Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-02
CHAprER NXy.-fcontlnned.l

amounting to n dread, of being left alone
with him; but | would not have mem
toned it for the world. Grandfather,
however, thinking that it would please
me, gave ready assent.
I'm the exhibition we met a very dis
agreeable looking old lady, who was in
troduced to me as Mrs. HUMPHREYS, and
who invited us home to dine with her
She was accompanied by young lady,
with remarkably red hair, and strange
booking eyes, whom she called Judith.
I'VE went Cousin John and /, home
with them to a large brick house in a
retired part of the town. After dinner
Cousin John and the yong lady. whom
he called Miss Porter began to talk
about mesmerism. had never heard of
1t before-did not know the meaning Of
the word. Suddenly she turned to me,
and asked me how / should like to be
mesmerized | answered that l did not
know what it was. oh, it's the strang-
est sensation in the world said John.
This young lady is very clever at it,
After some little persuasion. l con-
scented, but very unwillingly. Then they
took me into a dark room. Miss Porter
sat down in chair. On the wall at the
around her shoulders was draped black
cloth. Upon the table in front of her
was lamp, in which was fixed pow
erful reflector, that threw dazzling
light upon her face. She seated me OPP
posite to her, and babe me fix my eyes
upon hers. / did so. Never can | for
get the effect. | was once taken to a
wild beast show. The glare Of her wide
ly distended eyes was exactly like that
which l had seen there in the tigers 1t
fastened upon mine, and held them fas-
cinated. | had no power to shift them /;
and as l gazed. spellbound, upon hers,
they gradually dilated until they seemed
to be two enormous globes of fire, sus-
pended in utter darkness. Then l lost
all recollection.
ut appears that while in this condi-
ton you are compelled TO answer truth
fully any question put TO you, and to
e. ecute upon awaking any act you may
hive promised to perform while in the
N 4smeric state. | believe that in my
trance they extracted from me every par
ticnlar of my uncle's will.
"NVhen | awoke | found myself in the
dining ROOM lying upon a sofa, and Mrs.
Humpirries holding a vinaigrette to my
nose. felt very weak, and strangely
dazed Cousin John made very light of
the matter-said that l had got fright
enedl and tainted away, and impress
ed upon me that | must be sure NOT to
speak of it to grandfather. And l did
not.
Il cannot dwell upon the dreadf i
story After this he found ways AZ.
means to subject me again and again O
this terrible influence. l grew pale
and emaciated; my nerves were shat
tered, my memory was almost destroy
ed and a kind of stupefaction seized up
or my brain. Night and day, sleeping
or waking, those awful globes of fire
glared at me out of the darkness. 1t
was killing me, as slowly and surely as
the deadliest poison could have done. My
grandfather was in a troubled state of
mind Physicians were brought; they
pronounced my complaint to be a grad
ual softening of the brain.
''In the meantime | was restrained
from divulging the truth by threats from
Cousin John-threats not only against
myself, but against my dear grandfath-
er. What torture could have exceeded
what | then endured? But l could not
reason. had not the mower to make
one effort to free myself from the hide
Gus thradom; and at last l became ut
terly passive.
"One day, l was seized with a resist
less impulse to steal my grandfather
keys, go to the cabinet, seek for the Sc
cret drawer, take out the will and carry
it to Cousin John. Then l knew that
such an act had been imposed upon me
by those terrible eyes in one of my
frances. All day fought against it; but
an invisible power seemed driving me
on. Suddenly, the thought flashed upon
me that | would run away-fy from all,
everything. The instant it occurred. l
acted upon it. / ran up into my room,
opened my desk, took out all the money
/ had saved, and while my grandfather
was taking his after dinner nap, stole
out of the house-not thinking, in my
haste, even to put hat on. 1t was quite
dark, and no one observed me- | went
on, taking no heed of my whereabouts,
until | found myself in the streets of
Bury.
Il had crept under the old Norman
gateway, where you saw me. remcm-
bered that | had once CHANGED to see
the city road pointed out from a spot
very near to where l stood. When YOU
left. me, | took that road. That night,
or, rather, towards morning, l slept in a
wood. For long zine | dared not in
quire my way, nor until l was half dead
with exhaustion, did | venture to buy
food.
After terrible hardships, | reached
Ipswich. There | purchased new clothes
and took the train, to the city. Although
l had still money in my 0o"' t when |
arrived, began to think of how should
get my living"
But did you not think of writing to
your grandfather-of telling him all you
had suffered?'' | interrupted.
"Oh. no; l dared not In the. first
place. felt what a wicked creature
they had made of mellow | had be-
trayed his conidence-how | had almost
become thief! and | knew that if I
went back to him tomorrow, the same
thing would begin over again. For while
they knew my whereabouts. no earthly
power could protect me- from the influ-
ence Of those awful eyes. Ny grand
father would think me dead-my cousin
would inherit all his wealth. and | should
be safe: and so | resolved that hence
forth ! would live unknown. and that
not even my name should ever pass my
lips
And how did you obtain employ
ment :" l asked.
We'll. people had always praised my
drawings. and paintings. and needework
very much. Seeing such things exposed
for sale, suggested the idea Of offering
some Of my own work. ! found ready
sale. and so have gone on ever since,