River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-01-23

crowded thoroughfares of city. How
ever, In the case of tombstone a hood
was worn, the out cover being mohair,
the inner part of heavy broadcloth.
Surely he could not see below this?
No, he had no need to do so; he could
see through it by means of neat little
contriyance. The strings that fastened
the hood about the neck had a sort of
double back-action, i. e., they opened
seam in the front of the broadcloth
hood that was not distinguishable
through the mohair,-not distinguish
able to the casual observer, but en-
abled the "mInd-reader" to distinguish
objects very clearly. So much for the
blindfold and the part it plays in read
ing minds.
Once more to Mr.. Cumberland"
When he re-entered the room, after
having been blindfolded, he took the
hand of one of the group who had hid
den an object and he found the object
quickly. He did this many times and
accurately. He failed but once. There
was reason. One of the reporters de-
sired a test. Unfortunately (for Mr..
"Cumberland'') the reporter had been
imbibing rather freely, too freely to
concentrate his mind on the hidden
object. The reporters hand was as
| limp, SO to speak, as was his mind;
therefore as the operator depended en-
tirely upon muscular action to indicate
direction he was wholly at sea-a ship
without a rudder-and he was obliged
to give it up.
In the triple test with ms self as
guide he succeeded admirably I held
my thought intently on each separate
overwhelmingly, not collectively;
held each one for the time being at
the exclusion of the two others.
Mnd-Reading or Muscle Reading.
Which?
| Undoubtedly and undeniably muscle
reading. In order to do justice to the
operator my mind was fixed on the
hidden object, each in it's turn; so in
tent was / that 1 was not aware of a
muscular movement on my part that
was directing him to the object.
Mind is indivisible It is impossible
for the mind to be in two places az the
same time. The hand of the operator
| is guided, Enthusiastically guided by the
hand of the subject as soon as the
physical contact is established, as he
fully surrenders himself to the invol-
untary muscular leading of his subject
'Tis true, the operator is usually in
advance, hence it may be said that the
subject cannot lead, but the subject
can push as well as pull; the better
word, however, is direct.
When the operator, in his rush
| (Which is done for effect passes the
point or place in the subjects mind
he is very quickly made aware of it
by an involuntary movement on the
part of the subject that arrests his at
tention and directs his action.
In the giving of names, dates, etc.,
Mr.. cumberland" had all the letters
of the alphabet and the numerals (up
to tenn arranged in regular order.
Again he was blindfolded and seated
at table. He took the hand of the
subject and told him to think intently
on the first letter of his name. He
then passed the subjects hand slowly
over the letters. When the right letter
was reached the supersensitive mind
reader" felt slight involuntary move
ment on the part of the subject. In
stantly the operators hand darted
down on the correct letter like hawk
on a chicken.
! In this slow and tedious way he gave
names, dates, ETC., and called it mind
reading.
If you want additional and self-evi-
dent proof of involuntary muscular ac-
ton, you may find it in your own per-
sonal experience if you are bicyclist.
Recall the time you learned to ride.
Do you recollect that death-like grip
with which you chung to the handle
bars? You saw an object in the street.
There was ample room on either side
of it, but you steered straight for it
and then wondered why you hit it.
Why did you? Because mind is indi-
visible and cannot be in two places at
the same time. Your mind was on the
object in the street, hence you were
wholly unconscious of the muscular ac-
ton that guided the wheel.
You may remember the experience
of the man who was learning to ride
wheel and had much difficulty in con-
sequence of a telegraph pole in front
of his house. The pole was on the side
of the road, not in the road, but it al
ways seemed to be in evidence.
No matter where he started that
pole seemed to be his objective point.
He aimed straight for it (unintcntion-
ally) and his aim was good. ORe day
he started with his back to the pole.
Although he was a novice he discov-
cred he was a trick rider; his wheel
made complete circuit and struck the
pole. Why? Because he could not
have his mind on the pole and on the
wheel at the same time. Besides, he
feared the pole; and what one fears,
he gets.
The muscle reader" and his subject
hold exactly the same relation to each
other as do the novice wheelman and
his wheel-directed by unconscious
muscular action.
Copyright. 1907. by Joseph B. Bowles..
Cutting Down on Pie.
"You may quote me all sorts Of
statistics about the rise in foodstuffs."