The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-04-26
CHAPTER xxv.-tceutInu.d.D

"Ons day he asked. permission to take
q me with him to see the horticultural
show, at Bury. did not wish to 60.
always had a strange feeling, almost
amounting to dread. OF being left alone
with him: but would not have men,
toned It for the world. Grandfather,
however, thinking that It would please
me, gave 4 ready assent.
I'm the exhibition we met a very dis
agreeable looking old lady. who was in
troduced to me as Mrs. Humphries< and
who invited US home to dine with her.
She was accompanied by a young lady.
with remarkably red hair. and strange
looking eyes, whom she called Judith
I'VE went, Cousin John and l. home
with them to a large brick house IN a
retired part Of the town. After dinner
Cousin John and the young lady. whom
he called Miss Porter. began to talk
about mesmerism. had never heard of
It 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 did not
: Know what It was. oh, it's the strsng-
est sensation in the world said John.
This young lady ID very clever at it,
After some little persuasion. l con-
scented. but very unwillingly. Then they
took me into q dark room. Miss Porter
sat down ln q chair. On the wall at the
back was hung a black curtain, and
around her shoulders was draped q black
cloth. Upon the table In front of her
was a lamp. in which was Fixed a pow
erful reflector that threw a dazzling
light upon her face. She seated me OPP
posite to her, and babe me fix my eyes
upon hers. did 10. Never can l for
get the effect. | was once taken to a
wild beast show. The glare Of her wide
1y distended eyes was exactly like that
which had seen there in the tigers. 1t
fastened upon mine. and held them fas-
cinated. had no power to shift them;
and as I gaxed. spelbound. upon hers.
they gradually dilated until they seemed
to be two enormous globes Of fire. sus-
pended In utter darkness. Then ! 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
execute upon awaking any act you may
have promised to perform while In the
mesmeric state. ! believe that in my
trance they extracted from me every par
ticular Of my uncle's will.
when awoke l found myself in the
dining room. lying upon a sofa, and Mrs.
HUMPHREYS holding vinaigrette to my
nose. l felt very weak. and strangely
daxed. Cousin John made very light of
the matter--said that had got fright
ened. and tainted away, and Impress
ell upon me that l must be sure not to
speak Of it to grandfather. And l did
not.
Thct cannot dwell upon the dreadful
ioval stA..After this he found ways aud
vith the s6.le csJect me again and again to
scfsie influence. l grew pale
,,ehc.. oaciated; my nerves were shat
ny memory was almost destroy
Tho NIL kind Of stupefaction seized up
Istret n brain. Night and day, sleeping
~. sking, those awful slobbes Of FIRE
la ID at me out Of the darkness. 1t
WAS killing me. a. slowly and surely a.
the deadliest poison could have done. My
grandfather was In a troubled state Of
mind. Physicians were brought: they
pronounced my complaint to be 4 grad
ual softsning Of the brain.
50. I'm the meantime. was restrained
81 from divulgiug the truth by threats from
Cousin John--threats not only against
myself, but against my dear grandfath-
er. What torture could have exceeded
WHAT ! tueu cnuuTcu! L COulU MOI
reason. l had not the power to make
one effort to free myself from the hide
I; GUS thraldOm and at last | became ut
terly passive.
Zone day, / was seized with a resist
less impulse to steal my grandfathe
keys, 60 to the cabinet, seek for the Sc
cret drawer, take out the will and carry
1 1t to Cousin John. Then knew that
ouch an act had been imposed upon me
by those terrible eyes in one of my
frances. All day I fought against 1t; hut
Fan invisible power seemed driving me
! on. Suddenly. the thought flashed upon
me that would run away-Hy from all,
everything. The instant It occurred. l
acted upon It. | ran up into my room,
opened my desk, took ont all the money
had saved, and while my grandfat her
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. l went
ON, taking no heed of my whereabouts.
until I found myself in the streets Of
Bury.
II had crept under the old Norman
gateway, where you saw me. remem-
bered that had once CHANGED to see
the city road pointed out from a spot
very near to where stood. When YOU
left me. I took that road. That night
or, rather. towards morning. l slept in
wood. For long time I dared not In.
qulre my way, nor, until was half dead
with exhaustion, did venture to buy
food.
After terrible hardships. l reache ed
Ipswich. There purchased new clothes
and took the train to the city. Although
had still money in my pocket when I
arrived, began to think Of how l should
get my living"
But did you not think of writing to
your grandfather-of telling him all you
had su6eredT' interrupted.
"Oh, no; | dared not. In the first
place, | felt what a wicked creature
they had made Of mellow I had be-
trayed his confidence-how had almost
become q thief! and l knew that il
went back to him tomorrow. the same
thing would begin over again. For while