Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-09-30
! The Influence of "
: y Josephine Carr.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
BY W. r. ROSE.

= HE young husband looked down at
l his pretty wife. He had enjoyed
good dinner and was in a reasonably
contented mood At least he should
have been.
Come, come, my DEAR" he said in a
brusque way that was quite foreign to
him, you know I don't believe in it.
l don't object to your amusing your
self in your own way-and this is only
a fad, but you can't expect me to join
you in chasing after a set of long
haired cranks whose antics
why, Fred, how can you! Do you
call Josephine"
ooh, Josephine-well, she's your
friend and Of course a very advanced
young woman. But, Dolly, 1 some
times doubt the advantage of her in
fluence over you
Erred, you old stupid! Why, Jose
phine is brilliant and cultured, and
she has gone into this mental telepathy
because it's SO developing. That's all.
| just wish you could hear her talk
about thought crystalization and ire
sistible attraction
'.But that's just what I want to es-
cape. And that's just why I must be
excused from attending you to the
seance-sitting-or whatever you call
the obsequies-this evening. You
know how l followed you-toilsomely
and sheepishly-to those Browning
ESyoan o1r,1o o,,1 e>f,1 Id
through a Chautauqua course, and
grOveled in mental science, but draw
rhe line at this thing. It is hypnotism,
pure and simple, whatever they call
it, and that's a dangerous thing to
dabble in, though 1 doubt if any of you
will learn anything more harmful than
the singing of polysyallables and
meaningless phrases"
There were real tears in the little
wife's eyes as she pinned on her pretty
hat before the mirror. She did SO want
Fred to sympathize with her.
TT is just because you are so ma
terial," she petulantly exclaimed. "If
you would only put your mind in an
attitude of receptiv1ty. That's all you
have to do. And the professor will be
there tonight, and oh, Fred, he is a
wonder! He's theosophist and a hyp-
notist, and occult and mysterious, and
his name is Caspar Appollonius. Isn't
that sou1ful?"
Soulful? It's mouthful. But
there's the door bell Miss Carr has
come for you. I'll sit up and hear
about it when you return"
Fred Armitage was a devoted hus-
ban and usually gave seemingly cor
dial approval to his wife's s'enthusi-
asms," as he styled her fads, but this
latest search for wisdom in the realms
of the occult was not to his liking.
Dolly should have better sense than
to run after freak professor and his
silly followers, with their jargon about
harmonies. OF course it was all the
fault of that Josephine Carr, a girl
with more zeal than brains, and with
a good deal too much time hanging
heavily on her hands, a girl who sought
to keep up with every newism that
came along and lived in an intellectual
whirlpool. He wished she wouldn't try
to drag his Dolly in with her. He must
provide more amusement for his pref
ty wife-go out with her more, and
read and study together at home-but
pshaw! what was the use as long as
she was under the influence of that
Carr girl? The only thing to do was to
circumvent Josephine-to undermine
her hold on his wife's affections. Not
a simple matter to under take, but Fred
Armitage wasn't a man to give up
easily when once he attempted to ac-
eonplish an object.
However-Dolly noticed it at dinner
the following day-all thought Of ami
mostly toward the astute Josephine
had evidently passed from his mind.
HBy the way" he began in sprightly
tones, 81 met-wnom do you Think
just as I was crossing Green street
this afternoon?"
Of course Dolly gave 1t up. She was
impatient to tell Fred what the pro-
lessor mad said about soul il.umina-
ton. 1T would be SO helpful if he
would only listen.
well, dear. 1t was Josephine Carr.