The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-18
HOW MIND FAILED TO TRIUMPH.
Advocate of Its Victory over Matter
Had to Buy supper.

New York Tribune.
1T is no use trying, cannot get over my
fear of lightning" said a man in the Fifth
avenue Hotel last night. Il shudder every
time | hear a thunderclap, and / was never
considered a coward, at that"
"Of course, you weren t, replied one of
the party, and l don't think anybody who
knows your career in the West" continued
the speaker laughingly, would have the
courage to call you coward. But in the
present case you have simply permitted q
childish weakness to get the better of YOU
You have allowed it to grow on you until
you cannot overcome it And how foolish
it Is when you consider how few people
comparatively are injured by lightning
Now. If you would bring your mind to bear
on it the whole thing would soon evolve
itself into a glorious triumph or mind over
matter. Why we all know what a man
can do If he is put to it. The mind will
triumph over physical cowardice or indis-
position to action every time. Take, for in
stance the case of my wife. She insisted
that she could not ride bicycle and"
oh. that's all right" broke in another Of
things which a man cannot do and they
appear simple at that, and they are just
those things, too in which you would think
will hardly believe it, but l do not think
there is a man in the crowd who can go
up to that wall and draw an imaginary
letter d on it and at the same time keep his
right foot moving around in circle to the
whats that?" exclaimed the champion
of mind over matter. Just say that
The speaker did So and then the other
said that it was so easy that he did not
think it worth trying.
You may think So answered his friend
but l will wagerr you wine supper that
you cannot do it."
IT'S a GO" replied the mind champion
and taking a pencil he started for the
wall. The friends of the two men gathered
about them, and a referee was selected to
see that the trial was conducted fairly
'Oh l can fairly taste that wine now"
exclaimed the mind champion, as he
twirled the pencil between his fingers.
IAN right" said the man who had the
other end of the wager. you'll get the
wine sure enough if you win it.
The mind champion poised the pencil in
the air a moment, and at the same time
lifted up his right foot and waited for the
referee to give the word; The latter finally
He succeeded in drawing the down stroke of
the capital u all right at the same time
keeping his right foot moving in circle to
the left But when he started to make the
loop of the d there was a sudden twitch in
his foot and, instead of continuing in a cir
Gle TO the left 1t deliberately turned round
and went the other way. The man hardly
realized il on the first trial, until his atten-
ton was called to 1t by the referee. But
when he tried it again and noticed the an
ties of his foot he looked surprised. His
friends began to laugh, and he tried it
again, but with no better success. There
was a panied expression on his face by
this time, but he would not give up, and
made several more attempts, all with the
same result. Then he got mad and de-
clared that he would dc it if it took all
night.
SGo it, old man! You'll get there all
right" shouted one of the party.
"Ill bet you hat he doesn't" said an
other.
Never say die yelled third; mind is
bound. you know, to triumph over matter
IN the end" he added, sarcasticaly.
The mind champion stuck to his task for
upward of half an hour, bravely withstand
ing the remarks of the party, but it was no
use. and he finally had to acknowledge
himself beaten.
Later in the evening there was a jolly
supper party in one OF the uptown cafes
but the doctrine of the triumph of mind
over matter had received a sad blow-one
that had landed right in its solar pIexus.