The weekly intelligencer., 1891-03-28
A Hypnotized Baby.
N,,y N,,.ly FI',,;I

y PLAIN tale comes from Philadelphia
Our version of it will be short. crisp
and decisive, and follows the published
account in an able contemporary with
almost seville cIoscneSs.
Last Monday evening Mr.. and Mrs.
George Stcarns were preparing to 90
10 the theatre. Naturally the baby,
Lucy, began to cry atithe top of ofheryoung
voice. Her idea seemed to be to 90 to
the theatre, too. The nurse could do
nothing with her. Mr.. Stearns, having
finished dressing before his wife, a not
entirely unheard-of proceeding on the
part of Il husband, took Lucy from the
nurse to sec If he could not pacify her.
The intelligent Infant instantly disar-
ranged his hair, tore off his white tie
and tilrew.it ON the iloor, and allowed
her tears 20 course down his manly
bosom and blister long frsessson his.
expansive shirt-front Through II ali
she continued to utter ear.piercfng
shrieks and TO kick and straiohten out
and grow black in the face, and TO
manifest other alarming symptoms only
too well known to the man of family.
Mr.. Stcarns pattcd her on the back,
attempted 10 sing, aud even essayed
''baby talk but the child only cried
the louder and scratched the skin off
his nose. AT this point the thoughtful
Mrs. Strarls, with II beautiful desire TO
make it pleasant for her husband, put
her head in the door and said '.Geor"e
are you trying 10 murder that poor
childP If you don't lei the little dar-
ling be quiet yon will kill me- Georges
reply was lost in the wild screams of
the infant. But he determined on Il
more vigorous policy. He sat her up
straight on his knee, shook his finger
ut her solcmnly, and then, Us he strok-
ed her forehead and eyes, he said in Il
deep bass voice: "GO to sleep, Lucy;
90 to sleep At once. q" The child stopped
crying instantly, winked few times,
and sank into his arms fast asleep.
Giving her into charge of the nurse;
Mr.. Stcarns put on another shirt and
tie, adjusted court-plastcr on his nose,
read the evening paper, and after wait
''''it UNIV b'tbii WIS
ready and together they went to the
theatre, arriving while the second act
was yet young. When they got back
from the theatre they were pleased to
find that Lucy was still slumbering
quietly. She sIumbcrcd all the next
day. Wednesday morning Lucy was
still slumbering. Mr. Stearns became
alarmed and sent for one DR.. Rogers.
When DIR. Rogers arrived he put on
his spectacies, thrust his hands in his
trousers pockets, put his head well
forward and looked at the child with
that favorite professional air which
seems to say: 81 know all about this
case, but there is no use in my trying
to explain it to you folks" Then he
said: HIM., and II moment later,
"Hah," and then asked: '.Been eating
anything?" No, the child had eaten
nothing. He again looked at her
thoughtfully and then turned to Mrs.
Stearns and said savagely: s'You
haven't been giving that child some sort
of patent medicine, have you?" No,
theNchild had had no patent medicine.
He again relapscd into thought for
moment and then seized Mr.. Stearns
by the shoulder and turned him
toward the window. s.Stearns,n he
said slowly and solemnly, ,'.doyou know
that you have Il pair of eyes that are
uncommonly piercing? Answer me
this: What were the circumstances
under which she fell asleep? Do not
try to lie tonne. Tell me all, sir" The
t,., Ia. al. Ill I'll.
said the doctor, ''as thought. | knew
it was so. Observation-Disclosures
your-child! Stearns's knees smOte
together. Mrs. Stearns tainted. Take
the child in your lap as YOU tool, her
Monday night, " Numbered the doctor.
Stearns complied. '.Now stroke her
face in the opposite direction to what
you did then. and tell her sharply to
wake up, while | clap my hands
Stearns did 50, while DR.. Rogers clapped
his hands and danced quiet Jig in the
middle of the rug. Lucy opened her
eyes and began to yell in exactly the
same key, and at precisely the same
rate that she did Monday night Dr.
Rogers looked grave and went away.
In the past the Philadelphia liar has
not been highly esteemed. Indeed, he
has been scarcely known. While the
Chicago liar, the Denver liar, the San
Francisco liar and many other liars
have been recognized and frequently
classified and described, the Philadel-
phia liar has been neglected and deem
ed unworthy of serious attention. This
may have been right in the past, but if
the Philadelphia liar is going TO keep
up the pace which he has set in this
story of infant hypnotism, he must
hereafter be given place with the best
liars of the country. Certainly the
confederation of American liars will
welcome their philalnInhin hrni har