The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-12-06
AT THE OPERA.

open, fixed and staring.
ooh, this is horrible!" she criet
wildly. cit is not like aswoon, mann
ma! What does il. mean? It was the
sight of you," turning suddenly te
Stanley-'sit was the sight OF you tina
did it! Clarence! Clarence! Yor
have killed her!"
At these words, Clarence Stanley
turned a startled, inquiring look or
the speaker, while Mrs. Hamilton said
with touch of impatience:
'sMary, you are excited and un
reasonable. What can Clarence have
to do with this fainting fit? 1t i:
inexplicable, but it is not the first
time that Dolores has been SO affected,
even in our brief acquaintance with
her; and 1T is more than probable
that she is subject to fainting-fits."
Mamma, dear, no. 1t is not at al
probable" returned Mary, decisively.
ssYou forget that Doctor Mac said that
she was not at all of the fainting kind
and that her swoon on the day she
saved my life was caused by pain and
fasting. Besides. this is not like 8
fainting-it, and that is what alarms
me. 7 don't mean that Clarence was
to blame in any way. Of course not.
How could he be? But is it not cur
ious that Dolores should have become
insensible on meeting his eyes?"
."Did she become insensible on
meeting his eyes?" asked Mrs. Hamil-
ton, wonderingly.
eyes, almostinstantly. 1t was like
like mesmerism or hypnotism, OF
whatever it is called; something the
like of which T never saw and could
not have believed now, had 1 not &C.
tually seen it.
Don't talk absurdly, dear!" e1-
claimed Mrs. Hamilton. "Hypnotism
and all that sort of thing, which are
being so talked of in these days, are a
mere fad, and will wear themselves
out like all these other 'isms.' Don't
you think 80, Clarencep"
The young man shrugged his shoul.
ders; and then, looking with renewed
interest at the still insensible Dolores,
he answered, with sudden serious
ness:
ct hardly know how to reply to
your question, dear Mrs. Hamilton.
It would seem very unbecoming in an
inexperienced fellow like myself, to
declare against men of science like
Charcot, Richet, Gibier, and host of
others WHO have thought the subject
worth investigating; but I will ven
ture to say that nine-tenths of the So
called wonders of hypnotism are fraud
and nonsense. Perhaps I ought to
add that have more than once been
told by professors Of the art or science,
whichever it may be, that I possess
in an unusual degree the special
magnetism that is required for the
exercise for this peculiar power"
"Oh, Clarence" exclaimed Mary,
in tone OF vague reproach, fthen
you have unconsciously hypnotized
Lorita?'
"You may we'll say 'unconsciously,
Polly, for no such thought was in my
mind; but if you are correct in that
surmise, perhaps may be able to re-
call her to consciousness"
"Oh, do, ple,se, try, Clarence!
Sec! Already thu expression of her
face has changed; her eyes are closed
now, and she doe ,n't look nearly 80
alarming as she dill at first. Ought
we to send for Doctor Mac, mamma?"
During the talk b stween her mother
and Stanley, Mary had been kneeling
beside the sofa on which Dolores had
been placed, and she had been trying
by every means in her power to restore
the insensible girl to consciousness.
She now rose at once, while Stanley,
having moved forward step or two,
fixed his.gaze intently, on the insen-
sible face of Dolores, and began
slowly to make the upward mesmeiic
passes as he had often seen them per-
formed by professors of mesmerism.
The rigidity of the young girls
figure had given place to the apparent
ease and relaxation of slumber; her
eyelids had slowly dropped over the
dilated, staring eyes, while her
breathing was as tranquil as that of a
sleeping child.
Clarence Stanley continued to make
the upward mesmeric passes slowly,
easily, but with an indescribable air
of authority and triumph, which Mary
noted at the time and often remem-
bered afterwsrd.
Suddenly the heavy eyelids twitched
eighty; then with dazzling quick
ness, the eyes opened wide, and
Dolores, amazed but conscious, stared
inquiringly at the eager, anxious
faces that were bending over her.
"What has happened? What is the
matter?" she asked almost sharply,
end rising quickly as she spoke.
Nothing, dear. except that you
have frightened me horribly" an
Nswered Mary, as she seated herself
beside Dolores and put her arm about
her. "You seemed to faint almost
immediately on seeing Mr.. Stanley
and nov it appears to have been less
faint than kind of hypnotic trance,
from which he has just recovered you,
by making What they call mesmeric
passes. 50.
'Is it possible" exclaimed Dolores,
incredulously; "but I object to being
. hypnotized. You must never take
such liberty again." she. said i'm.
peratively, turning look of great ir'
dignation upon Clarence.
"Certainly rot" he answered, with
a deprecating smile. "at least not
without your permission, senorita