not awaken till o
the next morning. The picture OF the
window vas directly opposite me-
Though the sunlight was shining upon
II, II was truly n window. Had | been
drea ming? ] thought not Neverthe-
less during the morning ] shut out
what light 1 was able from the room
and examined the picture again with
4 my lamp. The boy was there. but not
SO distinct.
Before left the castle had figured
out a possible solution 10 the case
that had been. believed, wrongly de.
cided by the courts. In returning 20
VienDa ! learned the whereabouts of
both the countess and little Franz.
The boy was living with his peasant
mother, and the countess was living
In humble cottage near by. 1 went
first to see the boy.
Scarcely feature was different from
those belonging to the portrait
Though l had nothing 70 gain or
lose by this discovery. uttered an ex.
clamation OF delight. i had positive
proof that little Franz was the son OF
Count Herbert Czshardi.
From the boy l went to call upon
the countess. 1 explained to her that
had passed a night at the castle I'm
which she had lived and asked her IL
| she remembered the picture of The
vacant window. She replied that she
! did. 1t was there when she went
there n bride. asked IL there was
picture extant of her husband whe-i
ten or eleven years old. Tears came
into her eyes as she said:
mo, and there being none lost us our
case and turned my poor boy out"
She listened with eagerness to my
adventure in my bedcbamber at the
castle and fairly gasped for JOY when
j had finished. She told me that her
husband had had a faint remembrance
OF q japanese artist coming TO the
castle when be was n little boy and
painting his portrait, but the count
was then too young to recall anything
but the fact
The countess sent Immediately for
her attorney and told him my story
He disbelieved so remarkable a tale.
but admitted that children are liable
TO show likeness TO either OF their
parents when the parent was at tho
same age as the child. The lawyer
was obliged to resort 10 chicnnery lest
August Czshsrdi might destroy the
picture. He obtained an order Of the
court for IT and succeeded iD getting 1t
before Czshardi was aware that II was
OF any Importance.
] was present in the courtroom
when, the case having been reopened.
the picture was shown 20 the jury by
daylight. then by electric rays. little
Franz being present that they might
see the likeness.
The case was won.
was invited to escort the countess
and her son to the castle the day they
returned to 1t and TO be their guest as
long as I weuld remain. Never shall
forget the delight. especially Of the
boy, at getting back to that with
which bo had ho.ou 70