Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-05-31

/ carry an electric hand lamp with me
wherever | 20.
That night l did not sleep well /
was thinking OF the poor little fellow
who had often doubtless played. per.
haps slept, in this very room. He had
lived here in luxury ignorant OF the
fate that awaited him and now was
sleeping in a squalid room In n peas.
ants hut. After lying awake till |
heard the clock in the tower strike 2
| got up, took my electric lamp and
walked about the room There were
pictures on the wall. and ! examined
them by the light OF my lamp One.
a picture of an open window. bad ar.
rested my attention before | went TO
bed from the fact that the artist hnd
not put anything in the easement
Why he should have painted win
dow without some flowers or II bird
cage or some one looking out of it px.
cited my curiosity. Flashing my light
upon this picture. started with as.
constituent The window was occupied.
| was ut first too much absorbed in
the phenomenon to notice who was
the occupant ] am not SuperStitiOuS
Indeed, | refer everything to a natural
cause. 1t was no ghost looking at
me. 1t was one who had been put
there with some sort OF paint TINT
would only appear when Illuminated
Ivy q certain kind of artificial light
Doubtless IL required electric or simi.
lar rays.
But the figure in the window-a
beautiful boy Of twelve. with thick
locks tumbled over his head, a child's
honest eyes. a mouth purscd up as
children often do when Interested
looked me straight in the face. NV
first thought was that he was the
dispossessed lad. But. 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 name, but Herbert David Paul
Czshardi-1S32."
1t occurred to me at once that this
was Count Herbert, the father Of the
dispossessed boy.
1t was near dawn before l fell
asleep. and l did not awaken till .
the next morning. The picture Of the
window was directly opposite me.
| Though the sunlight was shining upon
it. it was truly n window. Had | been
dreaming? / thought not. Neverthe-
| less during the morning / shut out
what light l was able from the room
and examined the picture again with
my lamp. The boy was there, but not
so distinct.
Before 1 left the castle / had figured
out possible solution to the case
that had been, I believed. wrongly de-
cided by the courts. In returning to
Vienna / 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. l went
first to see the boy.
Scarcely feature was different from
those belonging to the portrait.
Though l had nothing to gain or
lose by this discovery, uttered an ex-
clamation OF delight. l had positive
proof that little Franz was the son of
! Count Herbert Czshardi.
From the boy / went to call upon
| the countess. l explained to her that
| had passed a night at the castle in
! 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 a bride. / asked if there was n
| picture eXtant of her husband when
ten or eleven years old Tears came
| into her eyes as she said:
/ NO, and there being none lost us our
case and turned my poor boy out"
/ She listened with eagerness to my
adventure in my bedchamber at the
castle and fairly gasped for joy when
l had finished. She told me that her
/ husband had had a faint remembrance
/ Of n japanese artist coming TO the
castle when he was 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 disbcIieved so remarkable a tale.
but admitted that children are liable
TO show n likeness to either Of their
parents when the parent was at the
same age as the child The Iawyer
was obliged to resort TO chicauery lest
August Czshardi might destroy the
picture. lie obtained an order OF the
court for it ana succeeded iu getting 60
before Czshardi was aware that it was
Of any Importance
was present in the courtroom
when, the case having been reopened.
the picture was shown to the jury los
daylight. then by electric rays. little
Franz being present that they might
see the likeness.
The case was won
J was invited TO escort the countess
'ud her son To- the castle the day they
'eturned 10 St aud TO be their guest as
long as I would remain Never shall /
forget the delight especially Of the
boy nc getting back to that with
which hn had Ioou f4r,fItor .t,,,.