Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-03-10
Bound by a 5pellJ
CHAPTER XIV.

OF telling stories OF his own adventures.
He was never known, however. at such
times to give any clue to his family or
All the stories were con-
fined to his vagabond days. He never
allowed any person to interrupt his mar
ratives by remarks; any such must be
until they were concluded.
"Of all the vagabond specs l ever
launched into, none ever brought me in
so much cash as the mesmerism dodge"
he began.
I started at those words. and from
that moment became an eager and at
tentive listener.
when l first started in it, I thought
1t was all humbug. got hold Of sharp,
clever girl, who pretended to mesmerize
the accomplices carried about with me.
Well. one fine morning. this girl bolted
of with one Of the accomplices, and 1
was left in the lurch, with my bills out,
announcing a performance for the Lext
night. I walked gloomily about the
town. Turning down back street, l
went into a public house. There was
oEly one other person in the room besides
inyself-a scottish looking fellow. who
bore upon him the unmistakable marks
Of follower Of st. Crispin. He was in
clined to be talkative. At first I was
too moody to bestow upon MIN any reply.
But he was not to be snubbed; and, at
last, the low cunning, and coarse. hu-
morous shrewdness Of his remarks, be-
gan to amuse me. He invited me home
to dinner with him. I accepted his in
vitation.
'He lived In a squalid court, hid
eous looking place, and the home he led
me into was in keeping with its sur
roundings. l began to wish myself out
of the adventure; with all my love of
vagabondism, this was a little beyond
me. Crouching over a handful of fire
was a girl about thirteen or fourteen
years of age, with fiery red hair and
pale, sullen face, every bone Of her thin,
angular body showing through the rag
ged, scanty clothing that barely covered
hire. She rose from her seat with
scowling look of disdain. which changed
to one of astonishment at the sight of
a well-dressed stranger. She fixed her
eyes upon me with an inquiring stare.
There was something in those eyes that
strangely affected me.
Her father ordered her about with
threats, and would have used blows,
believe, had I not been there. The girl
regarded him much in the manner of a
Gagged tigress, who would like to fasten
upon her keeper, but dare not. l kept
watching her as she moved about. and
suddenly a strange idea struck me. Gould
] get this girl to play the clairvoyant the
next night? l at once put it to her
father. Selling upon the dilemma in
which I was placed, and which l had
somewhat incautiously laid bare to him,
he tried to drive an extortionate bargain.
While we were speaking, the girl stop
ped her work, and leaning over the back
of chair facing us, listened eagerly to
my proposition.
'.Do you think you can do it?' said,
turning to her.
3 u can do anything that you show me
and teach me-" she answered confidently.
''The night came, and when she was
clean, her hair dressed and she was
clothed In the black velvet dress that
carried about with me, she had q fol
more sybilline appearance than her pred
ecessor. l had drilled her well into hel
task. at which l found her wonderfully
apt; and, although I anticipated few
blunders, had every hope of success.
Although she had never faced an au
dience before, and we had large ont
that night, she was as fearless and self
possessed as though she had been usee
to it for years.
Zone Of the principal points Of th'
performance was to select man from
the crowd, bring him on to the platform
put him into a mesmeric sleep, and thel
cause him to answer any questions tia
the clairvoyant might choose to put t
him; added to which, he was made t
promise to do certain things when. b
awoke. Hitherto we had used an &C
complice for the purpose. Whether sh
was confused by the sight of SO man
faces, or deceived by a resemblaQce,
do not know; but what was my disnia
to see her select an entire stranger fo
the experiment! In sheer desperation,
tried to cover the blunder by saying tka
the party selected was not a ft sui
ject, from a certain similarity in th
color of the hair and eyes to those {
the girl. The audience grew suspicion
and insisted that there should be I
change.
"With the perspiration starting frol
every pore, l waited for what / frml
believed would be an ignominious expo
ure. Conceive my astonishment, thel
when, after being submitted to the me
meric influence of her eyes for thre
minutes, saw him grow rigid, his est
fixed, and his whole body drawn irresis
ibly towards her, just as had so ofte
seen feigned by my assistants. Not onl
that, but he answered every question pl
to him, some of very awkward natur
with the air of man irresistibly con
PEELED against his will. She then
sired that as soon as she should take IL
influence off him, he should go to ii
chandelier in the middle of the roor
and burn his hat. And he did do it; ar
1 had to buy him new one; but VIII,
did care for that? I had discovers
fortune!
At last, I was half-inclined to belle,
that she had planted some friend OF h
own to humbug me, and raise the term
but was soon convinced that such su
picions were groundless: and, indee
from the first, the whole thing was t,
real to be doubted.
Eyerywhere our success was enormoi
crowded houses, no more accomplics
all genuine, except the clairvoyance,
which there was still a good deal