The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-04-09
A DUPLEX
PICTURE
By JOHN D. BILLINGS
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.


ardent patriots The first Motfett who
came to this country was British to
the core. He arrived when he was
thirty years old and was sixty when
independence was declared. One
would think he had had ample time to
become Americanized, but nothing can
depatriate an Englishman.
Not long ago, becoming interested in
the family genealogy, got into CORE
spondence with cousin of mine who
lives in the Identical house built and
occupied by Cuthbert Mcffett. the old
curmudgeon Tory. was invited to
visit my cousin and inspect the home
stead and certain heirlooms 1t con-
tanned. | accepted the invitation and
found him quite ready to give me all
the information he possessed about
the family history. He said that our
progenitor had been so wrought upon
by King Georges failure to establish
his authority that it killed him.
There said my cousin when he
showed me to my room. pointing to
painting hanging on the wall. lis
portrait of the second Mosfett. James.
cur grandfather. 1t was painted when
he was sixty eight years old. or about
the age at which his father, Cuthbert
Moffett. died"
The face was a model OF kindness.
the reverse of what his fathers must
have been.
After dining and passing an agree
able evening with my cousin and his
family l went upstairs to bed. He
had been telling me legends Of the
family. and my mind was quite full Of
them. However, | had been travelling
all day and was tired Getting out of
my clothes as soon as possible, turn
ed off the light and jumped into bed.
There are certain nights when there
is deafness In the air that prevents
persons from sleeping. | had struck
one of these nights. An hour after CO.
ing to bed | awoke, and after being
awake another hour concludedst TO light
the gas-it had been put in with much
difficulty some years beforehand read
a novel l had brought with me. / read
for some time and, becoming bit
sleepy or tired Of my book. laid 1t
down on the bed beside me- Then
found myself looking straight at the
picture of James Moffett. The gas jet
shone full upon It,
Impressed as | had been with the
stories my cousin had told me about
the dlsagreeable makeup of Cuthbert
and the genial disposition of James
Moffett, the moment my eyes fell on
the portrait 1t struck me that the ma
lures Of these two men were strug-
CLING with each other In It, If ever
there was mingling Of dlabolical
with n noble expression 1t was there
There seemed TO be two pictures In
one-two men of the same age, the
one a devil, the other a saint. Their
features We're so much alike that they
could scarcely be told apart.
/ moved aside when, behold, saw
only the benevolent features Of James
Moffett / moved as far to the oppo-
site side, and there on the same can
vas was the devilish face of Cuthbert
| resunHR my original position and
there saw again the strange mingling
Of the two.
Now. / am not superstitious man,
but one must admit that after listen.
ing to the stories had heard of these
two men, my own progenitors. look
Ing upon such sight was not con-
ducive to quiet nerves. I don't say
that / was impressed with the proba-
bility Of there being anything super
natural about the portrait. but | didn't
know. A man Is much more liable to
give way to superstition at 2 O'Clock In
the morning, alone, than In the light of
day with other persons about him. I
wondered If the father and son had
not quarreled In life and the son had
been implicated In the
fathers death. And was not this
quarrel supernaturally perpetuated In
the picture?
Nonsense! would turn out the light
md go to sleep.
/ did the first at once; the second /
,ould not do till daylight came and the
picture lost its duplex condition.
At breakfast l did not propose to
give away my midnight trepidation to
NY cousin. o
sleep well?' he asked.
/ didn't like to lie aboutit, so / adj
nitted that ! was wakefuIs
"See anything unusual In the room"
II know what you're driving at.
There's something strange about that
portrait Of our grandfather
He smiled. II wondered If you
would be looking at 1t when your gas.
fight struck 1t. / hope 1t didn't disturb
you."
"In forgive you IL you'll explain the
natter"
"Done. Not long before James Mof-
'ett's death--that was during the early
,art of this century--a wandering
FAINTER came to the house and asked |
o be permitted to paint his portrait.
There was no canvas available, but in |
he garnet was an old picture of Cuth.
'ert Moffett, 80 disagreeable looking
hat the family would not have It on
he wall. A daughter Of James, who
detected the old portrait, gave 1t to the
'ainter, asking him to use 1t IL he !
ould and in any event paint out the