The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-04-23
STRANGE IMAGiNINGS.
Curious Pranks Played by the Mind on
Some People.

Some People.
Some years ago a number of students
in Europe were concerned in the charge
which demonstrated the powerful eff
fects of imagination. In a frolic they
donned DISCUSSES and arrested another
student, whom they tried in theat-
rically-arranged and dimly-lighted
chamber, and condemned to death.
For several hours they kept their hor-
ror-stricilen victim in darkened room,
and, having informed him that he was
to be beheadcd, bandaged his eyes and
led him to another apartment.
A crowd was assembled, but re-
strained their mirth, as the victim of
the practical joke was forced to kneel
down, and placed his neck across the
spindle of a three-legged stool. They
prepared for a great outburst of laugh
ter as the neck of the poor young fell
low was touched with a slender cane;
but, instead, had to shed tears of regret
for the action, as Immediately upon be-
ing touched with the cane the young
man fell dead
\ man had been cured of a somewhat
serious Illness but had the misfortune
to consider himself dead, and refused
to converse with his friends or take the
food and stimulants they provided. He
was fast sinking when they hit upon
plan, and, hiring a coffin, they placed
him inside, and with due formality pro-
cecded to inter HMM the dark coal
cellar.
Shortly afterward one of his friends
was carried into the cellar also
in coffin, which, in addition
to his body, contained liberal supply
of wine and food. The man who be-
lieved himself dead was surprised when
he saw his companion corpse" sit up
and feast upon the good things placed
in the coffin. He demonstrated with
him, but being informed that it was
customary to indulge in food in the
world in which they were as well as in
the world in which they had left, he
joined in the feast. Shortly afterward
he held rational conversation with his
friend, and was soon recovered.
A lady holding high position in So
ciety suddenly imagined that her hus-
band had sustained serious financial
reverse, and, Notwithstanding the pro-
tests of her husband, set about adapting
herself to the supposed change in her
circumstances. She disposed of her
jewelry, discharged her servants and
rented small cottage and in its window
displayed a card bearing the intimation
that she was prepared to undertake
plain sewing.
Various devices were adopted by her
anxious family to convince her of the
actual state of her affairs, and ultimate
~ a friend presented her with check
for many thousand pounds. This broke
down her craving, and induced her to
undertake prolonged journey on the
continent. Her overstrained brain was
restored to its normal condition, though
she always believed, afterwards that she
had been in straitened circumstances.
The effect of pernicious literature
upon the young lads has. often been
illustrated by disclosures in police
courts, but it would scarcely be believed
that the sensational stories published
by some boys journals" could have
serious effect upon the imagination of
man of over 90 years. Yet such act
ually occurred in the north of England.
He had spent a large portion of his
time in reading such literature" and
eventually came to the conclusion that
he was fitted for life of frolic and adj
venture, like many another hero" In
the first stage OF his vagaries he played
| tricks, such as were described in the
stories, upon his neighbors, banging
, their knockers and ringing their bells,
etc, and afterward he became an anna
teur highwayman, having as the imple-
ments of his adopted profession a small
Grape mask and large horse pistol.
When he adopted his knicllerbockers
cutaway coat, slouched hat, with the
mask over his eyes and pistol under his
arm, he walked through a crowded
thoroughfare in midday searching for
some one to hold up" He attracted
crowd, and was taken in charge by
| friendly constable. He was cured OF
| his powerful imagination by ridicule
alone.
Another man came to the conclusion
| that he had lost his head, and was only
convinced that such was not the case
by having a heavy lead hat, which had
been expressly made, placed upon it,
and the pressure after time made him
understand that he had conceived an
erroneous mpression.-Cincinnati En-
quirer.
Eeipned Deafness