The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-11-10

it there. There is the same unmisraA
able individuality about it as In this
what is the subject?"
1T is also FlOrentine scene, called
up the Arno.' 1t takes in the river,
with the hills beyond. 1t, too, Is
great picture"
My knees began to knock together.
My jaws chartered, but not sufficiently
to prevent my asking, "What do you
ask for this picture?"
Twenty thousand francs"
Great heavens! I had never receiv.
ed the half of that for a picture. I
looked at the man so astonished that he
FASTENED to say: .-. :. ...... o..
my profit will be but 500 francs. I
paid 1850 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 I had
also created in dreams. It, too, far
exceeded any work I had ever done.
The dealer told me he had paid $1,000
francs for it.
Fortunately I occupied rooms with
an American friend in the Quarter
Latin and rushed home to tell him
that I had discovered something which
if not explained would drive me crazy.
He listened to my story, but could
see by his expression that he, too, fear
ed something had occurred to disturb
my mental balance. He would express
no opinion till he had seen the paint
ings, and as I could not remain quiet
I insisted on his going with me at once
for the purpose. He did so, and, being
familiar with my work, he pronounced
the pictures mine, though they were far
beyond any Of my work he had ever
seen.
On our way back to our rooms neither
he nor I said anything about the
strange occurrence, but when We reach
ed them he sat down before me, lit
pipe and said:
"While you were ill in Florence and
out of your head you undoubtedly
painted those pictures, not knowing
what you were doing; consequently you
retained no remembrance Of them"
"But I wasn't out Of my head when
I was wrapped in the views given in
the pictures. Besides, how could I have
done the work without the Miceles
knowing it? And, knowing it, they
would have called my attention to it."
My friend pondered awhile, blowing
at the same time clouds Of smoke, and
finally said:
Whatever you have been physically,
I'm sure you are all right now. But If
you wish an explanation go back to
Florence, see the people you boarded
with and get it 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
Miceles without being known to them.
On arrival I 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 1 rang their bell.
Blanca answered the summons and,
seeing me at the door, turned pale.
Going in, asked her to call her
mother and told both of my experience
in Paris. At first they assumed to be as
much surprised as l.; but, seeing that
I was not to be deceived, Sonora Mi
cele finally began a confession which
the senorita finished.
1--WE did not suppose that you would
ever happen to see your pictures" said
the former.
"Well, tell me where they came
FROM" asked her. She looked at her
daughter.
II can only tell you," said Blanca,
that I painted them while you were
sitting out in your chair on the bal
cony-how know not. All I do know
is that it seemed to me that it 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. My own in
depreciation Of the incident was that,
not being able to do good work herself,
she had exercised this power over me
to utilize my ability. Since she had
painted the pictures herself the only
fraud involved was her placing my
name on them. She did this not real
izing the pecuniary value of the pic
lures themselves and supposed she
could not sell them without name to
them. She and her mother were tempt
ed chiefly because they were financially
In desperate straits. They had sold the
paintings through friend who appre-
ciated their worth and paid them all
they brought except bare commission
I told them that they were welcome to
all they had received for the paintings.
The sole interest I took in the matter
was curiosity to know how the work
had been executed. w.t..
Every year brings to light new evil
dence to show that there are subtle