Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1894-1895, 1895-07-05
Forced to take sides, / was obliged


ested in these matters, and had wit
messed things that l did not dare to
doubt She was still obstinate, still
hooking; she would believe what she
saw-no more. no less.
IF Paul is a subject, as he Declares
said she, the thing, too, Is easy enough;
convince me-you have done such
things, you say-by trying it here and
now
Paul was willing. l looked intent
ly at him; his eyes wavered curiously
from my gaze; he was marvellous sub
ject and fell Immediately under my
will.
1--WE passed into the drawing-room,
placed him in a chair, and l had not
made six passes over his brow when
he was in sound hypnotic sleep.
well, he Is off, said 1.
Impossible! Nor
"She bent over him, called him,
arm-it fell inert like log.
"'Quick, quick, suggest something!
said she, a strange eagerness showing
suddenly in her face.
"'YOu would, perhaps, feel the proof
stronger, madame. did you make the
suggestion yourself
''She appeared to think, murmuring
half aloud: 1t must be an unaccus;
toned act, something unusual, that he
can not divine; that does not enter into
his habit of life
''She looked about her. Near by on a
table magazine lay opened at recent
article on Hypnotic Suggestion a slen-
der, mother-of-pearl paper-knife thrust
between the folds. She turned the
leaves hurriedly.
"'Ah, we have 1t at last! said she,
putting her finger upon certain para
graph; AN experiment just made-suc-
cessfully, they say-at the hospital of
La Salpetriere. Repeat it with Paul,
and l shall be convinced
1.-THE experiment was to suggest to
the patient at fixed hour predeter-
mined act-the act in this case suicide
with some harmless object that the
subject should be made to believe a
poniard.
Willingly responded.
"She handed me the paper-knife.
This is harmless enough, isn't it?' she
said, yielding it to me with charming
smile; it would not hurt fly
Perfectly harmless and 1 held up
the little pearl dagger before Paul's
eyes.
do you see 1t, Paul?' said 1, slowly
and impressively, this poniard here
Well, am going to put it on that table
yonder; tomorrow, when the luncheon
bell rings-the luncheon bell, remem-
ber-you will come here, take this
pOniard and-kill yourself"
"Then reused him. He remembered
nothing and felt nothing, only a little
comic uneasineSs concerning the act
that he was to accomplish and from
which he was determined to defend
| himself
The evening finished gayly with a
| rubber Of whist, ending at 10 in order to
| give the handsome young neighbor a
silent listener to what had been going
reasonable hour.
1--WE were walk king, Paul his wife,
| and on the terrace next morning when
| the luncheon-bell rang Paul raised his
head, listened a second, turned brus-
| quely and re-entered the chateau. His
wife had become very pale.
"'Come, quick said 1; he has gone
for that paper-knife!
"She remained motionless.
ITO what goodT she said. Y see al
ready that suggestion has reason In 1t
for Paul has gone. He will come back
madden than ever, suppose
81 did not wait for her to finish;
FASTENED to the drawing-room, where
my subject had gone.
81 ran: threw open the door, and
Paul was there-dead, face downward
on the floor--a dagger in his heartr'
"A real dagger. Doctor:'' cried the
mistress of the house, laying her hand
softly upon the Doctors arm.
"a real dagger, madame. turned te
the table--the little mother-o pearl pa
per-knife was gone. Who had taken It
Who had put the other-the real dagger
in its place?
God knows; but she, Pauls wife
and he, the neighbor who dined will
us that night. We're. married ten month.
ago'-Translated for the San Francis
co Argonaut from the French Of Rel
brach.
IAEAYETTE'S GRAVE