The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-07-19
ABOUT MIND-RRADINo.
IA. in De,roi, Free Press

IA. l. E., in Detroit Free Press.
 There was a time when mind-reading was a mysterious and astonishing accom- plishment. Probably now very few people know how it is done, but it is no longer sufficiently secret to make 1t profitable for the professors of the art to give exhi- bitions. It makes, however. good half hours entertainment in an evening conn., pany. There are few who cannot become thoroughly proficient, and many with a little practice could equal the English op- orator who was unable to guide the Yam kee correspondent to his coat-tail.
 One afternoon several years ago, rather an ordinary looking man appeared and inquired if the editor was in. l replied that he was. After looking carefully around the room to see if that dignitary might not be hidden under a paper weight or behind a cuspidor, he looked at me and said:
 Are you the editor "
 aI am"
 am Prot Carpenter (same name as the Englishman's), the mind-reader. l shall give an exhibition here next Mon- day evening and should like to have a notice in your paper. If you have no objections will show yoc something of what can do. Will you think of some thing on your person--a scar, q button, any part of your dress, in fact anything small and keep your mind intently upon itT
 thought of slight scar on my right ankle and said, All right"
 Give me your leh hand, please"
 He took my left hand in his lei, stand ing at my iefi side. He placed his right hand on my forehead with a nervous, tremulous touch and said
 @Grasp my hand thightly, tighter yet"
 took firm grip on his lef, hand with mine as directed, . nervous tremor went through his arm, he gave mine little wave and dropped directly on the spot thought of
 It was done so quickly, so neatly, so mysteriously that was astounded. He tried again. With equal facility and in the same manner he found button on my vest and spot on my coat in the back. made, to use His words, 6 a cap- ital subject" He went out in the hall while 1 carefully hid a penkniie. He came back, took my leit hand as before, stood at my left side slightly bending over, placed his right hand on my fore head, gave me preliminary whirl and went straight to the Penknife with his eyes closed
 That capped the climax. While talk ing, others came in, and the professor obligingly read their nindA He vas puxxled only once. He tired long and hard, but could not find what the subject was thinking of It proved to be scar on one of the fingers the professor was clasping in his ha Id. With all tbe others he vas successful With some it vas ey- ideaf1y harder to read their minds than with oehers- More directions were re- quired they must grasp his hand tighter. keep their minds more firmly 6xed, give themselves up more freely to his leading, etc; but he ultimately fnund the ob- ject
 ls vas some days before the evening of the entertainment, and among the few who had seen the professor operate, miad- reading vas discussed with interest as very wonderful process.
 leave the stage in company with a num- back and given the subject vho had al- ready hidden some object somewhere anoag the audience With most of his subjeCas there was hasdly . mOmenfs hesitaaiaa, bse he voa1d ta1s tAen as oace to he object, sometimes over bencheA rai1ines aaA vhassvE ebyscs might intezpose- NaRs weEe spa'isd oaf cd daass thoaghf of vue dssi6naset oa laEge puinAsa alphahse cd sow q 6gurs e Ae vaA Evesything vsne of ven tn towards the cloee cf the evening l psopesad . tsse thak vas too nucA fpr 6s preGbsseE. sngEesssd thst the ope- rsaor should hssp hS eyes opn and thas tAe subject sho1ld be b'indSoIded, 6sst fxing fs mind e some pessoo in the