The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-08-24

He was not fOrgetful, however, of tht
duties of hospitality. He walked of
to the Indians who were holding the
horses, who had been watching the
scene in stupefaction, aud Offered
some to them. The smell ofthe Wbis
| ky was enough for them. They drank
and wanted more,
But GrignOn shook his head.
s'Not nOw," he said to the spoke5'
man. "Pll give you bottle apiece
to carry home with you" And going
up to the blanket, he shook out 6
dozen bottles of the same kind as the
last.
By this time the Indians were in the
I Jolliest mode conceivable.
! Before give you any mOre," said
he, "let me make you so that you vii
not get drunk
He walked up to the first Indian,
and took his hands in each of his, and
looked at him steadfastIy in the eyes
for some time. Then he strOked his
brOws and left him; this he did to
each. The Indians had got over all
suspicion, and merely expected that
something good was coming. So they
allowed him to do as he chose.
Grignon then stood of a little dis.
| tance, aHd in a loud voice ordered
them to look at him. Whether they
| understood or not made no difference.
They certainly all did look at him.
l had seen plenty Of experiments
before in mesmeTism and electro
biology, so that the present scene did
not surprise me so much as it did my
companions and the other Indians.
Grignon simply stood at distance,
waving his arms at times, and giving
words of command. Every word
was Obeyed.
First they all began to dance.
Then they all knelt down.
Then they touched hands, and could
not sever themselves from one anOth-
er's contact. The Indians suddenly
rushed wildly around, with the others
all joined to them, trying to free them
selves, but utterly unable, yelling and
bowling like wild beasts.
At last at a shout from Grignon, the
charm was dispelled. They sprang
back from one another and stood mo-
tiOnless, like so many statues.
Suddenly they all began to shiver
as though they were suffering from
intense cold. They gathered their
blankets closely around them, their
teeth chattering, and every limb
trembling. In an instant they were
painting as though suffering from ex-
trene heat, drawing difficult breaths,
gasping and fiinging off those blank
cts which but moment before they
had wrapped so tightly about them.
This then passed.
They began to bark like dogs. They
went down on all fOurs, and evidently
imagined that they were of the ca
nine species.
Then they tried to initiate the mo-
ton and crOaking of frogs. After this
they went through performances too
numerous to mention. At one time
they became rigid, and arranged them~
selves like the stakes of q tent-heads
together, feet outward. Then four of
them knelt down and tried too run
about with four others on their backs,
then they all jumped wildly up in the
air and began to flap their hands. At
last they made furious onset upon
one another with fists, nails and
teeth, and if they had not left their
weapons behind they certainly would
have done some frightful injury.
The two Indians who held the
horses looked on in horror, bewildered
and and stupefied, not knowing what
to do. They would have fed in their
fright, but dared not leave their COM
paniOns behind. Grignon stood calm,
with frowning brOWs, watching the
uproar, himself the presiding spirit of
the scene; some of those, they after
ward told me, thrOught that Grignon
was the devil.
At last GrignOn gave a loud shout.
The Indians lay fiat on the ground.
They lay there for some time, as if
dead. Then GrignOn waved his arms
ffN A
ed beWildered and frightened. With
terrified glances they regarded first
Grignon a terrible demon, who could
exert over them any power which he
choose.
He advanced toward them.
They recOiled.
He walked up nearer.
They turned and ran toward their
horses.
Grignon ran after them.
In q frenzy OfterrOr, each man flung
himself upon his horse.
GrignOn shouted after them.
Away they went. They urged their
horses at the top of their speed.
GrignOn followed them but short
distance.
Then he turned back, and came in
to our enclosure.
"Gather up those bottles,n said he,
"tackle up the cattle, and let us be
| marching.p
Instantly our men rose and obeyed.
Grignon took heavy swig of whis-
| ky, and then lay down in one of the
| wagons, utterly exhausted.
4 We travelled all that day, and al
| the next night UnmOlested. GrignOI
slept long and soundly. After resting
| for time, we pushed on our teams sc
as to get as far beyond the hostile In
dians as possible.
We saw nothing of them.
'"They won't dare to pursue us,
said GrignOn, confidently. ''They'I
/ so back and tell such a story as viii
be the wonder Of the savages for many
a long year."
Grignon was right. Mt only di,
they not pursue us, but, for all the re
mainder of the year, and for all tn
next, no travellers on this route wer
molested.
"I don't see," said 1, chow yol
managed to do those tricks on opel
I ground, without any table.n
GrignOn smiled.
"Only clumsy performers use tn
bles," said he. III could have don
far more wonderful things, but the,
would have been thrown away OF
those savages. I'll reserve my goo
tricks for San Francisco"
And so he did, for of all the wiz
yards, magicians and conjurOTs tha
have visited sthe Golden State non
have won such fame, or excited sue
wonder, as my friend GrignOn.
ELECTRICITY AS A REMEDY FOR Dn
! EAsE.-We are accustomed to regar