The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-05-06
A Mind
Reading Craze
Bv MARTHA V. MONROE.


had given some astonishing public ex-
hibitions. But this had not the effect
on the beau monde Of an exhibition he
gave at the house of Mrs. MacGruder,
one of society's leaders. This private
entertainment made him fashionable.
and every young man who had shaken
his brains down into his heels at cOtil-
lion parties and every young girl
whose aristocratic manners and con-
served beauty had given her the right
to look down on her sisters who had
the brains to take down the dictation
Of a scientific constructor or mer-
chant prince was talking about mind
reading.
Pete Barnical and Lucy Witridge
were sitting together, she on sofa,
he in a chair opposite her. He was
holding skein Of yarn on his hands
which she was winding into bail.
II have heard" said Miss Witridge,
that Mrs. Powelton is very much dis
pleased that Mrs. MacGruder got ahead
Of her by giving that mind reading
society is talking about it. OF course
it is greatly to Mrs. MacGruder's cred
it to have introduced the matter"
did the mind reader find out who
had the most mind?"
II don't think that was his object.
He told what people were thinking
about"
"What were they thinking about?
"What question! It wasn't that
which was wonderful; it was that he
could tell without knowing what they
were thinking about
chow could he tell what he didn't
know?"
She lifted her big brown liquid eyes
from tangle in the yarn she was
Strengthening out to his with kind
Of puzzled wonder.
II didn't mean to say" she replied
when she had given her brain time to
work out an answer. "that he could tell
what person was thinking about
without knowing it, but he didn't know
it until-until"-
HE found it out" supplied Pete.
mo, not that either. The remarka
BILE feature of his performance was the
| way he found it out"
How did he do it?'
How did he do it? Why, he did it
BY She was stalled again.
perhaps he didn't know himself"
THAT'S it. He said he didn't know
how he did it,
what did he do?''
He took Billy Perkins hand and.
blindfolded, led Billy to what he was
thinking about. Then Mr.. Horton
wrote something on piece Of paper,
folded it, put It in an envelope, put the
envelope in book. put the book on
the top of the library, and then the
where did he put the 1ibrary?"
THE library! He didn't put that
anywhere. 1t was there already"
well, then what happenedY'
1.-The mind reader told what was
written on the paper. though he had
been blindfolded all the time"
THAT'S nothing remarkable. I'll bet
can tell what you're thinking about
this minute"
II don't believe you can do any such
thing"
'Try me. Think of something, and
I'll tell you what it u.s.
Every we'll; I've thought of some
thing"
"A pumpkin"
There was contempt in her express
sion as she looked at him and replied
that she wasn't thinking Of any such
thing.
Eyes, you were. You were thinking
of Tom Baxter. You couldn't think of
Tom Baxter without thinking Of Tom
Bakers head. Tom Bakers head is
pumpkin
"How ridiculous!' But she did not
smile. Indeed, she made the exclama-
ton because she didn't quite grasp the
logical conclusion.
"I'll tell you what you do he pro-
ceeded, not giving her time to think it
all out. "You fix your mind on some
thing and I'll lead you to it."
She spent some time selecting an OBJ
ject, then told him she was ready. He
took her hand and led her to the piano.
II didn't think of that at ALL" she
said.
"I'll try again." he said, still holding
her hand, and he led her to a clock on
the mantel.
Wrong again."
He led her to tete-a-tete in the cen
ter Of the room. She didn't say wheth-
er he was right or not, nor did he ask
her. They sank into their respective
seats on the .tete-a-tete. He still held
her hand.
II can tell you what you are think
ing about" he said.
"WhatY'
tom Baxter"
I'm not"
me"
She did not reply to this. She lower
ed her eyes.
"And I can tell you." he went on.
what you think I'm thinking about"
"What?'
ssvon,ro +b;nt3no %ho+ TIM t1,inkin1,