The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-27
STORIES or Condolences.
They Account for some Things That seem -
BE Entirely ncNplicable.
From The Ncw Oricms Times Democrat.


From The Ncr Orcms Timcs-Domocrot.
"Ilck and coincidence rN plain away many Q
mystery" said one of a group of late workers
IN a Royal street cafe the other night. Il re-
member IA queer story along that line, " ne con.
tinued. which | once heard from the elder
Hermann In h- earlier performances, as
you may recall. he made a great feature OF
IA very clever second call. or mind-reading
act. H." would request people IN the audience
10 select small articles, which would then be
Described by a blindfolded assistant on tina
stage. ~ u matter of fact. Hermann really
gave IN" cue to the descriptions in the way he
framed his questions, but 1t was very dex-
trou-ly done and not one person out Of q
thousand caught on
One evening, a- he sold me- the story. he
was giving an entertainment in nm Ohio city
and was just returning 10 the stage after tho
mind reading specially, when an elderly man
suddenly jumped up at the other end of tho
house. If this thing j. genuine. hecalled out in
n loud voice. ] want YOU To tell me wha, card
] am thinking about AZ this moment The man
was a wealthy merchant and known as some
what Of a crank on SplrltlaliSm. or course,
Hermann had no idea what he was thinking
about, but he REPLIED without hesitation. i
j. the deuC" Of clubs. his intention being to turn
the laugh on the old fellow bv some bit Of re-
par'ee when he declared that the guess was
wrong But, 10 the magl"lans intense amaze
ment, the man raised both hands in the air
and beloved. 'Correct,h by thundar!' This mir
a~cnlonsly lucky and wholly uncx pected hit
made a profound impression on the audience and
no doubt converted many people To a belief in the
reality Of mind reading. Hermann told me
that the proprietor of the theatre, who was
AN old personal friend, was very curious 10
know how III" thing was done. and when he
was finally informed in confidence that il was
mere luck he declined To credit The e~xplans-
ton II wa~ too simple To suit him."
"Coincidcnce~ certainly do play an important
role in everyday life. commented another
in the party. and dare say they have for
the pivot on which many an event Of the first
magnitude has turned. One ease of the kind
came under my personal observation when I
frst went INT" business in New Orleans. At
that time there was n large mercantile house,
located on the same block, that did an extensive
business with PLANTERS up the river, As usual
In that trade. they operated on "A credit basis,
! accounts. The largest of these NJ the period
Of which ] speak wa against a planter who had
tormerly been very PROMPT pay, but who had
majority Of his bill> 10 run over for several
seasons; The firm believed him 10 be good,
ana aInh2msh me amount involved mounted
$3.50 ', w.. ,,'''N NY y "
press him, in full confidence that the money
would ultimately he paid
One day IN" planter camo 10 New Orleans
on som" business, and while he was still in
town Il member of the firm CHANGED 10 20 over
to u notarys office 10 get an acknowledgements
on some Legal papers. As he entered the office
he overheard one of the clerks in an adioin-
Ing room ask. another whether he had COM
ple.rd that plantation transfer TO Cot Is
him when he goes nome tonight, he added.
Col was the delinuuent debtor. and the
accidental remark was like the revelation OF
a fash of lightning on a dark night. The mer-
chant Sald nothing but transacted his own
business ss speedily aS POSSIBLE and hurried
back. Then h" wired his local attorney to
institute" proceedings, and when the planter
arrived home he found everything tied up
with an attachment. He was forced TO make
q settlement, in full, and doesn't know TO this
dnv how his plans were 80 suddenly check.
mated, Five seconds sooner or later In that
s St... If to , tn" n]G,n"ry,, wo1|t hsye m"dG ga a differ differ
Il think can lie that story myself" said
one Of the party. DO Won remember tho
recen, death Of, Lewis Redwine. a noted bank
d~rfanlter Of Atlanta, On, whose ease craeted
~, immense sensation some v"ars AFRO? We'll.
when he was placed on trial Redwin main
tanned a stubborn silence, and he was rom
victcd and sentenced TO five years in the Fed
eral Peniicntlary NJ Columbus, Ohio. II was
generally believed that he would break Town
when he actually started for prison and i'm
plicatn some pCnnl" who stood high socially.
and the uap"rs decided to send reporters with
him TO the train For some reason the au-
llprl'liN ulln approve oI me pan ana AZ
ranged 10 slip him ont Of town n dav In adj
vance of IN" time officially given ont. This
train was 10 leave ~ noon, and about twenty
minutes before that hour n reporter, ont on
other business, lnarp"u"d To use u ieerhone
IN a downtown store. While he was talking
the wires became crossed and he heard n voice
saw We hive arranged for the train to stoD
At the out * irts Of town to-day 10 take ON Red
wine "" recognized the voice ~ that Of 4
deputy Marshal talking 10 the iailor. and real
i2cd in u Hash that a ~chem" was on foot to
ret Nh" noted prisoner ont Of the citv twenty
four hours ahead Of time lie dashed pwav
from the store. got To his Onlce in time 10 draw
som" money and cHught the train. Redwine
didn't confess. after all. bur that doesn't ne
feet the marvellous luck or coincidence Of the
'uhDDn ppi~pic 90