Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-08-09
A HYPNOTIC TRAGEDY.
From the French.

gallery, had enjoyed and noisily APP
plauded the first half of the well-tilled
programme; the daring feats of acrObats,
a wizards mystifying tricks, the comic
copy of music hall ''artists" and the grace
full rhythm of gorgeous ballet had in turn
entranced and pleased their separate
yOtaries. A restless crowd surged about
the foyer watching those who, late as
the hour was, had just arrived, and dis
cussing with impatient eagerness the
promised wonder which was to form
the second and concluding portion of
the evenings entertainment. A glance
at the printed programme explained the
cause of the unusual excitement. At
an enormous expense, so it was stated,
the management of the Boston Alham-
bra had secured the services of
the celebrated mesmerlst, DR.. hel-
logg, and his marvellous subject,
Mile Olivia.
For the last month, from day to day,
the newspapers had heralded the com-
ing event, and had laid before their
readers story after story Of the wonder
full feats attributed to the two perform
ers, interlarding these at intervals with
sensational rumors of the romantic cir
cumstances under which their debut
would be made.
Or. Kellogg, so the public was in
formed, was at once the most audaci
Gus and the most infalhble Of expert
menters; his powers of magnetism were
practically unlimited. while to prove
their genuineness, if proof were neces-
sary, and also to instruct his audiences,
he would expose at every exhibition
the vulgar tricks and articles by which
his host of imitators fooled and de-
eeiyed the honest, unsuspecting public.
IN Olivia would be seen one whose
passive powers and obedience to mes
merle influence were fully equal to
the doctors more assertive natural
gifts.
Then, by degrees came whisperings of
strange happenings and mysterious cir
cumstances surrounding both the public
and private life of mesmerist and sub
ject. DR.. Kellogg, it was said, was
passionately in love with the fair Olivia.
During the frances into which he had
the power to throw her he would at
times pitilessly torment and torture
her. and so revenge himself for the ut
ter Indifference, almost amounting to
aversion, which, i'll her natural state,
she persistently displayed to him.
Closely following upon the publication
of this professional secret appeared a
yet more startling piece of news. A
certain foreigner, young Englshman
named Lord Warner, was also madly in
fatuated with Olivia. Abandoning his
wife, home ties and brilliant public posi-
subject through all their Wanderings
and travels, forgetful of everything save
his mad, engrossing passion. In every
town or city, and atevery performance,
he had occupied in solitude stage box,
from whence he could gaze upon the OBJ
JeCt Of his lntatuatOn, a sentiment, by
the way, which seemed only to be re-
turned when the medium was in her
state of trance. AS a natural cOnse-
quence the feeling between the doctor
and the young nobleman was one of
bitter jealousy and hatred. At any
moment, it was limited, the crisis of
their enmity was likely to occur, nor was
it at all improbable that tragical end
ing to the whole romantic. story would
take place in the course Of a public per-
torrance.
Last of all was chronicled the APP
pearance of a new actor in this exciting
drama. A lady, young, beautiful, and
evidently of patrician birth, had APP
peared upon the scene. Lady Warner
for it was undoubtedly she--was as
regular an attendant at the kellogg
soirees as was her faithless husband.
Seated in box Immediately facing his,
dressed in the height of fashion, and
bearing always a calm disdainful air,
she would fix her eyes upon her truant
lord and master. Not movement nor
an expression of his escaped her; one
by one she detected the designs of his
absurd passion, of his enslavement to
the handsome medium, but what might
be the ultimate purpose of her ceaseless
and untiring vigil the most crafty re-
porter or interviewer had so far failed
to discover. To most of the audience
present it was known fact that both
Lord Warner and his wife had arrived
iu the city almost at the same hour,
though, so it was heralded by the press,
husband and wife had gone to separate
hotels. Now, as the hour approached
for the Kellogg seance, all eyes were
fixed upon the two remaining empty
boxes, facing each other and without
doubt reserved for the two actors in
this most appetizing drama.
OF a sudden the universal buzz of
conversation was interrupted by the
first notes of an overture, and stimuli
aneously with its opening chords Lord
Warner entered the box upon the right,
and calmly seated himself in full view
of the entire audience The newspaper
biographies had described him fairly
well. Though in actual years still
young man, he bore the look of one who
had lived every day and minute of his
Nfe. His pale, finely proportioned face,
large sleepy blue eyes and wavy hair
clearly betokened a man of exceptional
birth, of violent temper when aroused,
and of indomitable, of selfish, spirit.