Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-07
LIGHTLY'S SUCCESS.

When l went into the club the other
night, found Lightly turning over tho
pages Of the Christmas number Of All the
World. His face would have afforded a
fine study for picture of contentment,
and my first thought was that he must
have an article or story in the magazine
for Lightly is something of writer, and
whenever he gets anything published
which is not very often-he bores us all
for weeks afterward telling how it hap
pened.
AS soon as he caught sight of me he beck
was in for at least a half hours punish
ment. But it turned out for once that I
was interested in his talk.
"Have you seen it?'' he asked, tapping
the cover of the magazine and giving lit
tie eager laugh as he spoke, which con-
firmed my impression that he must be in
luck.
'No," answered. "Have you any
thing in it2"
"Anything?" he almost shouted. "Why,
man, wrote the whole number"
At this began to wonderif his brain
never too stronghold not suddenly given
way As you well know, All the World
is one of the most conservative periodicals
as l will admit that have found to my
own sorrow in the past-and it was pre-
posterous that it should make up whole
number, and Christmas number at that,
from the work of one man. And it was
clear to my mind that Lightly would not
have been that one man in any event.
While trying to think of something
quieting to say l took the magazine and
glanced over the table of contents. 1t was
one Of Lightly's fancies, which did him
no good in literary way, to have dozen
or more pen names. He used these indis-
criminately, as the humor moved him, and
it happened that l knew most of them.
So you may judge of my surprise when I
tell you that every poem, story, article and
essay in the entire magazine was signed
by some one of the many names that l
knew he used The first was Christmas
poem signed G. o. Lightly, then Christ
mas story signed T. S. Weaver This, he
had once explained to me- stood for the
story weaver.
Then an article on Jerusalem-Nine-
teen Hundred Years Ago." Christmas.
Past end Precont,' and the usual run OF
such material us editors have fallen into
the habit of serving up for the holiday Is
sue. None of the topics were new, nor, SO
far as could discover in hasty glance,
were they treated with much brilliancy.
The signatures were all composed upon
the same puerile plan as the one l have
given.
Poor as much of the stuff probably was,
still could not believe that Lightly had
written it all, much less secured its publ
cation in a single number Of All the
World. ! turned to him for an explana-
ton.
DRAW upN chair" he said, with what
thought In dir Of some condescension.
II can afford to fly high tonight, SO let
us have bird and bottle quietly in this
corner while tell you all about it,"
'.Of course, I" he said as soon as we were
fairly settled, ''this is all on the quiet. !
should not tell oven you if you were not one
of my best friends and if did not mean
presently to ask great favor of you. You
know" he continued, chow people have
been talking about the science of hypno-
tism for months pastS'
nodded my assent, and he went on with
ain uninterrupted flow of words
"Well," he said, II CHANGED some time
ago to be thrown in contact with an adept
In this art, or science, or whatever you
are minded to call it. l recognized at
once the value that u knowledge of II
might be to me in making fiction, and
asked the fellow to give me some insight
into it. This he did for a consideration
and to such good purpose that I was soon
able to practice the science to some extent.
presently found that it was not difficult
for me to gain a hypnotic influence over
any man of less robust physique than my;
self, but rarely attempted to use the pow,
er
when I finally did, it was wholly
without generalization, and 1T happened
in this way A few weeks ago-in fact,
just as they were making up the Christ
mas number-I happened into the office Of
All the World, and while there offered AL
deson this poem" Lightly put his finger
on the printed page as he spoke, but went
on without pause:
Addison put me off with some stock
remark about being full Of material, Of
having more than he could handle, and did
not even look at the poem. This nettled
me considerably, and it suddenly occurred
to me that Addison was a smaller mar
than myself, and that I ought to give him
O good thrashing for his impudence.
'Then it came to mo all at once that
could hypnotize him and make him accept
my poem. asked him to send his assist
ant away, as I wanted to speak to hin
privately. When we were alone, at onct
began the effort to make him subject tt
my will. In less time than am telling
you had him completely under my influ
encc, and he had accepted tho poem and
promised 1t the initial place in the mum
Der.
"Then the thought came to mo to try
my power little further. Calling mes
senger, / sent to my rooms for bundle o.
manuscript and sorted out from it every
thing that would do for Christmas mum
Der. You know, " he added parenthetically
that always keep stock of material OF
hand ready for all needs and seasons
took these Christmas things up, one by
one, and brought them to his attention
and he accepted each one and made q plac,
for 1t in this holiday number.
"Then he called his assistant in ant
gave instructions for making up the copy
and I took him away with me and gay,
him a royal good time for week. Wher
he got back to the office, 1t was too late Il
make any changes, and SO you see tn,
number has come out with nothing bu
my work. And very good number it is
too" he concluded complacently.
'But what do you expect to gain by itf'
asked. 1.-THE story will come out, anS
1t will do you no good, but quite the re
verse"
sYou are all wrong, = replied Light,