The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-08-31
PROVING HIS. THEORIES,
How a Professional Mind-Reader
Caught a Thief

Caught a Thief.
Wanted-Valet: must have good references.
Apply A. ID. Goodman, Kings Road Chelsea.
Such was the advertisement which
appeared in several of the London
dailies. At ten o'clock the same morn
ing a short. thickset man. with an ex-
tremely red nose. showing that he had
been high liver in the servants hall,
knocked at the door of the house on
Kings road. A neatly attired servant
girl with muslin cap perched on her
pretty features appeared on the thresh-
old.
''Is Mr. Goodman in?" asked the
caller
''He is" responded the girl, with sew
eral critical chances at the man who
stood before her.
Il should like to see him on busi-
ness
Step in
The visitor was ushered intoA bright
front room.
What name shall l say?"
''Mr. Smiler."
The girl disappeared. Then the man
began to examine the apartment in
leisurely manner. Several handsome
paintings and quite a collection OF rare
bric-a-brac bore ample testimony to
the artistic propensities Of the master
of the house.
"Some swell, evidently" murmured
the man with the red face.
The girl rcappeared.'
master wants to know your busi-
ness
Il called in reference to IN adver-
tisement for valet"
OH She tossed her head and again
vanished. About five minutes elapsed
and then the girl entered the room.
"You can wait here" she said. MAS
ter isn't up yet"
For forty minutes the visitor was
left to his reflections.
"Must be some blooming sport" he
commented. Then the door opened
and tall, pale gentleman entered the
room in languid fashion, picked up
the morning paper and carelessly
scanned the contents, as though Obliv-
ious of the presence of the visitor
He read the telegraphic news and
then the local. The servant brought
in tray upon which reposed break
fast bacon, eggs, a cup of coffee and
rolls. The gentleman put up his nose
and said:
Jane, take away those dishes.
Leave the coffee"
The servant silently Obeyed.
''IIis appetite isn't good to-day"
commented the caller. The gentleman
slipped the coffee with apparent relish,
read again the cable article from Paris
and finally lighted cigar. All this
time the visitor stood standing re-
specially. 1T last he ventured to
cough. and the gentleman, turning to
him. remarked:
"Aw-you called about the adver-
tisement"
''Ies, sir
'NNhere are your references?" .
Here. SIR and he took from his
pocket a bulky package.
"Well. 1 don't care to see them"
II served last the duke Of
what do | care whom you served?
viii you accept guinea a week and
expenses
YES. sir"
Very we'll. we leave tonight for
Paris. See that everything is ready"
Two days later the gentleman and
his servants were quartered in Paris.
The former had rented a magnificently
furnished house in a fashionable part
of the city. Try as he would, Smiler
could learn little of his new master.
He came and went. He usually ar
rived home about two in the morning
and sometimes Smiler had to put him
to bed. He got up anywhere between
ten o'clock and noon. Sometimes he
breakfasted heartily; at other times he
merely slipped his coffee. Smiler was
commissioned to buy tickets for every
fashionable event. from the opera to
the races. and he always came and de-
parted in private carriage, quite an
elegant equipage. About this time the
Partisan newspapers were agitating
the matter OF the remarkab BILE tests in
mind reading given before the eminent
gentleman by peasant woman in
Milan. The psychological society was
IN session in the French capital and
the comments on the feats performed
in Italy were made more interesting
by the presence of a renowned English
mind reader. This gentleman showed
great aptitude in ferreting out GRIM
inals. and his accuracy in this respect
made him feared by the wrong doors.
Mr.. Smiler read of these wonders. but
being OF sl1eptical disposition pooh
pooned them. One morning when the
gentleman was slipping his coffee, into
which he had placed few drops of
cognac he looked up from his paper
and said to s'miler:
Markham. the mind reader. has run
down another criminal, Smiler. What
do you think of that?"
If might venture an opinion, sir. I
should say that it was all bosh."
"All bosh. eh? May ask why?"
well. sir. it stands to reason. sir.
that 10 man can read what is going on
III another mans mind. It's against
nature, and what's against nature
can't be done, sir. MY idea is, sir. that
TINS man. this fraud, will call him,
Sir is in collision with these fellows,
and pays EN-. That's my impression,
sir. Easiest thing to humbug these
French savants. sir. A criminal. sir.
can't be detected except by detec-
tlves, and they make an awful botch Of
it. sir
$50 you don't believe in it?" The
gentleman was now drinking his sec-
ond cup of coffee.
hot I -