The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-15
NEW SOCIAL DIVERSION.
A Hostess Practices "Levitation" for
Her Friends Amusement.
Philadelphia Press.

Philadelphia society has been introduced
to Levitation.
Hermann and Kellar made a profession
of the East Indian science of levitation, but
it remained for Mrs. Edward NJ. Robin
son to astonish and interest that delight
fully smart set of society to which she be-
longs with its delights and mysteries.
The dictionary definition of the word
levitation is the act of making anything
light and bouyant so that ii will float in
the air.
Everyone remembers the vision of Mrs.
Kellar floating across the stage obeying
the magic in her husbands hands. 1t is
this that Mrs. Robinson does. Not that she
has become sufficiently expert to make a
human body float through the air, but she
can exercise her will over various mani
mate objects of not great weight.
To do it with a piece of paper is marvel
lous enough; but when one can do it with
walking canes and chairs. then the mystery
becomes awe-inspiring.
The science is purely an East Indian one
and is known by hundreds of those occult
people. Probably it is not a whit more diff
fcult than hyponotism, but it seems so,
You see. we know so much about hypno-
tism now that the merest school child takes
the word and the science as a part and
parcel of everyday medical knowledge; that
which her grandmother would have run
from, she accepts.
OF deviation We know little. Therefore
We believe IL much more occult and more
terrible than hypnotism.
1t has been brought rarely into civilized
countries, and is a secret that could not
be gathered from the two great magicians.
1t is still weird and queer to the chill
dren of the dominant race and how and
Drhnrn Mrs htnGn nxnr Lon nA1 ~ Nc
one knows.
She won't tell and. therefore,. shows her
cleverness. for if il were common knowl-
edge it would not be uncanny and interest
ing.
Mrs. Robinson will tell you that 1t takes
a peculiar physical or mental quality to
accomplish 1t; that everyone cannot do 1t.
as everyone cannot hypnotize.
All the girls and men who know her are
most eager for her TO test this quality I'm
them and teach them how to make things
move"
At the series of charming dinners that
Mr.. and Mrs. Robinson gave this winter
the guests were often entertained by levi
tation. No one was more carried away by
il than NJ. Edouard de Reszke, the famous
basso, who was her guest at a dinner this
winter.
NJ. De Reszke went over to the Ritten-
house Club later and could do nothing but
experiment with pieces OF paper to see IL
he could initiate his gifted hostess. The
| great singer had to acknowledge that,
tUOuBH lit COulu CldTIH HNe-OOlldT DlllS
from the purses of thousands Of Ameri-
cans, he was absolutely unable to make a
copy of a newspaper float across the table.
One of Mrs. RobinsOn's best tricks is to
into shapes, put them beneath a large arm
chair and make them rise into the air
through the chair and follow her hand
| wherever she moves.
She asked her guests to stand around this
| chair. guard 1t and watch her hands. Then
she stands erect and does not attempt TO
even LOOK under the chair, and yet the pa
| pers lift themselves from the floor, come
up through the chair and follow her half
way across the room.
Another trick is to cut out the paper into
some shape, group the shapes together,
lay a mans handkerchief over them and
cause them to lift the handkerchief in the
air and circle and sweep in a weird dance
in middle air, always supporting the hand
kerchief.
She lays a heavy cane across a mans
hand and asks him to give way to the
pressure of the cane, when 1t begins to
move. Then she moves away, makes the
cane leave his hands. float across the room
and remain stationary In middle air until
she wills it to drop.
now to initiate her. A group Of girls will
gladly spend an hour trying to make a
piece of paper move an inch. and IL from
| any breeze caused by their excited aughter
the paper budges they grow wildly en-
thusiastic and quite confident they have
the gift.
So far as one can see now there is no
possible way for society to learn this new
science. They may experiment until they
have paralysis of the muscles or the nerves,
but even with constant effort no person
seems to have been able to do any of the
things Mrs. Robinson uoes so easily. Many
| have the gift, but few nave the knowledge
/ to exploit ii.
1t seems to be a species of hypnotism.
The work is the same as when a man fixes
his eyes on a human body and compels il
to do what he wishes. Mrs. Robinson uses
the same concentration and the inanimate
| body responds in the same way.
| What a tremendous success a man who
| understands the power would have If he
should happen in on Philadelphia just now
and give lessons.