Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-08-26
The Mesmerist's Subject
HAVE friend, Welsh, who seldo7


T HAVE friend, Welsh, who seldom
dares to visit any town second
time. He is an experienced man, and
he knows as much about his particular
line of goods as anyone in the business,
and he doesn't drink or carry on in a
rowdy manner, and yet he does some
thing in almost every town which
makes it inadvisable for him to return.
For this reason he has to hunt for a
new job every time he is ordered to go
over certain territory second time.
remember that in one town he fell
in with travelling mesmerist and pre-
tended that he was subject and went
up to town hall and performed Sc
ries of the most remarkable didoes.
The mesmerist was fraud of the
worst description. 1t was his practice
to pick up few young fellows in every
town and promise them money if they
would come on the stage and do as he
told them. Welsh met this mesmerist
at the hotel and became convinced
that the fellow had no more "animal
magnetism" or will power, or what
ever you choose to call it. than is pos
sessed by piece of parlor furniture.
So he decided to have some fun.
"I'm coming up to your show to-
night" he said. 'Do you know, I'm
one of the greatest subjects you ever
saw. DR.. Mahoompney, of Chicago,
the celebrated hypnotist and special
ist on electro-nervous magnetism, told
me once that ought to travel"
"You will understand, of course,
that if you are to assist in any of the
experiments you must make your will
entirely subservient to mine," said the
mesmerist.
ooh, know all about that"
The mesmerist was frightened. You
see, he was afraid to offer Welsh any
money to act as a confederate, and if
Welsh really knew anything about
mesmerism or hypnotism he might ex-
pose the whole show. This fellow had
picked up few of the terms and knew
just enough about the business to en-
able him to carry on an elaborate bluff
before an assemblage of gullible peo-
pie.
Well, that evening in the town hall
Welsh had a front seat. "Prof. De
Cardo, the eminent mesmerist," was
little worried to see him there, but
he went ahead and gave his talk and
then he called for volunteers. Sew
eral of the young fellows around town
slouched up to the stage and Welsh fell
right in behind.
AS this was his first visit to the town,
the spectators were suspicious us soon
as they saw him on the stage, suppos-
ing, of course, that he was confed-
crate.
'Who is he? Who is he ?" came from
different parts of the house.
The mesmerist stepped to the front
of the platform and said: Ladies and
Gentlemen: There seems to be some
objection to this gentleman pointing
at Welshl. I want to assure you that
1 do not know the gentleman, and I
am perfectly willing that he shall re-
tire and take no part whatever in the
experiments. I am just as anxious as
you are that there shall be nothing in
the exhibition. calculated to excite sus-
picion. If you desire it, I will excuse
the gentleman"
Welsh stood up and protested. ~
never saw Prof. De Cardo until came
to town to-day" he said. ut happens
that l am interested in the subject of
mesmerism, and have been told that
J. am an excellent subject for expert
ments. For that reason I came here
to-day to test the professors powers
1t happened that merchant on
whom Welsh had called that day was
in the house. He stood up and said:
Il can testify that the gentleman is
a drummer and has nothing to do with
thissshow.'
The professor was more than will
ing to dismiss Welsh, but the latter
insisted on remaining on the stage,
and, of course, after the prominent
citizen had vouched for him, the house
offered no further objection.
The exhibition started in, and three
or four of the young men who had
agreed to make their wills entirely sub.
servient to that of the professor were
stretched out on chairs and put
through various performances, to the
great delight Of the spectators. Then
it came time to try Welsh. The "emi-
nent mesmerist" was scared stiff. He
didn't have any more genuine hypnot-
ic power than you would find in rab.
bit, but he had to make a bluff for
the benefit of the people who had paid
their money. He stood Welsh out in
the middle of the stage and glared at
him, snapped his fingers, made mystic
passes with his hand and did lot more
of that Svengali business. Welsh
closed his eyes and couldn't open them
tried to speak and couldn't. and then
awoke to find himself with a dazed
look and frightened smile. In fact
he did his Fart so well that the most
experienced "horse" could not have
given better performance. 1t may
be explained that "horse'' is a gentle.
man who gains livelihood by allow.
ing mesmerist to stick needles in
him while he is supposedly under the
influence.
You can imagine that 'Prof. De
Cardo" was a surprised man. He
hadn't made any arrangements with