Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-08-09


thoughts of any of their number who
would place herself in direct commum-
cation with her.
At first no volunteer appeared, the
spectators evidently taking it for grant
ed that the privilege should be accord
ed to Lord Warner. Nor was he behind
hand in his acceptance OF the challenge
for rising from his seat. He stepped over
the balustrade of the box in which he
sat, and crossed the stageto where the
doctor stood.
"You? Again." the latter asked, in
an audible tone, evidently annoyed and
beside himself with irritation. Well, SO
be it; / consent
The orchestra was silent, and the
whole house watched the drama being
nlaved before them with breathless in
tereSt.
AS for Lord Warner, he appeared per-
fectlv Obvious both to the polite I'M
pertinence of his rival and the steady
gaze which Lady Warner still kept up
on him. Olivia, who had sunk once
more into a state of coma, turned her
face toward the intruder, showing
neither surprise nor any other emo
ton whatever. She received quite
calmly the closely sealed envelope
which he handed to her, perfectly I'M
conscious of the passionate and fervld
declaration which it undoubtedly con,
tanned. Her whole attention seemed
riveted upon it, as she nervously turned
it over and over in her hands. Sudden
ly, as if possessed Of the idea that the
contents concerned her and her
alone, she made motion as If to break
the seal.
In an instant her effort was arrested
bv an imperious movement of the doc
tors hand, and again she became SIM
ply the clairvoyant and mesmerized sub
Iect The doctor stepped hurriedly be-
tween the two lovers, his face pale
with anger and his thin lips contract
ed.
"Enoughn' he cried, in an insolent
voice, "she has understood it; the ex-
perience is over" and Warner, unable
to conceal his modification, slowly re-
gained his seat.
To the audience it was only too plain
that the rivalry between the two men
had reached it's height, and needless of
all else they now awaited the expected
crisis.
'And now," said the doctor, taking
up his speech, "this woman, thoroughly
impregnated with, magnetic fluid, is
! nothing but simple bunch of nerves,
an articuIate mass of flesh, governed
and moved at will by the laws of
secret science. Look! and at the
word he extended his thin arm violent
ly before him. Olivia's body seemed to
contract in the rigidity Of death, and as
statue might fall from it's marble
pedestal, she fell upon the stage. Her
head struck violently upon the boards,
and as she lay motionless Kellogg knelt
down upon her inert body and pounded
it brutally with his knees.
It was a frightful sight. The audience
moved beyond itself was stirred with
great feeling of disgust and horror, the
shouts of horror drowning the fran
tic efforts of the orchestra to distract at
tention.
Leaving the PROSTATE object of his
gesture hushed the tumult.
"What is the matter?" he cried;
"What do you fear? This is all foolish
ness, pure illusion, simple trickery.
To one and all of you [ have promised
the truth, and now [ am going to speak
it." He paused for moment, as if for
the sole purpose of casting mocking
glance and grimace at the box wherein
Lord Warner sat ''The truth is this"
he continued; ''this woman is not
mesmerized at all. Far from it; she is
neither visionary nor somnambulistic
subject; she is something much better
a perfect comedian, an incompatible
clown, if I may use the word, with
muscles of steel and front of bronze.
In the role she plays nothing can
frighten her, nothing can overcome her
wonderful power of discrimination.
Look at her now, stretched out in her
satin robe, wrapped in such slumber as
marble statue knows Well, this
poetic creature, this being fashioned in
art, is as wideawake and conscious as
any one of you; she hears as distinctly
as yourselves every word that I am
saying, and, moreover, I am certain
that at the present moment only a most
heroic effort keeps her from breaking
out in hearty fit of laughter"
"a lie an infamous liep' cried Lord
Warner in tones of despair and humilia-
ton.
..'Who dares to speak of lies ?' con-
tinued the doctor, quite unmoved. "You
shall have it. Mdlle. Olivia our work
is over for this evening; the farce is over.
Arise ~
Smiling and fresh, with an agile bound
Olivia rose to her feet and stood beside
her impressario. Then came thunder
of applause. The public, forgetfuI of
the deception, thought only of the
theaterical effect. A few dissentients
here and there, believers in mesmeric
science, expressed disapprobation, but
their voices were drowned in the over
whelming laughter and clapping of
hands. Suddenly, through the tumult,
rang out the sharp report of pistol,
and from Lord Warmers box q thin