The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-01

ssWeu, here's the train! settle the mat
when you're init" interrupted the third
member Of our party-namely, myselI-a
this iuncture: and we three men, who hac
been idly discussing mesmerism while
waiting on the platform of the Man
chester depot, stepped into a frst-clas'
compartment of the lightning express
bound for London.
There was another person already in
the coupe. AS we entered, he raised his
head and looked at us for moment, then
quietly resumed his paper. But that one
glance revealed eyes Of unwonted brill
fancy and depth.
I said noticed this at first sight, but
perhaps am exaggerating, for doubt II
i did more than remark them as being
handsome eyes; it is only considering the
matter in an after light, that seem
to have known at once there
was something peculiar about them. At
any rate, ! dismissed the subject from my
mind in a moment, for my two compan-
ions took up the thread of their former
argument.
We were acquaintance of only few
DAYS standing, having recently met for
the first time at the house of mutual
friend where we had run down for week S
shooting: vet now we were returning
to boudon as socially as though we had
been chums for many years sun, what
did ] really know about either OF my Two
companions!
as we more familiarly dubbed him, Sir
Harry. was a rather stern, silent man Of
fifty wears or Whereabouts my own eyes
had proved to me that he was good
shot. / believe rumOr whispered that
there had been some scandal IN his taml-
ly, but had never heard exactly what 1t
was. For the first time since our ac-
quaintance ! now saw him fully roused
as he maintained stoutly that mental
force exerted by one person over another,
was productive only of evil.
Edward Rivers, the man beside me was
of quite a different stamp-a man given
to dabbling in all things, science, htera-
ture, politics. shooting though ! must
say the last did not attest much to his
credit. He had managed to become an
M p. but whether he benefited his
country in the least was extremely doubt
full However, he was pleasant enough
companion, and was riding his present
hobby at a breakneck speed-needless to
state, it was mesmerism.
This, then, was the sum total of my
knowledge of these two men. And what
did they know of mel Perhaps there is
not much to know The world in general
considers me well enough in way-that
is. l do little harm if no definite good; and
if do not afford society much amuse-
ment, it is scarcely fair, for | derive a
great deal from it, A tout dire, am that
harmless ne'er-do-wel, a gentleman of
elegant leisure, and an astute judge of
character, in my own opinion at least,
and as such l present myself to you
Percy Compton, aged 30.
Sir Harry was on the same side of the
compartment as the stranger and
Rivers was leaning toward him
gesticulating in order to make
his lang lage more emphatic. ! may
as well state here that our versatile M.
p. hardly considered me worth wasting
words upon, as l had distinctly denied
any credence in such a power; so he de-
voted all his energies to impressing the
harmlessness of the science upon Sir
Harry
was leaning back in my corner, an
amused listener.
"Now, Sir Harry" cried Rivers, at
length, Just consider the matter
in an unprecedented light We
all know that clergymen object
to the practice of this mental
quality. but that is merely because the
church takes such narrow views of so
many subjects. Here is Donate, one of
the most advanced masters in the art, he
declares the power can only be used when
a person is not averse to what he is re
Quired TO dO-the moment his mind is an
tagonistic the power fails. y
Sir Harry shook his head, still uncOn-
WINGED, and was about to reply, when the
stranger suddenly put down his paper
and addressed us:
''You must excuse me for interrupting
YOUR conversation, gentlemen he said
courteously. but the subject you are dis
cussing is one that has always had the
greatest interest for me. and - turning to
Rivers Il would like to ask you ques-
ton l have read that article of Donates $,
from which you are quoting, and in it he
contradicts his own statement. ! think
you overlook one important incident in it,
DO YOU recall where he describes how he
suggested the idea of murder to a young
man and forced him to attempt stabbinq
another with a roll of paper! Yes! Well
if the mans mind does not resist the sug
gestiOn of murder merely because it is
evil what is to prevent him from com
hitting the deed if the mesmerist had ar
object TO be gained by it, and a suitable
weapon were at hand? I would like you
to consider that. 1t is there that l think
he contradicts his first statement about {
persons only doing what his mind is no
averse to. How do you reconcile tn,
two?'
Rivers was quite at a loss for an an
swer-a most unusual thing for him-anC
while he was bordering the matter,
laughingly asked the stranger whethe
he really believed in the eXistance of sucl
power.
Believer echoed he with a smile
"Believe! Why possess the power"
He did not say it at all bOastfully, ant
as he spoke he looked full at me. l thinl
have mentioned that his eyes were pecu
liar, and as he fixed them on me felt a
strange thrill creep over me. Now | an
not nervous man, and being an English
man. of course looked at once for some
material cause. Perhaps it was
draught from a window.
He seemed to guess my thoughts, an,
again he smiled a little.
You are a doubling Thomas chr |
has TO be seeing before believing witt
you'll"
He gazed out of the window for nc
ment, then turned and looked full at u
three. / do not know just what tn
others felt, but again that subtle Thrill
crossed me; and unconsiOusly l graspeI
Rivers hand, while he leaned over AM
caught hold Of Sir Harry's.
There we We're, three sensible. matter
of-fact Englishmen, hand linked in hand
awaiting what the stranger might mex
demand.
But that was all. He laughed and agail
to- tE,ru .vrT lyr.. A.