The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-21
A MENTAL
MYSTERY
By ALAN E1lNSDALE

a continent or an ocean without any
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
er medium than that of the wireless
telegraph.
Nevertheless, there are instances Of
such communication.
| believe that there is mental force
not yet explained scientifically that
carries these messages, and am going
to give the reason why I have arrived
at this conclusion.
am an artist. From child have
been absorbed in the beauties Of ma
ture and their transmission to an
other form. As boy / could make
these transformation 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. declined to accept
1t at first, but she insisted that would
be successful artist, my pictures
would sell at good prices and l could
repay her. Thus encouraged, con-
scented and entered an art school
Unfortunately my education took
from me the ability had shown in
freehand drawing. The technique re-
CURED for work that would pass the
critics was obnoxious to me. Never
theless, / persevered and mastered 1t.
But 1 never regained the ability i had
possessed to hit off something that in
dicated 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
/ regretted that / had accepted my sis
ter's loan, for was scarcely able to
make enough money to keep body and
soul together, to say nothing of paying
what 1 had borrowed.
One winter | broke down in health
and In the spring was told / 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 l could not get it off. Flea
nor begged me to stop worrying about |
it, but without success. / was sent |
off to the seashors and lodged La a
fishermans 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
flying hither and thither overhead. one
occasionally darting down to pounce
upon fish. ! was seized with o 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 I wished AS l sat in my
wicker chair, famed by a
balmy sea breeze, began to work over
an imaginary canvas, laying down on
1t the view before me. The picture
grew in my mind as plainly as If I
were really putting 1t on canvas.
worked without effort-or at least
seemed to do so-and was conscious Of
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
had finished my imaginary or mental
work / 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
returned my sister told me that there
was no further necessity for me to
worry about my debt to her, for 1t had t
been paid. ] asked her who had paid b
t, and she said that / had paid 1t my I
'elf. Further than that she would ;
rive me no information until 1 had q
ully recovered.
One day after had got stronger =
vent, unbeknown to any one, to room :
t home that | had used for a studio r
There was a desk In it, and, going to 4
his desk without any definite object, |,
oticed a pigeonhole that had been Il
mpty was now full of papers. took 5,
hem out and found they were letters Il
hat had accumulated during my Ill t,
ess. / opened one and read ii. 1t was a
rom a dealer In pictures asking me IL r,
had any Of my work for sale. He d
ad constant demand for it. Aston. p
'hed. l opened another and another.
hey were all requests for my pictures. =, y
While | was thus engaged my sister y
anne in. She seemed much put cut /.
lat had come upon the letters. But =
ne explanation must now come out. m
nd she gave it to me. n
One morning while was at the sea. OF
bore she had come into my studio and &c
she knew not what, had 81
her to sit down before my e.
asel, take my implements and begin m
J sketch She had no ability whatever di
5 an artist and was astonished to see -
marine view grow on the canvas. pi
evertheless. when she had finished Oh
le had no idea that she had produced e
marvellous picture. 90 90
Her production was admired. and, at
ching my name to it, she took it to a -,
saler who sold IL for 5000. went ne
GOA the painfing and what uas my 4,