Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-12-17
II. AuTo-HYPNosIs.

she loved so well, the girl forgot her
preoccupation in a twinkling and,
jumping up, gaily linked Philips arm
and led him across to the tall canvas
beside the pier glass.
Therel" she laughed-"did you
know Priscilla Maine could be like
that"
Impressed by his first glance, Philip
merely uttered a thoughtful "Hmm ]"
and in silence studied the portrait
with an intelligent appreciation not
unmixed with wonder.
Priscilla released his arm and
stepped back. pleased by this mute
tribute, pleased as well to have her
own overnight impression confirmed,
experiencing that rare, warm glow Of
qualification which only an artist
knows when he looks upon his handi-
work and finds it good.
Well drawn and modelled, daringly
yet sensitively painted with an uner-
ring sense of color and values, the girl
IN gypsy dress was amazingly spirited
and convincing. There was arresting
challenge in that impudently tossed
head with its laughing mouth of scar
let and dark eyes agleam with charm
ing insolence under lowered lashes.
well done," said Philip simply.
"Tm so glad you like it, Philip.
Harkness"-she named dealer known
to both-"wants to show it in his gal
leries."
81 like It immensely, only -. can't
get over an odd notion that it isn't
you. The likeness is extraordinary-I
remember we'll the night you wore that
costume-and yet, somehow :"
"You see 1t, too" Philip turned to
her with sharp glance. She laughed
consciously. "I didn't myself till last
night, after I'd walked up. Then with
the dream fresh and real In my
thoughts, saw I'd painted not myself
but that other Self. The girl you see
there isn't Priscilla Maine, not the
Priscilla you and I know; she's
Ieonora."
"Good Lordi" Philip looked grave.
'Were you thinking OF her while
painting?"
"No-not consciously, not that 1 re-
member"
"And yet, without your knowledge,
| you must have been :"
He moved nearer the picture to ex-
anime 1t more closely.
at brings everything back so clear
ly," the girl mused; sit gives me the
strangest feeling of unreality, makes
me wonder which is which; which the
living woman, which the shadow -
The voice behind him trailed off
into a pensive murmur. He made a
movement Of evaporation and, stimuli
taneously becoming conscious Of the
stiffness. looked round to see the girl
posed in a stare, gaze steadfast al
the portrait, her look dull and remote
head thrown back trifie, hands hang
ing with palms exposed in a gesture
curiously appealing, her respiration
abnormally slow and deep.
Fosdick took quick step to her
crying: "'CillaI" She seemed not tc
hear. He said in sharp insistence
do you hear, ella? Come out OF
i'll" That broke the spell. Sighins
softly, she drew a hand across hel
eyes, then with an uncertain smile ex
tended it to him. Philip clasped it be
tween his own.
"Now whatr he demanded will
brusque good humor.
'I've had the funniest sensation
was thinking about the paint
ing, wondering if, perhaps, I'd don,
something extraordinary and weird
painted my own soul into the figur,
on the canvas-you know-so that
really lived and was me while 1 wa
merely a shell of flesh and blood
and suddenly it seemed to me m,
fancy had come true, that / was real
ly there on the canvas looking int
the room here, seeing myself, 1 meal
seeing Priscilla Maine, and wonder
ing about her and about you, as If r,
never known either of US, as if 1 wer
stranger In my own studio
Do you understand. Philip? 1t mus
sound so wild and silly Wha
! was it, Philip? What made me fee
: that way?"
"Auto-hypnosis-a mild phase-sr
: perinduced by excitement and frettin,
: Nothing to worry about. And sti
Frankly, don't like it.
wouldn't care to have it happen to
: frequently. It's no good encouragin
that sort Of thing; each time it hal
pens it breaks down resistance, make
you only the more susceptible to til
: next suggestion. If l were you, I
n drop that portrait, put it out of sigl
a and mind till we've settled this que
tion-opened it up and let light I'M
It its darkness, and so relieved yol
e doubts and fears"
7, perhaps you're right" Priscilla
IL INJURED, 'but-I don't know. 1t max,
y me unhappy to have unfinished wOl
o on hand Don't you think might be
% ter finish it up, and get it out Of II
ID studio altogether" But Philips di
lr approval was manifest. "Please" 81
u begged her prettiest. "It only meal
OF another day or two; then I can l
" Hardness have it and forget all abo
at it."
ST can't say yes, ella. shouldr
be at all surprised if it turned o
'e that the portrait was wholly to blaI
~ for last nights experience, 1 mean f
~ the peculiar content and trend of 20
30 dream"
be She was frankly puzzled and sa
"a so.
IN 'The power of suggestion it has c
erted on your thoughts" he explaint
''Till yesterday you never express
dv it even to yourself; but subconscioV
ly, haven't any doubt, the thoug
III has always been at work, that
Dir wasn't yourself you were painting
the heroine of your dream story, /;
70 other woman of a different life W
,or an independent spirit and mental
or And then-Of course, all this is she
guesswork-there are associations
,so herent in the concept of gypsy girl q
In a gipsyish existence, romantic, adv