The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-02-04
sHow DO yoo know 4 d : gso1a6s

II Know II because j nave oee0 oov-
ersl Of tie arttst's pictures. Ono otter
I tried to buy. but failed to make .
deal, II now displayed In shop In the
Boulevard des Italiens. You may go
II there. There Is the same unmistak-
able individuality about II as In this"
"What Is the subjectY'
ut Is also n Florentine scene. called
up the Arno' IL takes In the river.
with the hills beyond. II, too. is a
great picture"
My knees began 10 knock together.
My jaws chartered. but not sufficiently
TO prevent my asking. what do you
ask for this picture?"
Twenty thousand francs"
Great heavens. had never re-
ceived the half OF that for a picture.
/ looked at the man so astonishe@ that
he hastened 10 say:
my profit will be but 500 francs. i
paid 1880 francs for IT,"
Taking the number OF the shop
where he said the other picture was
to be seen. | staggered out OF the store
and was soon before the picture had
also created in dreams. IL, too, far
exceeded any work | had ever done.
The dealer told me he had paid 81 1000
francs for IL
Fortunately occupied rooms with
an American friend In the Quarter
Latin and rushed home to tell him
that had discovered something which
II not explained would drive me crazy.
He listened TO my story. but could
see by his expression that he. too,
feared something had occurred TO dis
turb my mental balance. He would
express no opinion till be had seen
the paintings. and as I could not TO
main quiet | insisted on his going with
me at once for the purpose. He did
30. and. being familiar with my work.
he pronounced the pictures mine,
though they were fnr beyond any or
my work he had ever seen.
On our way back to our rooms
neither he nor ! said anything about
the strange occurrence, but when we
reached them no sat down before me.
lit q pipe and said:
while you were III In Florence aud
out Of your head you undoubtedly
painted those pictures. not knowing
what you were doing: consequently
you retained no remembrance OF
them" sr--,'.sre. q
"But wasn't out OF my head when
l was wrapped In the views given In
the pictures Besides how could
have done the work without the
Mlceles knowing III And. knowing II.
they would have called my attention
to H." 80" /.
My friend pondered awhile. blowing
mt the same time clouds OF smoke. and
finally said:
whatever you have been physically,
I'm sure you are all right now. But
II you wish an explanation go back
TO Florence. see the people you board
ed With and get i from them"
Acting On hIs advice. ! Started that
evening. On the way I had time to
think over the matter OF my Investiga-
ton and decided TO approach the
Mlceles without being known 10 them.
On arrival asked about them and
learned that they had been left
legacy OF some fifty thousand francs.
This at once assured me that they had
received the amount paid for my pic
lures. One morning | rang their bell
Blanca answered the summons and.
seeing me az the door. turned pale.
Going in. asked her 10 call her
mother and told both OF my experience
I'm Paris At first they assumed 10 be
as much surprised as but. seeing that
] was not 10 be deceived. Sonora Mi
cele finally began confession which
the senorina finished.
I'VE did not suppose that you would
ever happen to see your pictures" said
the former.
We'll. tell me where they came
from" asked her She looked at her
daughter.
II can only tell you" said Blanca.
that / painted them while you were
sitting out In your chair on the bal
cony-how know not. All do know
IL that II seemed TO me that 1t was
your brain working with my hand"
questioned her and cross questioned
her, eliciting nothing further except
that she had discovered some time be
fore meeting me that she possessed
some strange power OF the order com
monty called clairvoyant Ny own in
depreciation OF the incident was that.
not being able 10 do good work herself.
she had exercised this power over me
10 utilize my ability. Since she han
painted the pictures herself the only
fraud involved was her placing my
name on them She did this not re
alixing the pecuniary value OF the pic
lures themselves and supposed she
could not sell them without a name
TO them. she and her mother were
tempted chiefly because they were
financially In desperate straits. They
had sold the paintings through
friend who appreciated their worth
and paid them all they brought ex-
cept n bare commission. told them