The Portland daily press., 1899-07-01
SCOyGLL'S
WOOD
MYTH.


Of mind when he went and took his place
among the crowd Of people waiting in the
outer Office of his friend Blsndford. The
rest of the crowd were ell presumably sick
IN body, for Blandford was doctor, and
hhey had come to consult him. But Scovell
and Blandford had been close friends for
len years, and In all that time neither of
the swo had ever been in any but the most
: perfect physical health. When Blandford's
Office attendant saw Scovell during office
hours, she always counted at least half an
hour of that day lost to her employer--to
be spent In what she considered useless
chatter, certainly not in the earning of
professional fees.
This time Scovell had perfectly good
reason for his intrusion. He was in seri-
Gus trouble of mind He was painter,
the time left him for the completion of
what he expected 30 be his great work was
desperately short, and the browning glory
Of the picture seemed unatsainable.
IF don't get that momentary fleeting
expression of the face and that gesture"
he said 10 Is friend when his turn had at
last come and he had been admitted TO the
consulting room, .the whole thing is a
failure"
What's the matter with your model"
Blandford asked.
1T DOM know. / don't say anything
Is che master with her. Physically she is
splendid But how In the name of reason
could ever have expected a simple girl
like that TO understand the expression of
studied shyness that would come on the
faoe OF wood nymph who is awakened
from sleep by the footstep of faunp
What does Emma know about fauns and
wood nymphsS"
ISIS everything all right except thatP"
MS friend asked.
Egerything-nothing to get except the
facial expression-and the movement of
the hand. When you come to think Of it,
though, those two are everything-the
whole value of the picture
"I'm sorry can't prescribe something
that will quicken your models intelli-
gence, old man. You ought to tell her to
imagine that she's been taking a nap and
hears somebody coming behind her to win
pair of gloves. She might understand
THAT better than the classical idea
"By Jingol' Soovell suddenly ejaculat-
ID. by Jupiter, by Pan, I've got I'll
Hypnotism is the thing, and you are the
man to work 1t. I'd have come to you
long ago If I'd thought of that
How do you know can hypnotic
your model"
"You must try"
mo" said the doctor "I'll tell you o
better way. The picture is all finished
but the face?'
1.-THE face and the right hand
Then you must let Emma go and paint
Ia those from my hypnotic subject Bring
Jour traps here day after tomorrow at 4 in
the afternoon. Now get out and let me
earn my living. So long"
ScosHn on tho momipg of the appointed
day had his cauvas--a fresh canvas for a.
study Of the face and hand-concealed
Vith an easel and other apparatus, in a
closet of Blandford's inner office, At 4
Ia the afternoon he made his appearance,
ready for work.
He fosssd quisA, lsdylike girl. talking
with the doctol. She was dressed m street
costume and had only just laid aside hat
and gloves Blandford introduced her as
oneo his patients.
Ecoren was not sanguine as he looked
atsthAf aoe he expected to paint 1t was
not by any means the faco Of an Immortal
9beEe was nothing classic about 1t. 1t
was. the face Of o pretty, honest, rather
tizn1a working girl OF the nineteenth CEN
SafS.
Rheoperation of hypnotizing the sub
t1ct Sgas begun by Biandford with hardly
awcxd OF preface. She, on her part, APP
peared 60 regard 1t as amatter of routine
md ma1e not the slightest objection to
the presence of a third person.
She was citing In the same chair in
which Eccsell had found her when he en-
Ted and from which she had not stirred
After row Of the wen known passes and
moSenasnts Of the operators fingers over
her head the girl was fast asleep appar-
entity.
Now bring on your easel, " said Bland
ford,
Then he began talking to his patient.
Mary, open your eyes" She opened
Asreyes slowly. 'SNow tell me who is in
the ROOM"
1Tou,n said Mary,
sYou dont see ANYBODY elses"
'iNow. scoveli, I" he said, turning to the
artist, "do you want her to be wood
hympha'
"Can she do itG"
"Just watch"
The girl was following Blandford with
her eyes, but did not seem to see the other
man.
"Mary," said the doctor, "this is a
beautiful forest, isn't itP You are sitting
at the foot of tree What kind of tree
is it?'
"Its an oak, T" said the girl, speaking
softly.
Eyes" said the doctor. Here, sit
down on this beautiful soft moss on the
roots.
Mary slid from the chair to the floor
and, guided by the doctor, found her way
to the legs of a large and heavy table,
against which she leaned.
Isn't this warm day." said Bland
ford "The sun is very bright in the open,
but there is a nice shade under the oak,
Isn't thereS think you're going to fall
asleep"
There was the girl leaning against the
table, perfect picture of relaxed, luxuri-
GUS, summer Incidence her eyes closed
and sweet smile over her features
That's splendid pose, said Scoveil.
'sbut i want the expression Of the faos
when she awakss.