The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-22

toward the abigail, who Immediately sanh
back into chair. Sne had fallen asleep
A few passes made in the usual manner
sufIiced to throw the girl into somnam
buIiStic condition.
How shall what followed be best de-
scribed?
The narrative will be unquestfonably de
nounced ~ ar utterly unreliable romance
1t will be accepted as positive proof that
| the writer is wholly destitute of the crit
zeal faculty. Nay, more; not n few will
from henceforth conclude that am facile
princeps in the reprehensiole art of lying.
These things cannot be helped. Facts are
! given exactly as they occurred. The causes
which underlie the phenomena disturb
( philosophy and elude my search. My
! brethren, many Of whom ungenerously
hint that am willing ally of the prince
| of darkness, may assist me somewhat.
am, trust, not past praying for.
Turning to the girl asked if she were
asleep. She replied. II am"
The next step was command, backed by
! all possible force of my will, that she
| should so anuihilate the restraining in
| fluences of time as to cause it to be TO her,
| at that moment, the third Tuesday in Feb
ruary.
| This occasioned many convulsive spasms.
/ coupled with considerable twitching of the
| facial muscles In the end science tri-
umphed, and in minute the sleeper an
| nounced that it was SO.
What is the day of the month";" in
quired.
Quick as thought the reply came, cit Is
Tuesday, Feb. IL"
A glance at any almanac for that year
will show that the answer was correct.
Somnambuiists do nothing, whether i'm
portant or trivial, instantaneously. Time,
however brief, is needed for the perform
ance of every act, as well as for the concep-
ton of each thought. All things are eff
fected by direct action of the mind As
the subject yields to the will of the oper-
ator certain spasmodic movements indicate
a condition nearly approaching to trance,
while the compressed lips and puckered
brow bespeak intense concentration of
thought
Time had been conquered. Il was az
though it had not been.
There remained space
In order to accomplish my purpose it was
essential that | should transport the maid
servant from Northwood to Aldeburgh, a
distance of fully $50 miles. This was not
TO be bodily transportation, but mental
one. The corporeality was TO remain sit
ting in my easy chair, while the girl herself
wandered freely through space. was plan
ming to stand face TO face with soulless
body.
/ succeeded in this purpose also.
Under the combined influences Of will
and of suggestion the girl was conveyed by
train to London. A cab bore her to Liver
pool street. whence another train hurried
her away TO the pleasant little Suffolk wa
tering place.
All this occupied about five minutes
not more
Further questions elected such graphic
description Of the red tiled houses, stand
ing back from the sea, of the pebbly beach
and Of Otfordness, that / am persuaded
the clairvoyant must have seen all, as if in
some panorama Yet she had never visited
the eastern countries.
The true difficulty began here How
should the AUdacious be found?
Clearly only by the girl waiting upon
the beach until the vessel hove in sight,
and then joining it. This would scarcely
be more difficult than the events which
had preceded.
1t was not long-in reality not quite half
a minute-before she gave me the welcome
intelligence that the brig was in sight.
Here occurred a slight pause; then she
continued, Il am on board"
Let me attempt to describe what fol-
lowed in the person of the clairvoyant as
nearly as may be in her own words:
Il am ON board the Audacious Captain
Colwood is at the wheel; it is very cold,
and both he and his brother Harry are
wearing blue guernseys and sea boots. l see
three men, whom do not know, and little
Sammy Stephenson has just gone down the
companionway.
"The men are now bending on the flags
to signal the name of the vessel to the
coast guards. The signal is seen, and Fred
says, That is right. Now they will be
satisfied at home. will write from Var
mouth
1T is growing colder; the wind is going
down with the sun; thick mist creeps up;
it is foggy and dreary. The waves lap
against the bows; it will be nasty night.
We are nearing Southwold.
The captain is anxious. He is talking
to his brother; he says the brig drifts lit
tie to leeward. What is that noise? 1t is
too loud for the cry of the gulls and it does
not come from the shore. The men are
talking; three Of them are gazing anxious
~ astern. They say it is a steamer and that
We are lying directly in her track.
will she see us? Surely, yes.
The captaih hears her He is porting
the helm; but there is no wind, the sails re-
fuse to draw, the brig continues to drift.
That is all
Now the men are shouting and the boy
blows the horn. They are endeavoring tc
make themselves heard on board the
steamer. Will they succeed2
Evidently we are in danger; but of
whatS l cannot tell yet. We shall soon
know.
The steamer approaches. She looms
up like great mountain through the
mist; the swish of the screw is distinctly
audible
Help mel / am frightened. am too
young TO die. Captain Colwood says she
will run us down. All are alarmed; there
is nothing but confusion on board. What
shall we do, They do not hear US on board
the steamer, for she has not altered her
course by hairs breadth. Is there no one
on board her, Surely they do not intend
to murder US in cold blood.
The clsirvoyaGt here almost sprang from
her chair Her cheek was blanched Hen
whole attitude was expressive of alarm.
A slight pressure OF the hand and a kind,
firmly spoken word tranquilized her. She
resumed:
The vessel is upon US She strikes
TIE two ships grind together; the spsrs
twist and twine. Oh what a crashl The
steamer is backing; she parts from us. All,
what an awful collision We are cut down
from the quarter to below the water line
varl Y,itrhr sail th~out-b tba chpep,