Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-19
A MAGNETIC GIRL TALKS
Confession Of Cleverness that Puzzled
Professors.
How a Muscular Young woman discovered
Lula HarsVs Secret aud Turned h
10 Psenniary Advantage.


many people some months ago on the
stages Of provincial theaters, very shortly
after Lulu Hurst, "The Georgia Wonder"
had created sensation At Wallacks. She
had gained considerable notoTlety, re-
memb sred, as one Of many "msgneiic"
girls. The fact also intruded itself that
She had been introduced TO audiences IS
a rude, untutored specimen OF the back
woods, perfectly eulleless, with little edu-
cation, and remarkable only for the fact
that Providence (ss the truthful manager
put it) had gifted her with a peculiar and
marvellous force which enabled her 20 &C.
complish most extraordinary things
never before seen or heard Of. As she
tripped along in front Of me saw that
she was still large, well-Dullt
specimen Of humanity, broad-shouldered,
aud with excellently developed muscles,
which might readily deter many strong
man from arousihg her anger. Untu.ored
girls from the bach woods, you know, very
frequently strike ont from the shoulder
and bit hard. One thing puzzled me.
She carried an enormous suDshade OF the
latest style. This seemed wonderful
when recollected that one Of the most
peculiar characteristics pertaining 20 this
simple maiden, ia the days Of her noto-
riety, was the fact that she could not
hold an umbrella or parasOl over her
head for three consecutive minutes with
out It suddenly flying 70 pieces. Iemem-
bered also that no man could maintain In
an upright position an open umbrella
against which she laid the palm Ok her
white n ut large hand. Andy yet here she was
manipulating a sunshade with oil the
ease and grace Of q Fifth avenue belle,
and without any apparently serious con-
sequences. followed her patiently for
several blocks, momentArily expecting TO
see the dainty crimson parachute fiy yio-
lently from her hands. Nothing Of the
sort occurred, however, and then | con-
cluded that she was probably no longer
magnetic" or that her magnetism could
be summoned and dismissed at will; that
she discarded II during Broadway prom
enades and called It forth again when the
curtain rolled up on a full house.
Again she gave way 10 reminiscent
disabilities, and murmured some unin-
telligible word, which sounded Ike chow
funny"
"Are you interviewing mef" she asked
sitter her mirth had subsidized. III 80
have no objection 70 the ordeal, and |
assure you candidly that you will be the
first newspaper mao who will have sue
ceeded In making me talk freely"
"ln the first place." she continued,
"let me mention an important point
which everybody who came TO witness
my performances totally overlooked. /
never professed to be either magnetic or
mesmerlc. Other people advanced the
theory, not |. did pretend that ! was
able 70 accomplish some seemingly ex-
traordnary feats, anu accomplished |
them. There the matter ended. When |
was engaged ~ managers who had |
witnessed my representations they |
not Inquire as TO whether ! was the pos
SCISSOR OF any peculiar or unknown force
they simply made contracts with me un-
Ter certain conditions, namely That
was TO give 20 many performances for so
much money, and gave them II people
chose to write me up as mesmeric or
magnetic that was their affair, not mine"
"Then did you not accomplish your
feats through the aid Of an unknown
force2"
The charmingly naive child Of nature
gigglcd again as she ans wered, in very
non-committal way "We won't discuss
that point, but I'll tell you what / will
do. With ten minutes instructions / |
Will enable you 10 perform, without the !
aid OF either mesmerlsm or magnetism,
any feat which you ever saw me attempt !
DO you remember the cane test? man
taxes the article and holds II before him |
at arms length, with 3 hand tightly grasp.
ing each end Of II, and endeavors TO stand |
still after have gently placed my hand |
upon II. Let us try II, Take the stick"
did so, bracing myself as rigidly as
an iron bar. The young woman laid the
palm of one wkite hand lightly upon the
rod, aud after moment | felt myself
swinging TO and fro. Then / was erked
violently forward, thrown backward, and
yanked promiscuously about tho apart
ment until was entirely out OF breath
and began 10 feel very red in the face. I
sat down, putting and painting, while my
fair hostess giggled gleefuIly. The thing
was as great mystery 10 me as ever, and
| confessed the fact as soon as had re-
covered sufficient breath to express my
self IN words.
at Is very simple" laughed my friend,
al may have accomplished II by means OF
magnetism, but will show you how to
do II without. Take the cane and brace
yourself again. You see you are In
perfectly llAiu HOHillout WIN tNtIy mus
Gle strained 20 its utmost tension. Con-
sequently the slightest pressure from me
upon the stick, whether that pressure be
magnetic or not, Is boun1 to throw you
on your equilibrium, Now, | place my
open palm upon the article, aud need
only the slightest pressure to move you
DO you seer To demonstrate how sim.
pie the thing IL let me give you an addl-
tlonal point. When you feel that the
pressure IL about 10 sway you, relax your
When the pressure propes you
backward let your arms give in the dlrec-
ton OF the movement, When the pres
sure is forward avail yourself Of the same
In other words, instead OF
bracing yourself ilrmly, remain perfectly
limp, aud then I thinS II will require
supernatural force to move you.h
Again we essayed the feat, closely
following the young woman's instrnc-
tlons. This time victory was on my side,
and stood abashed at the simple expla-
nation OF a feat which some time ago had
seemed sufficiently extraordinary 20 call