New-York tribune., 1922-10-15
1Ihe Coming Of the Fairies''
Made Real BY Conan DOYLE
English Author Makes Serious Effort 10 Prove T1a,
Children Have Solid Foundation for Belief II
Elhn Creatures; Photographs Real, He Saws

... lore one can say that there is no con-
eeivaole loophole for error,
| samera Caught the Fairies
Ihe story Of the Cottinslev fasr;as
IS the story Of Elsie and Frances "a =
pehser. the niece and daughter of an
siecSrlcian, aged sixteen and ten years,
wno were always telling tales OF hav.
ing seen fairies. They were given ].
camera and when the first plate was
developed, the fairies were said IN bs
tnere. On different occasions thew rot
similar pictures Of fairies and pnores
put never before witnesses. Sir Arthur
IS 10 convinced that no Photographic trick
was employed, consciously or uncon-
sc1onsiy He quotes the report turned
~ py mr.. Gardner after a thorough
study of the case: o1sn =
rsSraordinary and amazing as these
photographs may appear. am nnn,
quite convinced of their antire oen,,.
llneness, as indeed would every one else
" VINO mac the same evidence Of trans
parens honesty and simplicity that
naa; ! am adding nothing bv wav of
explanation or theories Of NV own
though the need tor two people. pref.
eraniy children, is fairly obvious for
photography, in order to assist in thi
strengthening e of the etheric bodies.''
Io the objections raised by photoe-
raphers that the fairy figures show
qulte oiiterent shadows to those of the
uman figure Sir Arthur proffers the
explanation that ectoplasm has n faint
luminosity Of it's own which would
largely modify shadows.
Approved by Expert
Various Photographic companies. Sir
arthur admits, were of the opinion that
the pictures were made from models
It was argued that similar effects could
pc produced by clever studio painting
and modelling. These theories he be.
lieves to have been disproved on the
evidence, presented by Smelling, we'll
known Rins photographer, who said of them;
"Ihese two negatives are entirely pen-
uine, unfaked photographs of single
exposure, open-air work, show move
ment IN the fairy figures, and there is
no trace whatever of studio work in.
volvlng card or paper models, dark
backgrounds, painted figures, etc. In
my opinion, they are both straight, un-
touched pictures"
Sir Arthur's own study of the pic
lures under high-power lens convinces
MIN that the fairies have the double
pipe which the ancients associated with
fauns and naiads.
but 1t pipes, why not everything
else?" he asks rhetoricaliy. "Does It
not suggest complete range of uten.
slls and instruments for their own
life? Their clothing is substantial
enough. 1t seems to me that with
fuller knowledge and with fresh means
OF vision these people are destined to
become just as solid and real as the
Eskimos. What joy lin the complete
abandon of their little graceful figures
as, as they let themselves GO in the dance!
Ihey may have their shadows and
trials as we have, but at least there
is a great gladness manifest In this !
demonstration of their life"
May Be Thought Forms"
Straying further into the realms Of
speculation Sir Arthur finds that the
elves are compound of the human
and the butterfly, while the gnome is
more OF a moth. Can these be thought
forms? he asks. The fact that they