The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16
THE OWNER.
How He Feels When He stands Over
Vein of Running Water.

London Black and White
''Incredulity is my greatest obstacle :.
| said Mr.. Leicester Gataher as they rushed
through the dreary wastes OF eastern Lon
| don on their way TO Essex, whittier he had
| been summoned to find water by means OF
| the "dOwsing' or diyining rod. People VIII
not believe me evidence of their own eyes.
| They see the twig turn ana cry, Trick;
they ind water IN the spots l nave in
| dIcated and cry, 'Fluke.
But this unDehef Is only natural in the
/ person or average culture, 4 suggested.
--Inere Is something mysterious and I'M
| canny in divinaton of any kind"
And especially in GivInation which Is
impossible OF explanation even by the
OWNER" Mr.. Gataker aided.
How did you discover that you pos
! sesSed the power?' asked.
| "By the merest chance. After leaving
Bath College. where was educated, 1 went
into a London office; but the. confinement
made me ILL., and | was Obliged TO 80 down
TO the west country TO rest. 4 was walking
one day with friend who knew local
should try IL we. TOO, possessed the faculty
OF nnding water. he was unsuccessful,
but, TO my great amazement, as was
waking across a field L suddenly felt a
mud snivering sensation, chiefly in my
arms, and the forked twig held IN my
HANDS began 10 revolve. 1 thousht very
when, after another trial, L found tnat my
health would not bear the strain of office
life, and when 1 discovered that my power
increased with practice L seriously consld-
cred the possibilities OF water divining as
a profession"
''but surely you met with a great deal of
mo; my father, who was a captain in
the Bengal Staf Corps, and row lives at
Bath. was most interested. and after l
had studied and practiced some months
| commenced my present work with his per-
mission. That was ABOUT TWO years ago.
'.wnat happens when you light upon
| hidden water!'
"A sensation not unlike a slight shiver
comes into my arms nrst, and afterward
all over my body. 4 then hold the twis IN
my hands, ana so long as 1 am above the
| water 1t revolves, ceasng Immediately 1
| get Oft the bed of the stream. n twig
| freshly cut from the hedge serves the pur-
| pose pest, but wire answers equally well,
copper wire being, however, much less sem
stNe than steel or iron. This would seem
TO argue some magnetic attraction. and my
| opinion is that water dvnation is a cor
responding power to mesmerism-a kind OF
J animal magnetism. You would be sur
| prised at the number of people who have
! the power and are ignorant of the fact,
| ladies more especially
Surely, the presence of water affecting
! you as II does, hidden stdgndnt pool or
a closed dram might deceive ycu?
mo. L am only affected 10y running
| water, and 1 can gauge its deDth and tie
number OF gallons that it runs per minute =
is there any attraction between the tWie
and the hidden water?'
Mr.. Gataker smiled so many people
ask me that question" he answered, a
| pure and fit for drinking purposes. The at
/ traction is in me alone. The movement OF
the twig is merely its outward sign. L car
find water without the twig, simply by
holding out my ndnds. | guarantee to iDd
water-not. pure water; That is obviously
| impossible"
''Have you had many failures in finding
| water?"
He shook his head. There are failures
| and failures, you know l have always
found water when water has been there
! TO be found, but sometimes that has moi
been in the place where it was needed OF
| desired"
.'Water-divining has sallen into such dis
repute that | expect you found some diff
| Guilty in getting work at first, didn't you?
| well, you see, my friends believed In
| me, and that was half the battle. The
| smile of the skeptieal was rather hard tc
! bear when l started, bat L soon got USED
| TO 1t, and now l have the courage of many
| successes. You see. water-dviners are usu-
| ally wise men in country districts; they
| rarely come from any but the lower classes,
and naturally cannot bring any great in
! tellgence to bear upon their discoveries.
consequently they are little known beyond
their own districts and are only employed
upon small work.