Morning journal and courier., 1886-11-16
O'Flinn-Lookin' for work, sir.
CLAIRVOYANGE IN INDIANA.
General Lew Wallace's Experience In
Tailor Shop-st Made a Good Story

General Lew Waliace's Experience Hn
aTailor Shop-st Made a GOOD Story.
[From the Indianapolis Sentinel
Ali who have read General Nallace'f
| ssFair God" will remember the scene in the
| underground chamber between the old priest
and the little girl. The child is made the
| instrument through which the fair gods
coming is announced, she going into trance
under the priests influence at the time. Sew
eral months ago the general and number Go
gentlemen were discussing the supernatural
and were relating personal experiences
when some one asked General Wallace
where he got the idea for the incident men
toned.
81 was practising law in small country
town in this State a number of years ago,
| said the general, "and was at work upon
the novel during odd moments. I had
never paid any attention to clairvoyance
and that sort of thing, and scoffed at all who
believed that man may have knowledge of
what pertains to the other world. There was
a tailor living in the town who was exceed
ingly superstitious. He had frequently in
vi;ed me witness some of his manifesto
tions, but had always refused One night
as l was walking toward home, after being
engaged in some work at my office, saw a
light in the tailor's shop window, and some
thing prompted me to stop. My friend and
boy apprentice were at work when I enter
ed. The tailor gave me chair and we
began talking over mesmeric influence and
kindred matters After a while he ask
ed me if would care to hear some rap
pings. I told him to suggest something
else, as anyb body could make rappings. He
then suggested clairyoyanee, and told him
to go ahead.
f'Now, at this point it is necessary to say
that for the following day had made bus
mess engagement with a farmer who lived
near town in an old fashioned log house. l
had driven past the place number of times,
and was familiar with the house and the road
to-it.
ssThe tailor proceeded with his arrange
ments by placing the boy on his bench with
his face to the wall. The man turned down
the lamps in the shop and directed his at
tention to the little fellow, making passes
with his hands around and above him. In
a few minutes the boy, who was pale and
sickly in appearance, went into a sort of
trance and the tailor told me to take hold
of one of the little chaps hands and fix my
mind on some place that had visited. The
farm house alluded to moment ago came
into my mind at once, and thought of it in
tently Almost Immediately the boys lips
began moving, and in loose, disconnected way
he described the log house, the roads leading
to it, and many little details as they passed
through my mind. But after following me
for time he stopped, and then began speak
ing something of his own voiition, or rather
that of which was not thinking. He said
that it was night and that the house was
dark And then he said that the
door opened and a man came out car
rying a lamp in his hand. He walked
out to the new house and
opened the door while he looked into it; then
closed the door, returned to the house, and
all was dark again. At this point the boy
seemed to be growing very weak, and told
the tailor to rouse him, which he did by wav-
ing his hands in the air.
81 left the shop in short time, noting
the time which was about 10 o'clock. Next
day my farmer client called promptly at the
hourwhich had been set. We went through the
business which was to be attended to. and as
he started to go I asked him whore he had
been at 10 o'clock the previous night. He
was surprised at the question, but answered
that he supposed he was asleep. told him
to think about it for minute.
g %. yes,' he said presently, L remember
now. There was animal of some kind
causing disturbance in my hen-house, and
got up just about that time to see what
the matter was Everyt hing had quieted
down when got there, and l returned to the
house
ssI told the story TO my client, who was
greatly interested" !" the general said in
conclusion, Hand the incident made such an
impression upon my mind that wove it into
the story"