Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-09-05

One DAY there came q change. was
conscious Of everything about me. A
clammy perspiration indicated that I
was very weak. did not see Ellen
Trowbridee, but young woman IN
Swiss costume was sitting near my
bed making lace. called to her. and
rising quickly she came to me. I asked
her what had BEEN the matter with
me-
Instead Of replying she ran away
and called the woman Of whom
rented my room. As soon as she
came I asked for my American travel.
ing companion. I was Informed that
she had left Interlaken q week before.
I asked where she had gone and was
told that she had directed her letters
forwarded to America. Had she left
any word for me? None except that
she had been suddenly called home.
passed period Of convalescence In
sight Of the beautiful Jungfrau I
remembered perfectly the characters Of
the stories l had concocted during my
illness, moving about on the noun.
tain side, but the combination story
they had enacted I could not call up.
However, made no effort at anything,
either mental or physical I simply lay
waiting for strength. This came at
last and since the hot season was over
1 went down to Spezia in Italy. where
| I imbibed more strength from the sea
afr, From there I made brief visit
to Florence and Rome and sailed from
Naples to America. By the time !
reached port was perfectly restored
| to health.
Soon after my return became enam-
ored Of picture plays. These plays-I
refer to those Of dramatic and artistic
merit-called out all Of appreciation for
the drama and art there was In me.
One day saw an announcement Of
picture play. the scene Of which was
laid among the Alps. I went to see 1t.
What was my astonishment to see
the same views had looked upon from
my windows at Interlaken. Then camc
a view of the Jungfrau just as 1t had
appeared to me while ILL There were
the dots on its side, and when nearer
view was given they became resolved
into human beings.
Here and there was unfolded the
play I had dreamed. The characters
did not look like those In my dreams.
but they did the things had dreamed.
The play was as it appeared to me just
before it passed out Of my mind-that
Is, In finished condition.
To say that was wonder stricken Is
to express feebly what felt was
frightened. Was in my senses? Was
not my illness returning to me?
was about to leave the theater when I
was stopped by curiosity. I must see
the play to the end
When the end came was near col
lapse. That night did not sleep a
wink. How had a play which had
evolved itself ~ my brain been trans
ferred through films to a screen In
America? No solution occurred to me
that had any element Of probability In
it. went to see my physician and
told him what had occurred. He look
ed at me scrutinizingly and, despite
his efforts at concealment, anxiously.
After some thought he gave me his
theory as to the cause Of what l had
told him. He said that there was
nothing unusual In the character OF
my previously written stories chasing
one another Though my brain. A drug
would do that. But when he came to
account for the formation Of picture
in my brain he was staggered. As to
the transference Of this play to q
screen In America. he could only &C
count for 1t on the ground that when
I went to the theater had a tempo
rary relapse Of my illness and saw
what was not on the screen. He for.
bade me to do any literary work and
to live as quietly as possible.
The true solution came In time. One
day I was surprised by a call from
Ellen Trowbridge. She came to make
q confession. She told me that while
I was lying III at Interlaken I was
much Of the time delirious. While de-
lirious I was constructing picture
play, going over and over 1t time and
again. Presently 1t occurred to her to
make note Of what was saying, and
she then secured an outline for the
play. Then 1t occurred to her to paint
the scenes for the play, some Of which
were before her; others she selected
She had been deeply impressed with
the play and yielded to a temptation
to do q dishonorable act Being sud-
denly called home, she took her notes
and pictures with her and sold them
to a film company. The result was
the play that had seen on the screen.
She handed me $500, which she had
received for her stolen property.
The scientific moral Of this story is 4
that my dramatic and artistic proclivi-
ties came out while was in delirium.
But how was enabled to construct a
play under such abnormal physical
conditions is a problem for more an
alytioal minds than mine to solve.