The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1895-09-07
CASE.

The transitory mental alteration Of
Sidney Davidson. remarkable enough III
Itself, Is still more remarkable If Wade's
explanation Is to be credited. 1t sets Gtie
dreaming Of the oldest possibilities Of
intercelnmuuicatlon III the future. Of
spending an lnte:calary five minutes "a
the ,t.fer side Of the world o. being
Was@t.sd Iftear Eaest secret operations IN
IL. see.ed eyes. 1t happened that |
wa, the Immediate witness Of David
son se.1.sre. and soft fall, naturally to
me to Put the story upon paper.
When | sav that was the immediate
witness ef his seizure, | mean that |
was the first a the scene. The thing
happened Il the Technical college il
Cover street. He was alone il the lar
ger laboratory when the thing happened.
/ was n the smaller room. where the
balances are, writing up some notes.
The thunderstorm had completely upset
my work, Of course. It was just after
Die OF the louder peals that I thought I
heard some glass smash IL the other
room. | stopped writing and turned
round to listen. For a ome [ 4 heard
nothing; the hail was playing the dcy-
lis tattoo on the corrugated zinc Of the
roof. Then came another sound. aSmash
doubt Of it this time. Something
heavy had been knocked off the bench.
| Jumped up at once and went and
opened the door leading into tie big lab
oratory.
| was surprised to hear a queer sort Of
laugh and saw Davidson standing TN
steadily in the middle Of the room. with
a dazed lock on his face. My first I'M
preston was that he was drunk. Ee
did not notice me. He was claving
out at something invisible a yard in
front of his face. He PIT ont his hand
slowly, rather hesitatiHgly, and then
clutehed nothing. What's come to it,
he said. He held up his hands to his
face, fingers spread out. Great Scott,
he said. The thing happened three or
four years ego, When every one swore by
that parsonage. Then lie began raising
his feet ciamsily, as though he had e1-
pected to find them glued to the floor.
sDayidsont T cried |. whats the
matter with YOU" He turned round III
my direction and Locked about fer IRE.
He looked over me and at me and on
either side Of me without the slightest
sign Of seeing me. waves lie said,
and d remarkably neat schooner. I'd
swear that was Bellows voice. Hullor'
be shouted suddenly as the top of his
voice.
| thought he wa up to some f~oolery.
Then | saw Uttered about his feet the
shattered remains Of the best Of our
electrometers. What up. man. said
l. "You've smashed tie electrometer,'
Bellows againF3 sad he. Friends
left, if my hands are gone. Something
about electrometers. Which way are
You, Bellows?" He suddenly came stag
gering toward me. 1.-The ID stuff
cuts like butter" he said. He walked
straight into the bench and recoiled.
None SO buttery that" he said, and
stood swaying.
felt scared. Davidson" said I,
what on earthts come over your
He looked round him il every direc-
ton. Il could swear that was Bellows.
Why don you show yourself like a
man, Beliows:"
1t occurred to me that he must be sud-
denly struck blind. | walked round the
table and laid my hand upon his arm. |
never saw q man more startled III nv
life. He Jumped away from me and
came round into an attitude of self de-
Tense, his face fairly distorted with ter
ror. Good Godn" lie cried. .'What
was that"
"It'sI-Bellovs. Confound it, David
son ["
He jumped when I answered him and
stared-how can | express it:-right
through me. He began talking, not to
me, but to himself. Here III broad
daylight on a clear beach. Not j place
to hide in, Ee looked about him wild
~. Here! I'm off" He suddenly
turned and ran headlong into the LID
electro magnet-so violently that. as We
found afterWard, he bruised his shGal-
der and ]awbone cruelty. At that lie
stepped back q pace. aud cried out with
almost Q Whlnlper, What III heaveu.s
name has ome over met IL S-G.5t4.
blanehed with terror and trembling VIII
lently, with his right arm clntchirg his
left, where that had coIlideI with tile
magnet.
By that time | was fairly scared and
excited Davidson, said /, don be