The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-18
THE LOADSTONE.

II there was one man in college whom
the rajah thoroughly and heartily de-
tested. 1t was the captain Of the boat
ciub. He had many faults; he was very
TAN and powerful, and delighted in con-
frasting the English physique with that
81 inferior races. BY which be meant.
among others. the rajah's race. His
manner was abrupt and overbearing
his laugh loud and unmusical In fact. be
grated horribly on the rajah. and It was
merely the final straw, when in the 81
hilaration Of q bump snpper-full Is the
rajah remarked In disgust. Of COW and
strong drink he called that gentleman
In playful chat. q ..nigger.r The raiah
gwore melodiously in Hindoostanee, and
saw that he meant to be reyenged
In those days the entertainment or the
Nebraska Loadstone created q furore.
Everybody went to see her. and every
body came away convinced that she pos
sessed marvellous powers Her peculiar
gift but everybody remembers the de-
tails OF the performance. and how the
tricks were finally, one by one. exposed.
30 that her adherents and believers were
driven from one position to another,
until at last they had to fall back on one
single performance out Of all those that
the LoadstOne gave, and maintain that,
on that occasion at least. something I'M
explained and iflexplicable did really
happen. 1t Is with the events Of that
particular evening that am concerned
! think & can throw some light on them
At first, however, there were many
believers and few skeptics The dean
carefully pointed ont that Plato no-O
where denied the existence Of odic force.
and the bursar. who was generally sup
posed 70 BE- little better than an atheist.
declared that Spencer. in one passage, i'm
pliedly asserted it. even the warden. In
his sermon, told rs that it was better.
according 70 Bacon. to believe two err
rom than refuse one tTuth-which was.
70 ny the least Of it, sitting on the
fence. But none Of these authorities
shook the robust skepticism Of the cap
rain of the boat club. He knew con-
jurors and the conjurer had told him
how 4 was done. and he was going to
exposs the Loadstone.
sBut why haven't your urged;
Isahe'D been here 3 week
he will not b too hard on her 1t
1lrst, said the raiah. with little smear.
-i'll bnst her up this very night
naid Wateref. Il would have done It
! befcre. only was gated.
Tho excuse was good, and Waterer
departed. full Of boastings and self con
1idence, TO gather together large num-
D6r Of the noisy men. and make pleas
alt party to ..guy" the unhappy Load
stone. ! staid to smoke pipe with the
Tajah. h
1 ~ course she's fraud, said he;
and believe that animal really has
got hold Of the right explanation.
RI shall go and see it, announced.
After moments silent smoking the
xajah looked mp with q twinkle in his eye.
80 shall l--if niggers are admitted"
After hall, he and set out together
for the town hall. We found the first
two rows Of stalls occupied by Waterer
and his friends They were all in even,
ing dress and had obviously dined--not
IN hall The rajah and seated our
selves just behind them. The room was
full and the feats were most successful:
each was followed by general applause.
broken only by some gibes from our
friends in front The latter grew so
pronounced that the Loadstones mana
ser at Last came forward and pointedly
invited one OF the scotfers to submit
himself TO experiment
Now was Waterers chance. He rose
/. IN the majesty of his bulk, walked onto
the platform, and said, in loud voice.
~ he settled himself on chair: IF the
lady can move me one foot from this
chair Ill give her twenty-five pounds"
The Loadstone advanced and began
10 paw him about in her usual fashion.
Waterer who was sober enough to have
lost nothing but his shyness, was appar-
emily too many for her He was inn
movable and cries Of Now. thenl
when are you going to Begin and so
on, became audible. Two or three min
utes passed and the Loadstone turned
with a gesture Of despair toward her
D manager
Il CAN'T she began.
jumped to my feet. crying: wait a
Z minutei Look
For even as she spoke, there was what
Is scientifically called solution of con-
stinuity between Waterer and his chair.
Still in sitting posture, but sitting on
nothing, he was at least two inches from
the wickerwCrk Of the chair. glanced
from him to the rajah. That extraordi-
mary man was in deep, placid, profound
slumber. logged his elbow and pinched
his arm; he showed no consciousness
whatever. 1 looked at the Loadstone.
She was standing motionless on the stage,
about yard from Waterer, with one
hand outstretched toward him and her
eyes fixed on his ascending figure for
Waterer was gradually, slowly, steadily
mCunting IN his strange journey.
he was now foot from his chair, still
IN 9 sitting position-and up, up, upl he
was going. The wretch was white as a