The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-12-27
HYPNOTIZED.

Ialkln& aDOut ny p1OIlSlls SAID CARA
reminds me of Ethel Reubens. You all
know Ethel She was just as gay and
thoughtless as a butterfly, but not bit
fast, you know, though you might fancy
SO when you hear this story
''Ethel's cousin John was going to
bring a young man to call on her and told
her how stiff and Unconditional she would
find him. Even you, Ethel he said,
won't be able to thaw his heart
'You know how pretty Ethel is9 Well,
she hared right up at this challenge. IN
make you a bet, she laughed, that III
make him kiss me-
Done, said John
"When Burton Chalmers came he
proved to be everything that John had
pictured. He left that evening and many
another without giving the slightest sign
that Ethel had made any impression upon
him. 1t was very evident that he had new
CT cared much for ladies' society and was
awkward in it.
Ethel wore her prettiest gowns and
sweetest smiles and gazed at him with all
the hypnotic power she could call to her
service. But the spells didn't seem to
work, and John told her she didn't know
q little bit about hypnotisn, and the time
was nearly up for her to win or lose her
bet.
'Just as Burton was going one evening
Ethel insisted upon pinning a flower in
his coat. He stood stiffly while she worked
away for an interminable time with one
rose tinted cheek turned conveniently near
his mustache- That didn't work. Then
she looked in his eyes with the sweetest
glance imaginable Even that failed to
hypnotic. There seemed nothing more to
be done. But Ethel made last rally. She
let her white, dimpled hand fall slowly,
caTessiDgly from the flower down his coat,
as if loath to leave it This proved too
much for Burton He bent and kissed the
lovely face SO near his own and then fed
in a panic.
Next morning Ethel received a letter
from him, asking her hand in marriage.
Burton Chalmers was an honorable
fellow, and under the circumstances he
felt he had no other recourse, though mat
rimony had been far from his thoughts
before Ethel had tried hypnotic glances
upon him.
Ethel was fustered by that letter, you
may be sure. She hadn't expected it, and
as she claimed her bet from cousin John
she vowed never to commit such harum
scarum deed again.
"Ethel, too, was honest. So she sat
down and wrote Burton Chalmers that he
had kissed her under a hypnotic spell. The
whole thing was a very foolish bet made
by herself. She hoped he wouldn't worry
himself about it, and would forgive and
be friends.
Burton Chalmers sensations were of
a decidedly complex character when he
had read her letter No man likes to be
made fool Of and he felt he had ap-
peared somewhat in that light. Moreover,
his panic was gone, and little thrills of
satisfaction followed the recollection of
that kiss. What a lovely, startled look she
had turned upon him afterward! Now
that there was no danger of his having TO
marry Ethel he felt a decided interest in
her.
His next call was prompt and full of
forgiveness He even manifested an in
oerest in hypnOtis1n. After awhile he be-
gan proposing to Ethel with systematic
regularity and was as systematically re-
fused. Consequently relations between
them were sometimes strained and Ethel
was heard to declare that she wished she
had never heard of such thing as hyp-
notisIn-
About a year passed before she accept
ed him. That very night she w-ote him
letter, telling him how sorry she was, but
she had changed her mind.
This happened several times, the en-
gagements sometimes lasting for a few
days.
AT last Chalmers became disguised
with everything-Ethel in particular
and went south without even letting her
know of his intention.
when Ethel heard of it, she felt lit
tie stupefied at the idea of his having the
courage to break of in such a manner
To be sure, she had just 'anally' broken
their last engagement But she felt her
self to be very i'll used and aggrieved
girl.
SO she took to flirting violently with
her most eligible admirer. Presently she
was engaged to him, and nothing remain
ed but to set the day for the wedding.
The marriage was to be an immediate one.
when Burton Chalmers returned from
a three months stay in Florida, this was
the condition of affairs that awaited him.
He promptly wrote to Ethel, begging for
an interview.
1 haven't a disengaged moment for
the next two weeks, she wrote back. The
fire of her anger against him famed into
vigorous life by this reminder of his long
absence If you care to call and take your
chances of finding me in, you may do So
At this his ire rose, and he deterrnin-
ed not to call To this determination he
held for three days. On the fourth he was
admitted to Ethel's home and sent up his
card.
Meantime, his literal acceptance Of her
note had angered Ethel afresh, and she
would assuredly have been not at home
if his card had reached her, which it never
did She was on her way out for a ride,
and Chalmers was crossing the hall at the
same time Toavoid meeting was impos-
sible.
she started back and he started for
ward More than that he caught her in
his arms and kissed her repeatedly. You
know you are going to marry me, Ethel,
he said, and you might as we'll say so at
once am not going TO be put off any
longer; we viii have an end to all this
folly And then followed some more ten
der phrases, when Burton had drawn her
within the shelter of the library.
Ethel sat down, weakly, without a
word She changed from pink to white
and back to pink again. She forgot all
about the other man, and made not sin