Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-31
CITY AND DISTRICT.
UNDERTAKING. IN SOCIETY.
How Young Ladies and Gentlemen
Exercise Their Will-Powers

How Young Ladies and Gentlemen
Exercise Their WillPower.
MAKING THE SUBJECT SELECT A SINGLE RosE-SAN-
BEADING CLUB-A PHYSICIANS VIEWS ON MIND
hEADIsG-How TO MAKE KxPkanESrS
The questions OF mind-reading and wiIl-power
have been argued and tested at quite number OF
the social parties given in this city during the
winter, and numerous experiments, with
more or less satisfactory results, have
been made During q recent social gathering,
at which STAR reporter was present, mind-read-
Ing was discussed. Some one proposed that 1t be
tried and accordingly one OF the ladies' present
was chosen as the subject. She LEFT the room and
It was agreed among those present 70 concentrate
their thoughts upon rose, which was resting in
a bouquet OF hyscinths on a table in a corner OF
the room. The lady was then called In, and blind
folded. Being left 10 herself In the middle OF the
room she swayed backward and forward a. IL
moved by some invisible power. At length she
started TO walk. After taking a few uncertain
steps IN the direction opposite 10 the bouquet she
stopped suddenly, turned around walked over to
the bouquet, and without the slightest heSitapcy
picked the rose out and put IL back. Other ex-
periments were attended with remarkable cor
reetneSS pack OF cardS was introduced,
handed TO prominent physician, who selected
one, noted It's denomination and suit, and replaced
IL in the pack keeping the pack out OF sight. The
operator who Is well known IN social circles, then
looked him stralRlt IN the eyes lOI several Elln
ures. ana told hin the name Of the card he had
selected This created great excitement among
the party, and another card was selected, the
physician still holding the pack. The operator
then proceeded TO find 10 out. For several min
utes he tried, but without success. Presently he
the card. This he acknowledged, and said by way
OF explanation ne was trying TO catch him In "a
trick. He then concentrated his thoughts upon
the card In question, end after brief pause was
Informed Of ITS color. suit and denomination
BACKWARD SIGHT,
At another meeting. at which this same subject
came up, another experiment was introduced
which was new to many Of those present. A lady
being bIindfolded was seated in a chair with her
was then held up behind her head, and the minds
Of those present concentrated upon it First, she
said she could see something round then its color
she described, then its character and, nna1ly said
aloud ''irs watch" Again a thin muCilage bot
TO its top was agreed upon object TO test the
experiment further. IL was held In the same posi-
ton as the watch for several minutes, when the
subject began by saying "Its slender it looks like
cigar, but IL ISN'T cigar; looks Ike bottle Is
bottle, but there's something on the mouth OF IL;
OH yes, its a cover and its metal"
MTSD-REaDING CLUB.
That night a club was formed called the en-
RS Since that time experiments have been per-
formed that would convince the most sceptfcal OF
their genuineneSs perhaps the most Interesting OF
these being "the transfer OF taste" A piece OF
paper was produced and the word "Salt" written
upon IT. Placing the paper In the mouth OF the
subject the spokesman OF the party asked what
she tasted. her answer came immediately salt
Numerous other words were written significant OF
some peculiar taste, many Of which were not IA
miliar 10 the lady, and all OF these were correctly
Identified That same evening the sense OF smell
was introduced, but the experiments were not 50
successful For instance, a vanilla bean was passed
inV M the be other roo% SundfoIdsd When asked if
she tasted anything, she replied mo. but smell
something delightful, but can't tell what 1t Is"
PHYSICIANS VIEWS
In conversation with a physician, who. by the
way Is a firm believer in mind-readiDg, he said:
''This business is to me most interesting. The
more see OF 1t the deeper become convinced
that it Is genuine; but this IS not muSclereadng,
as great many people think. Muscle-readlng
has no claim whatever upon 1t. There Is no doubt
reading is something different and more INTEREST
ing 70 science"
HOW TO EXPERIMENT.
sSorne people are better seem TO be better,
agents than others For instance, there IS young
lady whom have never known to fail in answer
ing experiments although sometimes It takes her
some time. In nearly every gathering, however,
some one viii be found 10 be quite susceptible 70
the w1ll-inhuence of others II it Is proposed TO
practice these experiments continued the doctor,
.'it will be best to commence with object-nftng.
Place book or other object in some prominent
place on a plane equal TO the arms when extended,
having first olindfolded the subject In another
room. Lead her IN Two OF the company, one on
her, touching her waist, until the tips or me nm
gers meet. The agents thoughts are then riveted
upon the object and the subject left free 10 move
at will, which she viii soon do, sway1Dg back and
forth for a second then taking an uncertain step.
The agents must move With her, being careful not
10 exert any pressure upon the body. In little
while the subject will pick up the object agreed
upon More difficult experiments may then be
tried, such striking on the piano, turning out
the gas. sc. After these simple experiments can
be performed. which are nothing more or less
than muscular reading. the entertaining mind
reading experiments may commence. As in the
other experiments, commence on small objects
q wine-glass. for Instance Let the subject leave
the room and be elindlolded- This latter Is not
absolutely necessary, but better results are likely
10 follow II the oandage Is used as IL shuts out the
light and leaves the mind OF the subject compare
lively free Those present then agree upon the
object and concentrate their thoughts, allowing
the subject TO enter and be seated In little
while II good subject, she will tell that they
thinking Of a wine-glass. Some skepticS go so far
as TO state that there Ia trlckery in these mind
reading experiments: but will simply say that
those who have the absolutely artless manner
IN which the impressions communicated from the
OBJECTS tire mind OF the subject Dy the influence
or the company have been perfectly convinced Of
the honesty OF purpose OF all concerned OF course
these remarks are not evidence to people who
have never witnessed experiments OF this charac-
ter, and the only way 70 convince such persons is
by actual demonstration"
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