The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-11-03
APRETTY TOUGH STORY.
A Game of Cards in which Invisible
Persons Played.

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 20.-This story
was told me by young medico, and we
all know that medical students are Of a
peculiarly reserved, reticent and sober
race, averse to eXaggeration and re-
markable for the veracity of their anec-
dotes. He who related the following
astonishing experience told me that it
took place at st. Barthclomew's or per-
haps 1t was at Guys or St. Thomas's
The essential thing is that it took place
at hospital.
1t was evening, and not late. One of
the resident house physicians-a young
man, with a friend also young medi-
cal man whose evidence can be procur-
ed to corroborate the story-was plav-
ing double dummy, with an accom-
paniment of tobacco and whiskey and
water. They had been playing some
time, nothing unusual happening.
They were seated at square table.
One of them at the beginning Of new
game had to deal with his own dummy,
as is the rules at double dummy. When
he had finished a most wonderful thing
happened. The cards of the two dunn
mics were taken up by invisible hands,
which arranged them and held them in
the usual fan-like form. 1t was said
the cards were in the air. The two
men looked at each other and at this
phenomenon with a stupCfaction. If
they had not been men OF science they
would have fled, shrieking. Then one
of the dummies hands were sharply
raped on the table. THAT means
play" whispered ono of them, and, with
a gasp, he led. The play of the lnvisl-
bic dummies was all right. The lead
ing partner took the trick and return.
ed, changing the suit to show the hand
time there were visible the hands and
arms that held the cards but nothing
more. One of the players was a wo-
man with bare arms showing from Il
sleeve OF white lace; her fingers had
rings upon them. rhe other was a
mans, with an ordinary coat sleeve
and white cuff.
The men put down th.ir pipes and
removed the whiskey and water to an
other table. They played the game in
solemn silence. Presently it became
apparent that the lady played master
ly game. She held good cards; SO did
rub-double, treble and the rub, and in
the second-treble. single and the rub.
Never my narrator told me, "did [
play with finer player. She seemed to
know by instinct where every card in
the pack was. At the end of the dou
Die rubber the arms disappeared. They
went away as they came. | have never
seen them since though often invited
them to come by dealing the cards on
the table. | have often wondered who
the lady was; young, as L gathered
from the appearance OF her arms; d gen
tie woman, as was shown by the taper
| fingers and the rings and the lace and
a certain way of carrying her arms.
ErOllcSOme, as proven by her sitting
down to play with only her arms visj-
BILE; unmarried, from the absence of Il
wedding ring.
"Who could she be? Why was she
brought to the hospital? What is her
story? Why did she die so young?
Aboye all, how could she, at her early
age, have acquired such knowledge
of whist? 1t Is very rare to find girl
playing whist even decentlv. Perhaps,
after leaving the hospital" he added,
with some delicacy of experience, "shc
may have found opportunities tor prac.
tice. As for her companion, he was
comparatively unintereSting. lie lad
chalsed stones on his fingers, and h.
was only mediocre payer. He neglect
trumps, and once he threw away the
king of trumps, not even trying to save
it by any obvious linesse. But the lady
the lady-she, indeed, was divinew
Train Robbers Caught.