The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-30
\ "MAGNETlC" GIRL TlLhS.
CURIOUS CONFESSIONS OF Glen ER:::SS
THAT PUZZLED TNE PE0FESsoES-

THAT PUZZLED THE Pa0FE>soE>
How Muscular lounS Woman N-cr'e'et
Lulu Hu,st's Secret and Turned it TO td,an'
ase--Si,nple Explanation OF Apparently War
velous Feats.
From the New York Word
I ran across a Young woman or the
street not long since, q girl whose tact
Lad become familiar to many rrop.e
some months ago on the stages OF pro-
yincial theatres, very shortly after Lulu
Hurst, .:The Georgia Wonder, had
created q sensation a Wallacks. She had
gained considerable notorlety, I remem,
bered, as one Of many magnetic girls.
The fact also intruded itself that she hao
been introduced to audiences as d rude,
untutored specimen Of the backwoods,
perfectly grlileless, with httle education,
and remarkable only for the fact thai
Providence $50 the truthful manager put
it, had gifted her with a peculiar anc
marvellous force which enabled her tc
accomplish most extraordinary things
never before seen or heard Of. As she
tripped along in front of me l saw thai
she was still large, well-built specimen
of humanity, broad shouldered, and wltl
excellently developed muscles, whlct
might readily deter many strong mar
from arousing her anger. Untutorec
girls from the backwoods, you know.
very frequently strike from the shoulder
and hit hard. One thing puzzled me
She carried an enormous sunshade OF the
latest style. This seemed wonderful
when I recollected that one Of the mos
peculiar characteristics pertaining to this
simple maiden, in the days of her ncto
rfstv, was the fact that she couid moi
s,osd an umbrella or parasol over hel
head kor three consecutive minutes with
out its suddenly flying to pieces: l re
nembered also that no man could nam
tain in an upright position an open UNI
brella against which she laid the palm o:
of her white but large hand. And ye'
here she was manipulating a srnshade
with all the ease and grace OF Flftt
avenue belle, without any apparently
serious consequences. I followed he'
patiently for several blocks. momentarlly
expecting to see the dainty cilnsor
,,a,achute fly violently from her hands
Nothing Of the sort occurred. however
and then concluded that she was prob
ablv no longer magnetic, or that hel
maanetism eonld be summoned and DIS
missed at will; tlsst she discarded 1t dur
ing Broadway promeaades and called Il
forth arain when the curtain rolled VI
on. q full house. Beset by curiosity, !
sauntered after the child of the back
woods until saw her turn corner Antc
a side street \ few more steps and sne
entered a wel-known cafSyansary. Il
REQUIRED but moment to find 4er name
ON the register of the house. This &C
eonaplshed sent up my card. and wa!
received at once. The young woman
had discarded the sunsllade, which lay
unharnled upoa 8 sofa, and met me witt
q confidence and self-possesslon quite a
variance with the manners assumed OF
the occasion of her initial eiaIae on the
stage as wonder" After some pre-
liminary skirmishing Of polite nature
relative to her health and other kindred
topics, I asked her if she had visited New
Sork for the purpose OF appearing pro
iessonally. With reminiscent laugh
half esacle and half giggle, she replied
ssOl, door mol don't do that sort o.
thing any more"
lWhy not?s I queried ''Has the
magnetic influence sersaken you:
Again she gave way 10 reminiscent
risS;bi,ities, and murmured some unlntel
igible words which sounded like CHOW
funny" .,
after her mirth had ai'bsided: III so
have no objection to de ordeal, and
assure YOU candidly that yoa a1li be the
first newspaper man who will have sue
ceeded in making me talk freely"
"In the first place." she continued
..let me mention an important pom
which everybody who came to witness
nv performances totally overlooked.
never professed to be either magnetic O.
mesmeric. Other people advanced th'
theory, not I. did contend that wa
able to accomplish some seemingly ex
traordiarv feats, and I accompllshet
them. There the matter ended. Whe1
I was engaged by managers who hat
witnessed my representations they dlt
not INQUIRE as 20 whether l was the pos
sessor Of any peculiar or unknown force
they simply made contracts with me un
der certain conditions, namely, that
was to give so many performances for 81
much money. and I gave them. If peo
ple chose to write me up as mesmerc O
magnetic that was their affair, not nine
sSThen you did not accomplish you
ieats through the aid of any unknown
force?"
The charmingly naive child OF natur
sieeled again as she answered, III a Yer,
1on,committal way: .tWe won't discus
That noiut. but I will tell you what
viii do. With ten minutes instruction
I will enable yon to perform, wlthou
The aid of either mes1erlsm or magnet
ism. any feat which YOU eyer saw m
attempt. Do YOU remember the con
test9 A man takes the article and hold
it before him at arms length with a ham
tightly gripping each end q it, and en-
deavors to stand still after ! have place
NV band gently upon it. Let US try il
Take the stick.
I did 50. bracing myself as ngidly a
an iron bar. The young woman laid tn
palm of one white hand lightly upon tn
- o,5 ostar q moment felt mvSel