Litchfield enquirer., 1874-08-20

afford to treat his vanity to a dose of re- yenge for the old mans contempt
 Late in the evening I came down stairs again, and as I passed along the hall
 heard Professor Fargo perorating vigor- ousiy in the barroOm. Evidently he had | an audience. and the scene was probably
 curious Drawing near, found this gift
 cd man erect on the floor, addressing an
 assemblage of the convivaT spirits of P--. In an extended hand he brand
 IsAed a glass of smoking whiskey and | water; with the other he caressed his
 rounded periods He had evidently been
 drinking freely, and perceived that even | the prophetic vision was liable to obfusca-
 ton. It had been brilliant day for him; l fortune smiled, and he felt strong. A
 dozen rustic loafers. of various degrees of
 inseterary, were listening to him with a speeches. solemnity, which may have
 been partly faith, but was certainly partly rum. In corner, out of the way, sat the Colonel, with an unfinished glass before | him. The Professor waved his hand as l appeared, with magnificent hospitality,
 and resumed his discourse.
 "Let mo say, gentlemen he cried, ''that l it's not my peculiar influence with the de-
 parted that chiefly value; for, after all, you know. ghost is but ghost. It can't
 do much any way. You can't touch it,
 half the time you can't see it. If it hap
 pens to be the spirit of pretty girl, you
 know. this makes you kind of mad. The great thing now is to be able to exercise a | mysterious influence over living organism
 You can do it -th your eye, you can do it
 with your voice, you can do it with cer-
 tain motions of your hand-as thus, you perceive; you can do it with nothing at all by just setting your mind on it. That is,
 of course, some people can do it; not very many-certain rich, powerful, sympathet-
 ic natures that you now and then como ] across. It's called magnetism. Various works have been written on the subject, and various explanations offered, but they do1t amount to much. All you can say is that it's just mag letism, and that you've either got it or you haven't got it. Now the Lord has seen fit to bestow it on me. It's great responsibility, but I tlJ to ! make noble use of it, can do all sorts of things. I can find out things I can make people confess. can make 'em sick and can 'em we'll. I can make 'em Tn iove-what do you say to that? can tako 'em out of love again, and mako 'em swear they wouldn't marry the loved ob- lect, not if they were paid for it. How it IS do 1t 1 confess can't tell you. just say to myself, Come now. Professor. we'll fix this one or that one It's free gift It's mag letism, T sho-y. Some folks call it animal magnetism, but I call it spiritual magnetism
 There was a profound silence: the air seemed charged With that whimsical re- tentlon of speech which is such a common form of American sociability. I looked asIance at the Colonel; it seemed to me that he was paler than usual, and that his eyes were really fierce. Professor Fargo tui aed about to the bGr to replenish his glass, and the old man slowly rose and came out into the middle of the room.
 He looked round at the company; he evil dently meant to say something. He stood silent for some moments, and saw that he was in tremor of excitement. ssYou've listened to what this gentleman has been saying?" he began. 'sI won't say. Have you understood it? It's not to be under stooa Some of you, perhaps, saw me last night sitting on the platform while Professor Fargo said his say. You know that We are partners-that for conven- lence sake we work together. Iw.sh to say that you are not therefore to believe that 1 assent to the the doctrines he has just promulgated. Doctrines is fiat terlng name for them. I speak ill the name of science. Science recognizes no such thing as spiritual magnetism; no such thing as mysterious facinations; no such thing as spirit-rappings and ghost ralslngs. l owe 1t to my conscience to say so. 1 can'treinain there and see you all sit mum when this gentleman con cludes such monstrous piece of talk. | have 1t on my conscience to assure you that no intelligent man, woman, or child need fear to be made to do anything agalnst his own will by the supernatural operation of the will of Professor Fargo"
 if there had been silence on the conclu- sion of Professor Fargo's harangue, what shall say of the audible absence of com mentary which followed the ColoneI's re- marks? There was an intense curiosity l felt it myself-to see what clever fel- low like tho Professor would do. The Colonel stood there wiping his forehead, as If, having thrown down the gauntlet, ne were prepared to defend it. The Pro- lessor looked at him with his head on one side, and smile which was an excellent imitation of genial tolerance. s'My dear sir" ho cried, ''1'm glad you've eased your mind. I knew you wanted to: hone you feel better. With your leave. we won't go into the philosophy of the dis pute. It was George Washington, I be- lieve, who said that people should wash their dirty linen at home. You don't en- dorse my yiews-you're welcome. If you weren't very polite old gentleman, I know you'd like to say that, in single word, they're the views of quack. Now, in single word, I deny it. You deny the existence of the magnetic power; re- ply that I personally possess it, and that if you'll give me a little more time. I'll force you to say that there's something in 1t. I'll force you to say I can do some, thing. These gentleman here can't wit ness the consumation, but at least they can hear my promise. promise you eyi- dence. You go by facts; I'll give you facts. I'd like just to have you remark before our friends here, that you'll take account of themr'
 The Colonel stood stlll, wiping his fore head. He had even less provision than I of the character of the Professors pro- lectedsfacts, but of course he could make but one answer. He bowed gravely to the Professor and the company. "I shall never refuse" he said, 'sto examine serious evidence. sWhatever." he added. after a moment, cit might cost my pre- judices"
 HI.
 The Colonels incorruptible conserva- tism had done me good mentally, and his ! personal situation had deeply interested me. AS I bade him farewell the next day the ''Combination" had been heralded l in nelghboring town-I wished him heartily that what was so painfully crook l ed in the latter might be straightened out l Tn time. He shook his head sadly. and | answered that his time was up.
 He was often in my thoughts for the 1 next six weeks, but got no tidings of him.. Meanwhile too was leading an ambulent life, and travelling from town to town Tn cause which demanded good deal of ready-made eloquence. I didn't exactly pretend that the regeneration of soelety depended on its acceptance of my wares, but devoted good deal of fel- low feeling to the ColonePs experience as an ancredited solicitor. At the beginning of the winter found myself in New York.