Morris tribune., 1917-02-16
A MENTAL
MYSTERY
By ALAN HINSDALE

other medium than the atmosphere, but
few of us are prepared to admit that
one human brain is capable of affecting
another human brain without any 9th
err medium than that of the wireless
telegraph.
Nevertheless, there are instances of
such communication.
l believe that there is a mental force
not yet explained scientifically that
carries these messages, and l am going
to give the reason why I have arrived
at this conclusion.
am an artist From a child have
been absorbed in the beauties of ma
ture and their transmission to an
other form. AS a boy l could make
these transformations so successfully
that my pictures attracted the atten-
ton Of my friends. Nothing would do
but that | must be educated for an
artist.
But there was no means for the pur-
pose. A younger sister of mine had
been left small legacy by Her grand
mother. My sister-Eleanor was her
name-insisted on devoting this money
to my education. l declined to accept
it at first, but she insisted that I would
be a successful artist, my pictures
would sell at good prices, and 1 could
repay her. Thus encouraged, l con
scented and entered an art school.
Unfortunately my education took
from me the ability l had shown in
IO
quired for work that would pass the
critics was obnoxious to me- Never
thcless, l persevered and mastered it.
But never regained the ability l had
possessed to hit off something that in
Dictated genius.
l spent several years after being
graduated at the art school painting
pictures. which were no better than
hundreds Of other artists could paint
J. regretted that had accepted my Sis
ter's loan, for l was scarcely able to
make enough money to keep body and
soul together, to say nothing of paying
what ! had borrowed.
One winter l broke down in health
and in the spring was told l must
have change Of scene and air to build
up my strength. In my weakened con-
ditiOn my debt to my sister got on my
mind, and could not get it off Flea
nor begged me to stop worrying about
it, but without success. | was sent
off to the seashOre and lodged in
fshermans cottage.
One morning | was sitting on the
porch Of the cottage looking out On the
ocean. The sun was glinting the blue
waves which were rolling in and break
ing ON the beach Some fishermen
were getting out their boat, gulls were
dying hither and thither overhead, one
occasionally darting down to pOunce
upon a fish. l was seized with a de
sire-natural to an artistic portray
this scene.
l had not been permitted to bring
my artists tools with me, so l could
not do as l wished. AS I sat in my
comfortable wicker chair, famed by
balmy sea breeze, began to work over
an imaginary canvas, laying down OH
it the view before me. The picture
grew in my mind as plainly as if l
worked without effOrt-or at least
seemed to do so-and was conscious Of
transferring the scene before me ex-
actly as it was without the loss of any
of its subtle beauties.
Nevertheless there must have been a
severe mental effort, for as soon as l
had finished my imaginary or mental
work l lost consciousness and knew
nothing till late in the afternoon. when
[ found myself in bed.
1t was some time before l gained
sufficient strength to go home. When
l returned my sister told me that there
was no further necessity for me to
worry about my debt to her, for it had
been paid. I asked her who had paid
it, and she said that 1 had paid it my
self. Further than that she would
give me no information until I had
fully recovered.
One day after | had got stronger |
went, unbeknOwn to any one, to room
at home that l had used for a studio.
There was desk in it, and, going to
this desk without any definite object, l
noticed a pigeOnhole that had been
empty was now full of papers. l took
them out and found they were letters
that had accumulated during my ill
ness. opened one and read it. 1t was
from dealer in pictures asking me if
l had any Of my work for sale. He
had a constant demand for it. Aston
ished, | opened another and another
They were all requests for my pictures
While was thus engaged my sister
tame in. She seemed much put out
that I had come upon the letters. But
the explanation must now come out
and she gave it to me.
One morning while l was at the sea
shore she had come into my studio and
something, she knew not what, had
prompted her to sit down before my
easel, take my implements and begin
to sketch. She had no ability whatever
as an artist and was astOnished to see
a marine view grow on the canvas
Nevertheless. when she had finished