Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-04-22
A NEBRASKA LoADsroNE.


powerful. and delighted in contrasting the
English physique with that Of inferior
races, by which he meant, among others,
the r. ian race.
His manner was abrupt and over bearing,
his laugh loud and unmusicai. In fact,
be grated horribly on tae rajab, and it was
merely the final straw, when IN the eXhll-
iratfOa Of q bump supper-full, a. TIE IA
jan remarked In disgust, Of COW and strong
dlink-he called that gentleman IN playful
chat Niger. The IaJah 5WOre mel0-
diolsly in HIndOstanee, and | saw tina he
meant b be revenged
In those days the entertainment of the
Nebraska L0ad8tOne created fur r. Ey-
err body went 10 see her, and everybody
came away convinced that she had mar gel
Gus powers.
Her peculiar gift-but acknowledgements
bers the details Of the performance, and
how tue tricks were finally, one by one,
exposed, SO that her adherents and baiieV-
ers were driven from one position to an
other, until at last they had to fall back on
one single performance out Of all of those
that the LoadstoDe CAV, and maintain
that. on that occasion at least, something
unexplained and inexplIcabie did really
happen. II is with the events of that
particular evening that | am concer ned.
| think can throw some light on them.
At first however, there were many be-
levers and few skeptics The dean care
fully pointed out that Plato nowhere de-
MED The existence Of Odic force; and the
bursar, who was generally supposed TO be
little better than his atheist, declared that
Spencer, IN one passage, impiiedly asserted
it; even the warden, 10 his sermon, told US
that 1t V as better, according to Bacon, to
believe IN two errors than refuse one truth
which vas, to say the least of it, sitting
on the fence
BIT none of these authorities shook
the robust skeptiCism Of the captain of
The boat club. He knew a sc0Djurer, and
the CoBJurer had told him how it was
done, and he was going to expose the
Loadstone.
"But why haven you?" urged; "she's
been here a week.
IL will not be too hard On her at first, "
said the raJah with little sheer.
'l'll bust her up this very night" said
Waerer. II would have done if before
only was gated"
Tie excuse was GOOD, and Waterer de-
psrte1, full Of boas ing and. self-confdence,
to gather together a large number
of the manly men and make d pleasant
party TO guy the unhappy Load
stone. stayed to smoke pipe with the
rajah.
"Of course she's a fraud" said he.
land believe that animal really has got
hold of the right explanation "
Il shall 90 and see it, " announced.
After moments silent smoking tn
rajah looked up with twinkle in his eye.
$50 shall 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 evening dress,
and had obviously dined-not in hail.
The rajah+an | seated ourselves Just be-
hind them.
The room was full and the feats were
most successful; each was followed bv gem
eral applause, broken only by some glbes
from our friends III front. The latter grew
so pronounced that the Loadstones man
ager at last came forward and pointedly
invited one of the scoffers to submit him
self to experiment
Now was Waterer's chance. He rose in
the majesty OF his bulk, walked onto the
platform, and said in a loud voice. as he
settled himself on chair: IF the lady
can move ne one foot from this chair I'll
give her E25."
The hoadstoEe advanced and began to
paw him about in her usual fashion. Wa
terer, who was sober enough to have lost
nothing but his shyneSs, was apparently
too many for her. He was immovable. and
cries of Now then! when are you going
70 beglh?' and so on, became audible.
Two or three minutes passed, and the
LoadStone turned with a gesture of despair
toward her manager.
Il can't" she began.
jumped to my feet, crying: "Wait a
minute! Look"
For even as she spoke there was what is
scientifically called a solution of continuity
between Waterer and his char. Still in a
sitting posture, but sitting on nothing. ne
was a. least two inches from the wicker.
WORK OF the chair. glanced from him to
the raJ4h. That extraordinary man was
IN deep, placid, profound slumber. |
logged his elbow and pjnched his arm; he
showed no CONSCIOUSNESS whatever
| looked at the L9adstone. She was
standing motionlesS on the stage, about a
yard from Wateyer, with one hand out
stretched toward him and her eyes fixed
on his ascending figure, for Waterer was
gradually. slowly, steadily mounting in his
strango journey.
He was now foot from his chair-stilI
IN sitting position-and up, up, up, he
was going. The wretch was white as a
sheet and gasping with fright and be.
wIlderment. Thunders of applause burst
from the audience. 1t was again and
again renewed, but the Loadstone did not.
as was her custom, bow and smile In re-
sponse She still stood mJtiOnless and
Waterer still assembled
At last, at height of fully twenty feet
from the stage, ne stopped. SimuItane-
ously the Loadstone gave loud shrek as
sne fell back into the arms of the manager
and the rajah awoke
L beg your pardon" he said. politely.
Il was drowsy. Anything going on?"
No; he's stopped now" | answered
nv eyes eagerly fixed on Waterer.
The rajah arose from his seat with q
yawn. 'There'll be nothing more to-
night ne said; ''let's go home"
Go home, man!-with that before our
eyes?'
The rajah shrugged his shoulders
''She Wont do anything more" he re
peated. Lock at her; she's quite done
up"
And, indeed, the Loadstone looked quite
dead as she gazed fearfully up at Waterer
Her demeanor vas not that of triumph
ant performer.