Evening star., 1896-10-31

Ah-ha: he said, "yOu have Cltsnfs !"
son why you should not trust me- Look me
luli IN the face as you would any other
man. You see thing there tha. bodo. -,
ILL.," -
HIS look was quiet and commanding:
tnefe was no trace of char.atanry in his
manner now. L felt no d;strusf, and told
him -
foresaw that you would find it much
pieasanter. he said. 'and that our exueri-
snehts would be much more convincing If
.here We're present number of witnesses
IN Whom you had confidence. I have in
Vited several OF your friends to Join us AMI
1t has BEEN suggested that we make the oc
casion a sort of Halloween celebration.
Ihey nave been waiting while we talked
ana L wonder that they were able 10 re
STRAIN themselves SO long
ne thfeW open door. 1t disclosed a
brilliantly Esnted room, and chorus of
merry shouts arose
Go ln. ne said, and greet them"
ws.s Immediately surrounded by n
throng of laughing acquai,tanccs, wnosr
nearly welcome quickly put al my case
liypho ism, they said, was great sport
Iney had been looking uD something new
ana lively for Il Halloween party and this
plan met their ideas exactly Elsie, they
come.
Soon, at the professors instance we he
gan the games OF the evening which, as ne
shdpei them, proved 4 marvellous mixture
OF hypnotism and Halloween
First We mad novel exhibition of "bob-
bihs iof apples large empty pan was
hrouglt III. and placed on the middle of the
:ioor. Tom Tuttle then submitted TO be
meSmcr.Zed." After 4 series of ma sses"
he was assured that the pan was full Of
cider, with roasted apples floating in H.
Forthwith, he thrust down his head and
made ludicrous efforts to seize these I'M
aSinary apples with his teeth AT length he
seemed to catch one. and triumphanIly
held up-notn:ng-sputterinS all the whine
as If his nose We're full of CIDER
Tnen Philo Potter was mesmerized. He
had seen Toms performance and laughed
heartily at 1t. but that made no difference:
he knelt on the floor and began ducking in
the pan with the greatest earnestness But
Just as he plunged his face into the sup
posed liquid, the professor cried out that il
was scald:ng hot. Poor Phllo sprang to mis-
feet with a howl of anguish, and his face
grew as red as d beet Very mad he was
100 AT the trlck played upon him. yet Was
promptly relieved by applications from d
basin OF water steaminS hot from the ket-
tle but which vas offered as fresh from the
ice tank.
Each member of the company ''bObbed'
in turn. and not one was able to resist the
Illusion When my radiant Elsie kneit be-
fore the pan. L could hardly refrain from
protesting: but she was only told that the
dlSn was fuil OF honey, and pretty picture
she made. scrub5.ns her sweet lips with a
dainty handkerchief to remove the STICKY
Stuff that wasn't there.
Now; professor. tnat is just too mean.''
heard her eAclalm, in d curiouSly far
away voice
1t was my turn next. but the hypnot;s,
passed me by. AS l promised, You shall
be only spectator tonight You object to
being hypnotiZed, and L, of course must
respect your Wishes"
Again heard a laugh, mellow and silvery.
Iney were all laughing loudly enough, but
th-s seemed to float in from without.
The program of our sports was long and
varied We roasted Iuts, and pulled the
kali, and tasted the .'dus toc'-the latter
developing strange and startling tavors
under the subtle ins pration of the hypuc-
tist- The mrth grew uproarious 1 entered
more and more into the spirit of the frolic
and laughed Until l was weary
AT last it was proposed that 1 go out
alone and 'winnow corn" The theory of
this ceremony is that # you go through
the motion of tossing up the grain three
times an apparitiOn of your future bride
Will DRIFT past you. Care must be taken
however. to fasten the doors wide open
for the wrath which assumes the form
that Is to be so dear is in truth but one
of those niischievous spirits that fit about
the earth each Halloween. and should 1t
succeed in shutting the doors upon you
| great harm might come
l hesitated. but they all insisted
Go along" they cried: lit is only a
game. and what can you see but Elsie any
how? You're not afraid OF seeing Elsie.
are your
Reluctantly 1 went out into the dark
ness. The air seemed close. and little
| was NO stars were Visible,
L could scarcely grope my way, but after
stumbling up a steep ascent found at
| length what seemed to be a barn. My
\ nerves were now iE prime condition for
| spectral effects. and 1 had q queer feel
ing that l was not alone, that some one
WAS directing me. though l could distin-
| guish no words. 1 managed to prop open
| the door. got hold of a shovel, and be-
1 gan the make-believs winnowing
At the first toss a faint rustling was
audible. AT the second there was q sough,
| as of wind. At the third. luminous fora
! noated before me. 1t did, indeed. and the
| face was Elsie's-oniy it seemed fashioned
! from translucent mist
Then the door closed with q crash and
| suddenly the spectral face was changed.
\ 1t was Elsie's still-ohi heaven forbid-it
! was Elsie's, butt must have swooned.
Part IL.
| When consciousness returned the spell
| OF terror was still upon me. but nothing
| was visible. The darkness was cavern
| ike. l was oppressed with a sense of suf-
location. AS my thoughts grew clearer.
perceived that l was lying on my back. I
| extended my arms. aud with unspeakable
horror encountered Q cold obstacle: there