Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-05-17

l felt like calling to him and giving
him half of what had, but couldn't
do that as it was all in one piece. He
walked clear past me, and l thought
yet ought to call him back when he
turned around and looked at me and
said: ''Come here" 1 wasn't going to
go at first 1t was too far. Anyway,
thought if he wanted to speak to me
again: 'Come here" and then I went.
''Shake hands, he said, and he took
my hand in his.
He seemed awful strong. for he
squeezed it hard and looked straight
in my eyes. / tried to make him let
loose. but he was awful slow about it,
and when he did open his hand out fat
there mine was lying in his, and 1
couldn't take it away My arm felt just
like it did the day I'spent nickel to
try the battery.
why don't you take your hand
away?" he said. l told him l couldn't,
and it made him smile. ''Try," he
said. So tried again. and it felt just
like when the man turned the battery
on as far as it would go.
Then he looked hard at me again
and said: you'll do,'
was going to ask him ''do what?"
but didn't have time. He just turned
right around and started back the way
he came from, and l went with him.
After awhile we came to a restaurant,
and there he stopped and looked at
me again. He said: You are hungry"
And then felt just like the time when
pa said he was going to lick me and
stayed In the woods all night and next
morning. l WAS SO hungry 1 ate raw
woodpecker.
So we went into the restaurant and
he called for dinner for us both. 1
think he was hungrier than l was. for
he ate all of his and part of mine
When the waiter put our checks down
on the table 1 looked at them and he
looked at me. Then all of a sudden l
felt very rich. and took my dollar and
paid for them both.
When we got outside he turned to
me and said: You're hired" l was
going to ask him what l was hired for,
but he kind of smiled and said: Never
mind what for; come along"
''Gee!" l thought; 'this is queer. -"
But walked right along by his side
until we came to a narrow stairway.
He turned in and started up, me fol-
lowing. Back through long hall we
went until we came to the last door,
which he opened, and, stepping inside,
bowed me in. He offered me the only
chair in the room, and l sat down.
"Now." said he, whats your
name?" William JONES'" said I.
"How old are you. William" Just
twenty" Where do you live?"
Then told him / used to live in
Maryville, where there were nice
woods where 1 used to go and pick
flowers and listen to the birds sing.
He smiled and asked me how 1 would
like to be back there. l thought l
30.
.Wen. you can go. William" he said
started to pick up my hat. but he
said: " Never mind about your hat; you
don't need it. know quicker way.
Give me that half dollar you have left :"
l handed it to him, and he rubbed it
on the leg of his pants and got 1t awful
bright, then he held it between his
fore6nger and thumb and said: ''See
how bright it is! just as bright as the
sun. isn't it?"
you ever tried to look at the sun
on a real hot day. you know the way I
felt when looked at that halt dollar.
My head seemed to swim around and l
wanted to get In the shade.
"Don't stand there in the sum-" the
perfessor said; Ego into the nice cool
woods, and pick flowers and listen to
the birds"
And right away l was back in Mary
vile. picking flowers in the woods I
could hear the brooks splashing over
the stones. l could smell the vio&ets
and hear the birds sing.
A rabbit came right up to me; l put
out my hand and stroked him. Then I
! took him up in my arms and lay down
against great big oak tree Up
through the hazel bushes 1 could see
the crows flying, and 1 watched them
until got sleepy and went off to sleep
You can guess how sound l slept. be-
| cause when 1 woke up the first thing l
saw was pa, chopping away on that
tree right close to my head.
wake up, William" pa hollered. I
rubbed my eyes and looked around, and
gradually the woods faded away and
pa changed right into the perfessor.
Pa wasn't choppin9 on that tree at all.
1t was only the perfessor swapping his
| fingers back of my ear
That night, after we had brought
my valise to his room, he took me with
him to a big saloon. There were lots
of men there, and some of them knew
the perfessor. By and by about half
dozen Of them went into a back room
The perfessor and / followed after
When we got inside the perfessor said:
"Now, gentlemen, l am going to give
you little hypnotic exhibition. This
is my subject, William Jones. He is a
comparative stranger to me, and do
not as yet know the full extent Of my
power over him But I think / can
guarantee yon all your dollars worth. p"
Then he pulled up chair to the mid
die of the room. and made me sit down.
Next he went through the act Of rub
bling the coin, only this time it was one
Of the dollars the men had. given him
And he made me look at it and told me
l was sleepy and to go to sleep.
1 didn't go to the woods this time; 1
only just went to sleep. After awhile
it seemed 1 began to dream. There
were hands in front of my face, and
the fingers seemed to twist and writhe
like snakes.