The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-04-18
PRICE 5 CENTS.
HYPNOTISM.
r WISH I HAD NEVER SEEN HIM

WISH / HAD NEVER SEEN HIM.
i l wish l didn't always want to
know the reason why. l wish wasn't
perpe'ually troubled by an impertinent
curiosity. Why couldn't have been
content with what l had got from " En-
cyclopaedia Britannica" and Enquire
Within upon Everything?" Why should
l be always posing as an intelligent in
quirer? 1t has cost me exactly 100000.
/ am his only nephew, and l CORE
sponded with Uncle Boultby ever since
he emigrated as II Storage passenger
seventeen years ago. You see ncle
Boultby had been very kind to me as q
boy. He used to, take me out fishing
with him and give me shillings; that is
the kind Of uncle boy likes. And when
Uncle Bonltby was shipped off to Amer
lea with single G5 note in his pocket, to
take his chance, l believe was the only
person who was genuinely sorry for him.
And Uncle Boultby was quite aware of
the fact. The reason oil Uncle Boultby's
repatriation was, as grandfather put il,
that he didn't know how to say mo"
Uncle B. was nobody's enemy but his
own; that is to say, he got drunk when
ever he had the chance.
For ten years Uncle Boultby worked
as a common navy. In America, you
know, you have to work or starve; there
are no societies in America as there are
in England for making the life of the
working man beautiful; it is simply
that work or starve. Then Uncle
Boultby, after ten years, had slice of
luck; he bought a share OF a mining
claim, and in five years he made
formed me that | was to be his heir.
| Ia hoI hoap M bnp,o x,ao~. IA, hal
| had one attack of delirium tremens that
brought him to deaths door; then, by
my advice, he allowed himself to be in
generated under the Habitual Drunkards
Act. He was discharged as incurable
after six months; he began his old tricks
again, and l had reason to believe that
he would not last much longer. So
went down to Plymouth 10 look after my
Uncle Boultby.
| was sitting in first-class carriage in
the Great Western express with an un-
communicative person in tweed suit.
His luggage was on the rack; it con-
sisted of Gladstone bag; there was
label on the Gladstone bag. stood up
to read it under pretence Of opening the
ventilator. / read the name Professor
Tadger. / was rather pleased than
otherwise. What lot of information I
might be able to extract from the pro-
lessor if l only went the right way to
work. l remarked that it was fine
day. Professor Tadger nodded. / said
that there was very little in the paper.
Again the professor nodded. l tried to
get into conversation with him by all
the usual devices. l could get nothing
out of him but mods. What's the use OF
, being professor if you don't confess.
| I al ho
is just common conjurer or q CORN
cutter or hair-dresser. They often
call themselves professors. For whole
hour the professor had been reading
silently black book in German. All
could make out was that the authors
name was Moll; if had only known
8 German / could have found out what
the book was about. Suddenly very
extraordinary thing happened. Pro-
e fessor Tadger began to stare at me in an
& excessively rude manner. turned my
eyes away. When looked again in his
direction he was still staring-staring in
v a way that made my flesh creep. Was
d he mad? He frightened me.
"Don't look at me like that, SIR"
cried. Aren't YOU well?" and was
about to seize the handle by which you
communicate with the guard.
"Don't alarm yourself" said Professor
Tadger very suavely; ! only wanted to
see il YOU were susceptible to the inf1u-
ence. l fancied that you would make q
good subject; so you would, # you didn't
resist" Then he explained to me that
he took a great interest in what he
called hypnotics.
"Ah,' said Iaughingly, you've got
a show; if it's at Plymouth I'll patronize
you. Pm going to Plymouth.
{ $50 am l." said Professor Tadger ;
"but / haven't got show. take an
interest in the thing simply as an OBJ
server. am biologist"
"Do you mean 10 seriously say that 1t
isn't bosh?" asked.
Professor Tadger only glared at me.
"Sleep," he said very blandly.
That's all can remember till l found
myself rubbing my eyes, and seated on
the luggage rack in front OF Professor
Tadrer. for all the world as if had been
a performing monkey.
b "Why don't You come down ?" said
Professor Tadger. do you believe in
hypnotism now ?'
Ii was very curious thing. l remem
bered perfectly well our conversation uE
TO the point when the professor had said
- Sleep" but l remembered nothing
more. felt very indignant indeed, ant
came down from the luggage rack
E then felt for my watch and l felt To-
my purse. They were all right. +" 70.
~ have played very unjustifiable tricl
d upon me-" said.
"Not at all, said the professor, e no
at all; it was no trick, it was an expert
ment. l am successful with about 81
e. per cent of ordinary subjects"
1t was not nice to be called an ordinar,
subject. Then he began to talk abou
hypnotism. / didn't believe half h
said at first.
"You should get over that feeling,
said the professor. |" Hypnotism is
very interesting subject, as you woul
acknowledge if you had seen any of on
experiments at Oxford. If you had
logical mind you would see that 20
tc didn't get up in the luggage rack, as 70
ltS did just now, OF your own free viii
That ought to be sufficient to convinC
you that hypnotism is not nonsens'
Were l so Inclined" he added wit
little laugh, 81 could regulate yo
to the luggage rack till We reache
Plymouth
There was no withstanding that arg
ment; 1 caved In at once.
"You see there is nothing wicked
Us. 1,noapnv or diaholicaI ahout hvnnotiSm