So, back to the writer’s life. As time went on, things changed drastically for Arthur Conan Doyle. As it turned out, his beloved wife was seriously ill: she was expected just a few months to live at the most. However, the great writer didn’t seem to agree and was determined to extend her life. And he did it. His love, care, and proper treatment made a miracle. Louisa felt much better and lived another thirteen years. When she passed away, Arthur was deeply affected by the loss.
In 1907, Arthur Conan Doyle married Jean Leckie. The happy couple had a lavish wedding with two hundred and fifty guests. Arthur and Jean had three children. The writer shared many of his wife’s activities and lived a measured, quiet life.
Unfortunately, Conan Doyle endured terrible misfortune: he lost many loved ones, including his father, wife, son, brother, and others. It might have been the reason why he showed an interest in spiritualism[1]. This may come as a surprise, but he also believed in the existence of magical beings. Have you ever heard of the Cottingley Fairies? This is a curious story about two girls named Elsie and Frances, who supposedly managed to take a series of photos of dancing creatures. To be more precise, it is one of the greatest hoaxes of all time. It may seem incredible, but those photos, which showed tiny figures with transparent wings, came to Conan Doyle’s attention. Call it coincidence or providence, but at that time Arthur Conan Doyle was working on the article about fairies for the Strand Magazine. When the experts unofficially verified the authenticity of the photos, the writer was so thrilled that he asked Elsie and Frances to use those images of mythical creatures in his publication. The girls’ family was confused by the attention of the legendary writer but quickly agreed. Public opinion was mixed: some believed that the magical beings were real, while others thought they were fake. Later Arthur Conan Doyle wrote a book on the topic under the title The Coming of the Fairies. Only years later, after the writer’s death, the cousins finally confessed that those photos were a hoax, and the wizard creatures were made from paper cut-outs and hat pins. As it turned out, it was Elsie who drew the images and had the wings added to them. When everything was ready, both girls arranged a theme photo shoot. Later Elsie and Frances admitted that they were too embarrassed to tell the truth after fooling the literary genius.