Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-11-02
A MYSTERIOUS CASE.

mourning He was not what you would
call an intellectual looking man, and
on thinking it over afterwards l remember
that he had a narrow and retreating fore
head. never can quite make up my mind
whether what my fellow traveller told me
was the absolute truth; whether his conf
dence was caused by the natural yearning of
his soul for human sympathy; or whether, to
use all Americanism, he was merely filling
me up"
1t was not only my fellow travellers re-
treating forehead but the nature of his trav-
cling literature, that caused me to look
upon him as something other than an in
tellectual giant. In the first place he was
reading Isis Unveiled" The Proceedings
of the Psychical Society" was there, too, and
fat book in very large type was labeled,
sFragments and Remains of Madame
By"
He was good enough to offer to lend me one
of his books, and, like an ass, l gave a snort
of indignation and waved it off.
81 have no sympathy with such things"
said
ga skeptic, perceive" said he politely.
81 l-ok upon tho whole thing, SIR" re-
piled, ''as boSh and humbug, miserable trash,
wretched balderdash unworthy of notice"
And then Slared at MIN.
tried to silence the little man in deep
mourning by looking as much like the Cor
gon Medusa as possible. Far from being
turned to stone, he simply began to sit on
the backs of his hands, than which nothing
is more undignified and irritating.
81 was like you once" he said with pity;
tfyes, was scoffer once; but have been
bitterly punished-in fact, my incredulity
was the cause of my bereavement" and he
pointed in q solemn manner to the deep black
hat band he wore.
When looked up at his hat band l saw
the mans name printed in little gold letters
upon his travelling bag, which lay on the
rack above his head-'sMr. Augustus Boo
Dyer"
When had heard the name before? OF
course it comes back to me in flash. Boo
byer that was tho man who ran off with little
Hetty Stareley, Of the Frivolity theatre. 1
am not theatrical man, but l saw Miss
Stareley in the celebrated ballet of 1.-The
Swallows" and very pretty indeed she looked
with her big eyes, her czsIy black hair and
her dot of mouth. She was pretty plump
little nonentity till she married Boobyer,
when she became niue days wonder. Then
she left the stage; disappeared from the pho
tographers' windows, and nobody ever heard
any more of Miss Hetty Stareley.
"It's not SO very long ago" he began, "that it
was my privilege to lead to the altar an ex-
ceedingly lovely girl. worshiped TIE very
ground sho trod upon, sir. My wife was so
excessively good looking as to attract con-
siderable attention wherever We went.
was proud of it at first, but after a while it
began to pail. My wife, sir, was young,
inexperienced girl, and she felt it bitterly.
Mine was a runaway MATCH" he went on,
''aud it made considerable amount of noise
at the time. I live at Wimbledon-cose to
the camp, unfortunately for me, and when
we returned from our honeymoon the volun-
teer camp was in full swing. 1t seemed to
me that when they were not actively engaged
in drill Or shooting for prizes, the greater
portion of the volunteers occupied their time
in walking up and down in front of my
house in order to get glimpse of my beauti-
full wife. I'm not exaggerating the
least bit. At last, however, it became I'M
bcarablc to both of us. We determined to
seek solitude, and found it at Herne Bay
''Herne Bay is the most solitary place 1
know. 1t is frequented by persons of limited
means with large families. There is pier
mile long. We passed delightful fortnight
at Herne Bay, but it was dull, terribly dull.
We were both feeling rather bored, when I
made all acquaintance while I was fishing
for bass with rod from the pier head, l
used to fish there the greater part of the
afternoon. / had never caught anything,
but at place like Herne Bay one must do
something. He was a very decent young
fellow and took a great interest in my fish
ing If l had known at the time who he
was, perhaps l shouldn't have been quite SO
ready TO foregather with him. The fact is,
he was a professional conjurer, but he was a
most gentlemanly young fellow and dec;d-
eddy good looking. He talked about spirit
ualisln; he was an advanced thinker, and l,
from the lofty pinnacle of my Grass ignor-
ance. looked down upon the whole thing as
'bosh, humbug and balderdash."
Here, still sitting On his hands, he smiled
impertinently at me.
Monsieur Kardec for that was his pro-
fessional name) tried to convince me, but in
vain. Our stay at Herre bay was drawing
to close. I'm going to give d little seance
here tomorrow night said Monsieur ker-
dec. 4 shall be greatly pleased if you would
come and look at the wonders the spirits will
perform. Don't humiliate me by Offering to
pay at the door. Here are a couple OF
tickets
Il was about to decline, but my wife gave
of hers, which did not appeal in vain. Well
come with pleasure said ], ana | thought no
more about the matter.
..As we walked homo we stopped to read
one Of the posters 1t was the ordinary pro-
gramme-spirit rappins, thought reading,
clairvoyance, and then followed a rather ex-
traordinary statement: Monsieur Kardee
after part the first, will give an illustration
of modern conjuring and prestidigitation,
without apparatus OF accompiices. The
whole will conclude with the mysterious dis
appearance of lady selected from among
the audience We both rather looked for
ward to the entertainment as a break to the
dull n,onotony of our daily round at Herne
bay
''Pu,lctual to the time, we presented our
selves at the assembly rooms and were the
sole occupants of what were termed the re
served fauteuils, which were two rows Of or
binary cane bottom chairs. I don't think
there were fifty people in the room altogether.
The first part of the performance was deeply
interesting. Looking back upon it calmly az
do now, and speaking with the authority OF
one who knows" said the little man land the
fire of enthusiasm flashed in his watery eyes,
81 am convinced that Monsieur Kardec was
q powerful medium. Then followed part
two, about which there was nothing very re-
markable; they were ordinary feats of sleight
Of hand-good, simple conjuring of the old
school, And then Monsieur Kardec addressed
us i'll a short lecture. lie told us that what
he was about to do before our eyes was no
trick, no juggle-'in fact said he, there is
no deception whatever. 1t is he added
solemnly, the work of the spirits did not
pay much attention to what 1 looked upon
then as tie idle 3atter Of the professional
conjurer. | have since had reason to change
my mind, and then he gave a deep sigh.
"Monsieur Kardec exhibited to us the ordi-
nary big cardboard extinguisher. And
now said he, if any lady will kindly step
forward, l will cause her to disappear by the
assistance of my familiar spirits The gentle
man at the piano began to play the ghost
melody from The Corsican Brothers, I
never hear that tune now,' said the little
man, ''but it makes my flesh creep.
Nobody volunteered Monsieur Kardec
was evidently disconnected. Ladies and
gentlemen he said, if no lady will oblige
me, l shall be unable to give you this inter
esting experience Then he appealed to my
wife. Madame he said, you would confer
an obligation on me if you would come to my
assistance
"Hettie-I mean my wife-always a good