Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-07-31

supplies OF the drug which Is sucked
through long bamboo. This is re-
peated until the smoker becomes
Thoroughly intoxicated. Extraordi-
nary precautiong have been taken to
prevent police raid on the establish
ment, and no person, it was said, could
gain admission unless he or she was a
regular customer or was introduced by
some one known to the proprietor.
The opium habit is infinitely worse in
the slavishness imposed upon its victims
to the use of alcoholic stimulents. I
know hotel clerk in this city who
lately held a position in one of our ho-
tells and lost it few weeks ago on &C
count of this habit. He would often
close his eyes and fall asleep for a few
seconds in the midst of conversation
standing at his post, then suddenly
waking take up the subject just where
he left it. Poor fellow what will be-
come of him 1 don't known. But for
this terrible habit, he was considered
one of the brighteat and most useful
clerks in the city.
The performances of Miss Lulu
Hurst, the Georgia "magnetic girl
have been the reigning sensation of the
town for some time past. l have at
tended one or two of her entertainments
and have seen about all the notables Of
New York, from John Kelly and Harry
Hill to George William Curtis and
Henry Ward Beecher, occupying the
rows of seats in the auditorium. Whether
Miss Hurst is, in fact, one Of the "elcc-
trical girls l am unable to tell you /;
but it does not take long to convince
one that her power is altogether extra
ordinary. Her feats have been described
by dozens of writers, and need only
to say that their descriptions are not
exaggerated. 1t is perfectly true that
Miss Hurst can lift Il chair on which a
man is seated, simply by placing her
opened hands on the back of the chair.
She can also prevent stout stick, held
by several vigorous men. from being
bent to the ground BY touching the
handle of an umbrella she can make it
plunge forward in peculiarly vicious
way. Opinions differ widely as to the
explanation Of the young womans S
power. DR.. Spitzka seems to believe
that Miss Hurst is surchargel with
electricity. DR.. Hammond, looking at
the subject in his practical and cautious
manner, acknowledges that he is open
to conviction, but that in his Judgment
the girl employs merely muscular power.
Others speak Of her psychic influence,
also Il vague expression, which may or
may not mean something, I am in.
clined to believe her powers are muscu-
lar.
Miss Hurst is by no means giant, as
exubcrant writer's have called her. She
is somewhat above the average height of
women, Fl mly built, with a strong body
and rather heavy, dull face, and with
wonderfully developed hands and arms.
Her arms are indeed exceptionally large
and muscular, and l noticed that the
muscles of the palm are very strong
and flexible. Now it is fact that per,
sons with flexible palms are often able
to grasp objects tcnaciously without
moving their fingers. Those who OBJ
serve Miss Hurst when she is perform
ING one of her feats cannot fail to see a
muscular contraction in her wrists and
hands. Nothing could be more conf
cal than one Of her entertainments
Wallack' is crowded each night. When
she makes her appearance upon the
stage she is welcomed with shout Of
approval and sympathy. Then score
of ambitious athletes, young and old, &C
upon the stage to wrestle with her.
She filings them about with the utmost
ease, scatters them prone and crest
fallen, and shakes the breath out oi
them. The most confident person does
not, however, care to be handled by hel
twice.
John Roach, the great American shiT
builder and subsidy-seeker, who has
been before nearly every Congress fol
years with some scheme or other, fire.
quently spends several days in Ne"
York. He is somewhat hard of hear
ing, but l suspect he is not quite sc
deaf az people take him to be. On the
whole, a reasonable amount of hardness
of hearing must be a good thing te
have in the house, because it gives one
an opportunity to find out what othel
folks really think of him. Mr.. Roacl
was coming down IN an elevated cal
the other day when a young man, who
spends his daytime in clerking it for