The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-06-07

has been, and the old lady assures me
that there isn't another Agatha G. to
her knowledge in existence"
cat any rate" Ellen insisted, 1--WE
have learned one thing beyond q doubt
We know the poor girls name. In good
time we shall know everything Annette
will get well, am sure Of it.
But Maxey did not want to be COM
forted. He looked unutterable disgust
and changed the subject
"You mentioned that you had been
making experiments, Lamar"
Eyes" assented the physician, 1--WE
have discovered something. First, our
patient has most remarkable power Of
Installation, and next she is very sus
ceptible to the influence of music She
was so excited by Miss Maxey' fine sing
ing this afternoon that she tainted"
''The deucev" cried Maxey, beginning
to brighten up at once. EITHER 1 don't
understand the thing the least in the
world, or this means very good news"
Possibly"
Possibly! There you go again You
use that evasive word to avoid commit
ting yourself on any subject just as soon
as anybody asks you a direct question.
BE candid, Lamar. Doesn't this mean
that there is bare chance of singing
her back to her senses again?
"To the question put in that limited
and cautious way would answer yes"
Maxey Became very much excited.
"Why not begin now at once and sing
till she gets well?" he cried.
"No, no." said the sister "That
won't do. Both doctors have forbidden
any more music at present and for to-
night-absolute quiet"
"That is another medical humbug
which they think of when they haven't
any nastiness at hand to dose with" "
muttered Maxey. absolute quiet!
Stuff And what's thatcher thing with
the long name you say she's subject to-"
'Visualization? 1t means the power
Of retaining the image of an object after
it has disappeared from the actual field
Of sight so vividly thaG its exact form is
still seen. We all have it in greater
or less degree. In her it is exceedingly
strong. Some people who have the fac
ulty in a marked degree can close their
eyes and call up at will the face of an
absent friend with such distinctness that
it is quite like looking ID him. At least
have been told so. mast say my own
impressions are very faint"
"Now you are getting into my field,"
said Maxey, who was very much inter
ested. "That is faculty possessed by
some of our best portrait painters, no.
tably Sir Joshua Reynolds. l never
heard it called by that name, but it is
obvious that the man who can keep a
subject before his mental vision con-
stantly, other things being equal, will
make the best picture.
"Why, went into the studio of a
friend of mine the other day, and was
struck at once by a splendid portrait in
oils he had just completed How many
sittings did you have for that?' asked
him. IF tell you and you should re-
peat it to anybody, l might not get my
price for the picture, he said. There
were really about 20 sittings, but 19 of
them were shams. After the first two I
never did any work when the subject
was before me- Don't you SEQ this is
just a case in point? At the first he had
sketched the outline Of the face, and, as
he told me, Whenever he wanted to sit
down and work at it he had only to re-
call the PERSONS face to his mind, and
he can really do his best work from this
mental copy alone by himself. The pres
ence of the real face distracts his atten-
tion and makes him nervous. He has the
power. Well, if it is a mental faculty
and our girl gets well, she is going to
remember all about this time and these
events since we found her in series Of
pictures, I take it. -
Lamar laughed. Something after the
style Of a panorama, l suppose? No,
Maxey, You reason too loosely. You
don't weigh your own words. Remem-
ber all about it. Do you know what it is
to remember? 1t is to recall something
that we have once known. This poor
girl knows nothing Of what is transpir
ing around her and has not since tho
moment when she lost her senses on the
rocks at the sea road. What never is
known cannot by any possibility be re-
membercd. No. Whatever may be the
future of the patient, this present time
will always be blank to her"
Dr. Lamar spoke very positively.
"Woll" sighed Maxey, "if she but
RECEIVERS enough to explain who she is
and how she came where we found her,
shall feel reasonably satisfied. Still I
can't see what your Installation
amounts to if she cannot carry picture
which she sees now into the future,
whatever be her condition"
"Ah, that is another thingp' said La
mar, "quite another thing from men,
ory That might be- She might carry
the picture, but it would be picture
simply, unassociated with the succession
of events. If she were a painter now,
though she mover knew you she might
paint your face and think it an idea of
her own. Not very probable, admit,
but still it might be-. !"
Maxey looked serious
"What q curious fancy, that!" he
mused II believe if she does get we'll,
will teach her the first thing to paint.
Heigho, but she's not well yetP'
1t had grown quite dark in the sitting
room while they had been talking. The
early evening of winters day had al
ready come. Lamar all at once awoke to
realization Of the flight Of time. He
turned the face of his watch to the fire
and exclaimed
"What am tagging here for? It is
nearly 8 o'clock If l don't look out,
this girl will ruin my business. Let us
see how the patient is before we CO. No,