Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-01-20

you, but you can me; thdset strong, steel
gray eyes of yours, with tbe8r metallic luster,
are far more potent than mine. Come, will
you try?"
i did not need the Indictment of hand clap
ping and the chorus of son, do" that
greeted the proportion TO promptly consent.
4 began to be deeplr Interested in the ex-
pertinent, and now that was myself accred-
tied with possessing this occult power my
skepticism began to waver.
+. 'But before we go any further" he said,
Il must make one conditiOn-and that is,
that should fall into a comatose state, you
Will not put to me any question of a private
natures shall be compelled to answer
truthfully, literally, whatever it may be.
promised faithfully not to do so.
The previous disposition was now reversed,
the lamp was set SO, that the light should
shine upon my face, and Arnold was envel-
oped in the cloak, as had been.
And now, with all the nerve power j pos
sessed, fastened my eyes upon Arnold's
White and ghastly looked hts face rising
out of the blackness of the drapery, which
gave it almost the appearance of being di-
yided from the body and suspended inspace.
The lips We're wide apart, and the greenish
eyes were dilated to their utmost extent,
with strained fascinated look, such as they
might have worn under the influence of a
rattlesnake. | could scarcely suppress a
shivtr at this uncanny looking picture; but
wild spirit took possession of me that night
punctious visitings Of nature" Everybody
seemed to be thoroughly impressed by the
weirdness Of the situation: there was no
giggling, no whispering. all was silent as
death: After about minute my eyes grew
rigid in their intense stare, until it seemed
to me that / no longer had the power to
move or close them, or even wink lid;
gradually could feel the pupils dilate, until
they seemed to become two huge flies glow
ing with lambert and metallic fire. could
see that every nerve Of the white face was
quivering, the breathing was short and la
bored, and a dull, stony glare came into the
starting eyeballs, far-away, trance like
look, that told me that consciousness was
gone, and that the very soul of the man had
passed over to my keeping. And I felt a
cold, cruel, hard triumph in this, desire to
strain my mastery to the utmost. l rose
from my seat, slowly moved backward, and
imperiously beckoned him, never relaxing
my fixed stare, which seemed to scintillate
and flash. AS / rose, he rose, clutching the
edge of the table to guide his trembling steps.
PEELED by an involuntary but resistless i'm
pulse. stopped suddenly; he stopped.
lively.
I afterward discovered was his family name,
Arnold being only theatrical sobriquet.
At this one of the gentlemen broke in, pro-
testing;
''No, no; that is against the bargain-no
QuestiOns.0
>. 8, It is time to put an end to it; don't like
"Oh. yes," added lady, sit is too hor-
rible."
The interruption seemed to exercise the
fiend that possessed me, and call me back to
with an effort wrenched my gaze
from that CHASTITY face. As did so, Ar
mold, as though he had been only upheld by
my eyes, fell upon the floor in strong con-
I-
Our experiment in mesmerism spoiled the
rest Of the evening; for although after a
cOpious outward application of cold water,
and a judicious inward one Of neat brandy,
he soon recovered and tried to laugh off his
illness, it left a creepy, disagreeable depres-
sion upon all, which no amount of hot
spirits and water and forced jollity could sue
coed in dispelling.
AS it may be supposed, the effect was
strongest upon me, and it chiefly took the
form of intense annoyance at the part had
played; I would have given anything to
have recalled the past few minutes. After
Arnold 3 recovery, by tacit understanding,
no one made any reference to his strange ILL
1ess, indeed, all seemed DESTROYS for time
If putting it. out of observation-disclosures none
so much as the principal actor in it, who
aughed and tested in a feverish manner and
single moment, as though he feared the sub
ect might crop up again. ~
Everybody, however, was eagerly discuss
ing the singular event next morning at re-
nearsal. I avoided the gossiping groups, for
,he remembrance of the scene was horror
attempted to avoid, but he took an exactly
opposite course, following me wherever l
went, trying to engage me in conversation,
md to catch my eye, as though some of the
of the previous night still sur
me.
k1o, 1ofn f<yr II
was very long, I was doing in my chair
when there came a soft tap at the door, and
% my sleepy "come in,' there appeared
upon the threshold the tall, gaunt figure of
,he man whom of all others 1 least desired to
zee. It gave me quite shock. 1t was the
irst time he had ever called at my lodgings.
In common courtesy was obliged to ask
him to take a seat and draw near the fire, as
he weather was cold. In a vague, listless
he placed chair in such position
hat it exactly faced mine, dropped into it
without word, and tried to fl my eyes. 1
shifted them and stared into
he fire.
He made no attempt to account for this
5isit; he talked very little, and in an absent
betrayed his thoughts were
lot on his tongue-about the business of the
heater. I felt very embarrassed by his
presence, and presently rose and rang for
ea. What could do but ask him to remain,
md take it with me? He said Thank you,'
md kept his seat. felt quite terrified by
he change that had come over him-from a
loisy, testing, rollicking kind of fellow, who
lad always q gibe for me, to this silent, sub
lued man, with those dreadful eyes ever
seeking mine.
Atlength he went away, and never in my
life did feel so thankful for anybody's de-
)arture. 80 ~ Efst
But he came the next day, about the same
ime, and acted in Just the same manner,
Until the lightssWere brought in; then all at
nee he rose from his chair, crossed over to
where was sitting, and, laying his hand up
m my arm, said, in hoarse whisper:
Mesmerize mep'
started back and answered, shuddering-
y: "Not for worlds!"
You must" he answered, passionately.
And somehow or other, / can not tell how,
few minutes afterward we were sitting
is "a -Uis staring into each others eyes, In
ess than a minute there was in his the dull
tony vagueness Of insensibility.
I covered my face with my hands, but |
them, as 1 heard something fall |
heavily upon the floor, to see him huddled |
It my feet in commissions, the froth bubbling
lpon his lips.
did not call for assistance; luckily had |
ONE water and some brandy in the room. 1 |