Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-08-03
LIGHTLY'S SUCCESS.


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 1t hap
pened.
AS soon as he caught sight of me he beck
oned me to his table, and thought that
was in for at least half hours punish
ment. But it turned out for once that
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," 1 answered. "Have you any
thing in itS"
"AnythingH" he almost shouted. "Why,
man, wrote the whole numberl'
At this began to wonder if his brain
never too stronghold not suddenly given
way. AS you well know, All the World
is one of the most conservative periodicals
as / will admit that have found to my
own sorrow in the past-and it was pre-
posterous that 1t should make up whole
number, and a 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 I 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 knew most of them.
So you may judge of my surprise when
tell you that every poem, story, article and
essay in the entire magazine was signed
by some one of the many names that
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 and Present" and the usual run of
such material as editors have fallen into
the habit of serving up for the holiday is
sue. None Of the topics were new, nor, sc
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 have
given.
Poor as much Of the stuff probably was,
I still could not believe that Lightly had
written it all, much less secured its publ
cation in a single number Of All the
World. I turned to him for an explana-
ton.
"Draw up chair" he said, with what
thought an air 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, he said as soon as we were
fairly settled, this is all on the quiet. 1
should not tell even you if you were not one
of my best friends and if did not mean
presently to ask q great favor of you. You
know" he continued "how people have
been talking about the science of hypno
tism for months past?"
l nodded my assent, and he went on with
an 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. recognized at
once the value that a knowledge of it
might be to me in making fiction, and 1
asked the fellow to give me some insight
into it. This he did for consideration
and to such good purpose that was soon
able to practice the science to some extent
presently found that 1t was not difficult
for me to gain hypnotic influence over
any man of less robust physique than my
self, but rarely attempted to use the pow
er.
when 1 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:
"Aldeson 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 smaller man
than myself, and that ought to give him
q good thrashing for his impudence.
"Then it came to me all at once that 1
could hypnotize him and make him accept
my poem. asked him to send his assist
ant away, as wanted to speak to him
privately When we were alone, at once
began the effort to make him subject to
my will In less time than I am telling
you had him completely under my influ-
ence, and he had accepted the poem and
promised 1t the initial place in the mum.
Der.
"Then the thought came to me to try
my power little further. Calling mes
senger, sent to my rooms for a bundle Of
manuscript and sorted out from it every
thing that would do for Christmas num-
Der. You know, " he added parentheticaily,
THAT always keep a stock of material on
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 place
for 1t In this holiday number.