The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-12-25
rom the Cincinnati Saturday Night.
POPKINS AS A MIND READER.
Br the .Fat Contributor. J,

uau SIuu16u Iu6 SuDJ6Cb thoroughly d44'
was satisfied he knew how it was al
done. So one evening he invited 10
Of his neighbors to his house to witness
his demonstrations in mind reading
Mrs. Poplzins didn't look with any ia
vor on the business. She told Popkin
he didn't know his own mind half the
time, and how could he tell about tbs
minds of others. He attempted a few
remarks. "Mind," said he, then stop
ped and coughed, then began again.
Mind
'Mind what 2" snapped Mrs. Popkins
''Mind your own business" popped
in Popldns, testify, "when I speak OF
mind, understand I am not making the
remotest allusion to you. Now mind.'
Mrs. Poplins stated "oh." and subsi
ded into her knitting work.
"Themind, . Continued Popkins, ..itt
capable of being read "a dismal old maid
said herswas capable ofbeing very blue).
Not all the men can read the human
mind, for mind reading is a special gift
I have discovered it myself.
Mrs. Popkins muttered her satisfac.
ton that he had discovered something
IN himself, no one else ever had.
Popkins then proceeded to tell various
persons in the room what they were
thinking of, and it was astonishing how
near he came to it. ''You, SIR" he said
to neighbor, care thinking of going up
in balloon"
''Wonderful!" cried the man. 'Fbeats
everything how you hit it. +"
'"Then you contemplate goin' up in a
baIlOonl" cried Popkins all in a glow.
''Yes-weI, not exactly-same thing
though-I'm thinking of diggin'a a well. .
Mrs PopBins sh1ieked with laughter,
and all the young Popkins snickered at
their pap.
Popkins grew redder than ever, but
said nothing. Fastening his eagle eye
on his neighbor Jones boy-"You mind
is perplexed," said Popkins, ''about
money matters"
"True, said neighbor Jones, ''true,
every word Of it" I6iC JSgIL
"And you are thinIiin''-
eyes, as yousay, lam thinking wheth-
er you will ever pay me that five dollars
you borrowed MORN four years ago."
Popkins' face was blazing by this time,
and he was sorry that he ever took up
mind reading. He was making no very
satisfactory headway with it. He came
very close toit number of times, as in
telling red nosed man that he was
Of something to eat, when the
red nosed man was wondering if Pop
kins wasn't going to bring on something
10 drink; or telling supposed old maid
that she was thinking of getting mar
ried, when the supposed old maid was a
married woman contemplating adivorce.
There was plain, blunt man IN the
party, noted for always saying what he
thought. Popkins asked him if he
night read his thoughts. Certainly, y
'aid the blunt man, ':if you can; and
I'll tell you whether you are right or
not. -.--
Then Popkins held one hand against
he back of the mans neck, pressed a
'humb between his eyes, scowled hard
It his eyebrows and said: 'eYou are
thinking of the days of your childhood;
If the school-hoUse and the brook down
~ the mill, and of your earliest love
When existence was but lovely dream,
nd Of" -~ A2l -tC4
"Hold on" said the blunt man,
nothing of the sort.
''What are you thinking of then ~
"I'm thinking what a id fool
7ou're making of yourself, Popkinsl"
When the roar of laughter that fol-
owed had subsided, Popkins admitted
hat he might have failed in some of hisl
experiments in mind reading, but said
hat he had one final test that would car
y him through triumphantly. They
night blindfold him, then after some
member of the company had fixed his
aind on particular article In the room
e would lead that person to it and put
is hand upon it. All eonsenting, Pop-
ins was bindfolded, and Popkins' ED
st boy selected to fix his mind on some
hing. He wasn't much of a boy for
king his mind on things, but he was
on this occasion. A handker-
hief was tied around Popkins' eyes, and
lking hold of the boys hand, he went
after something the boy had
xed his mind on. Young Popkins' face
-as as grave as an undertaker's but it
as singular how many times Popkins
over the same ottoman and ran
is nose against the same door casing.
fter falling over nearly every article of
1rniture in the room tripping over
very one of his seven children, who de-
eloped a remarkable fatality in getting
the way, pitching head-frst among
le piano keys, upsetting an Aquarium,
nd overthrOwing the house plants, he
lmbled the whole length of the din
ing room table. shot through an onenI-