The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1905-05-20
CHAPTER xxv.-tcontinued.,

show, at Bury. l did not wish to 60. /
always had a strange feeling, almost
amounting to a dread, Of being left alone
with him; but l would not have mem
toned it for the world Grandfather
however, thinking that it would please
me, gave a 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
looking eyes, whom she called Judith.
1--WE went, Cousin John and ], home
with them to a large brick house in
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 l should like to be
mesmerzed. I answered that / 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, con-
scented, but very unwillingly. Then they
took me into q dark room. Miss Porter
sat down in a chair. On the wall at the
back was hung a black curtain, and
around her shoulders was draped black
cloth. Upon the table in front Of her
was a lamp, in which was fixed DOW
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 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 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
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 I awoke l found myself in the |
dining room, lying upon a sofa, and Mrs |
HUMPHREYS holding a vinaigrette to my
nose. l felt very weak, and strangely |
dazed. Cousin John made very light of |
the matter-said that l had got fright |
ened 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 dreadful |
story. After this he found ways and |
means to subject me again and again to |
this terrible influence. l grew pale
and emaciated; my nerves were shat
tered, my memory was almost destroy
ed, and kind of stupefaction seized up
on 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. Ny
grandfather was in troubled state Of
mind. Physicians were brought; they
pronounced my complaint to be a grad
ual softening of the brain.
In the meantime, I was restrained
rom dlVulging 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 I could not
reason. l had not the power to make
one etfort to free myself from the hide
Gus thraldom; and at last I became ut
terly passive.
One day, l was seized with a resist
s sSS impulse to steal my grandfather's
AeIS' go to the cabinet, seek for the Sc
sree drawer. take out the will and carry
10 Cousin John. Then l knew that
such an act had been imposed upon me
W lnose terrible eyes in one of my
uenees. All day | fought against 1t; but
~ invisible power seemed driving me
W. suddenly, the thought flashed upon
ne mat would run away-fy from all.
everything. The instant 1t occurred. I
acted upon it. l ran up into nv room.
opened my desk, took out all the money
mad saved, and while my grandfather
was taking his after dinner nan, stola
bas.N VI lne house-not thinking, in my
49, even TO put q hat on. 1t was quite
~ anu no one observed me. went
~n.,, Iaking no heed of my whereabouts,
Bury. A ~ tue streets OF
so4a nao crept under the old Norman
gateway where you saw me. l remem-
tba eu mat | had once CHANGED to see
SoS city road pointed out from a SPOT
i's. near to where stood When Won
~. me' took that road. That night,
~on lS'ner' towards morning, slept in a
O mJou For long time l dared NOT in
witi' my way, nor, until l was half dead
food. uAu venture to buy
1Dr1 1h!er t terrible hardships, reached I
and .el, There I purchased new clothes ]
I ~ TOOK the train to the city. AIthoreh i
sr rSa sun money in my pocket when T .
Get mr l. began to think Of how should
,on out did you not think Of writing +o {
had s Sfeandfather-ot telling him all YOU
sn SuHeredf 2" I interrupted. - '
n,,O w. no; l dared not. In tho 4rs+
tbsv H. l felt what wicked creature I
tray.d Ha al made of mellow had he. !
bsco econ MS confidence-how had almost ,
went 5,o, thief! and 1 knew that If / ,
thinr e U Daek to him tomorrow, the same
tbev would would begin over again. For Wills ,
power lev my whereabouts, no earthly
encs ~ could protect me from the infiu-