The daily morning oasis., 1920-10-30
"Now what7" NE demanded with

"N0w whatT he demanded with
brusque good humor.
1--WE had the funniest sensation,
Twas thinking about the paint
Ing, wondering If, perhaps, I'd done
something extraordinary and weird,
painted my own soul into the figure
on the canvas-you know-so that it
really lived and wac me while l was
merely q shell Of flesh and blood :. i.
and suddenly it seemed to me my
fancy had come true, that / was real
" there on the canvas looking into
the room here, seeing myself, / mean
seeing Priscilla Maine, and wonder
ing about her and about you, as if I'd
never known either Of us, as if were
a stranger in my own studio b.
Do you understand, Philip? 1t must
sound so wild and silly What
was it, Philip7 What made me feel
that wayT
"Auto-hypnosis-a mild phase-su-
perinduced by excitement and fretting.
Nothing to worry about. And still
Frankly, ! don't like it. L
wouldn't care to have it happen too
frequently. It's no good encouraging
that sort Of thing; each time 1t hap
pens 1t breaks down resistance, makes
you only the more susceptible to the
next suggestion. If ! were you, ia
drop. that portrait, put it out of sight
and mind till we've settled this ques-
tion-opened it up and let light into
It's darkness, and so relieved your
doubts and fears"
perhaps you're right" Priscilla de-
INJURED, "but-I don't know. 1t makes
me unhappy, to have unfinished work
on hand. Don't you think might bet
ter finish it up. and get 1t out of the
studio altogether?" But Philips dis
approval was manifest. "Please" " she
begged her prettiest. 1T only means
another day or two; then can let
Hardness have 1t and forget all about
it." e
II can't say yes, ella. ] shouldn't
be at all surprised if 1t turned out
that the portrait was wholly to blame
for last nights experience, mean for
the peculiar content and trend of your
dream" ~
She was frankly puzzled and said
so. 81
'"The power Of suggestion 1t has ex-
ertedl on your thoughts" he explained.
"Till yesterday you never expressed
1t even to yourself; but subconscious-
ly, / haven't any doubt, the thought
has always been at work, that it
wasn't yourself you were painting but
the heroine of your dream story, an
other. woman of different life with
an Independent spirit and mentality.
And then--ofr course, all this Is sheer
guesswork-there are associations in
herent in the concept of gypsy girl and
a gipsyish existence, romantic, adven-
turous, full Of dangers, twists and
turns and thrills; such thoughts may
well have dictated the character and
course Of the dream, though you were
never actively aware of thinking
them"
81 wonder :" Priscilla slipped
her tea. "Maybe you're right {.
But still don't see why l shouldn't
go on with the painting. Just one
more day, Philip"
"Confound you'll" Philip exploded
with an irritated laugh-"you know
how hard 1t is for me to refuse you
anything. But it's no good this time,
ella. won't have you agitating
yourself with that painting till you've
entirely recovered poise. For that
matter. It would be better for you to
keep away from the studio altogether
for. a few days. You've been living en-
tirely too much within yourself. Get
out and about. see people, go to res
taurants and plays and dances
more" s4
"How can enjoy such things with
this trouble-r
"That's just It. Until we find the ex-
PLANTATION, which may take time,
you're bound to keep worrying unless
you 60 out more into the world. I'm
in earnest about this. Priscilla; prom.
ise to keep away from the studio for
at least three days"
..If you insist" she conceded with a
suspicion Of pout-"1 presume I've
got to do as the doctor orders"
"Then that's settled" Philip assert.
ed with reckless complacence.
III. THE. PRESCRIPTION.
Priscilla had pensive moment