Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1908-03-14 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

MGM. " I wal remember," she said. "Not the slightest chance t" This experience, and others somewini emphasise the view I have sevesnil times pubexpro%9ed that our doctors in lunatic aviutus should make more use of hypnotism  "I am Kiss B—L, and I think you know my father."  "You mean," I.said, "Mr B—, the alder ma.n of this town?"  She nodded, and I continued— "Oh, yes. I have met him several times. How are you, Miss B— lam glad to see you.. Is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes," she •replied slowly. "There is something you can do for me. And for my friend." She turned to her companion, and concluded, We are engaged to each other, you know." "I didn't know," I replied, with a smile. "Still I congratulate you both. When is the happy event to take place?" "That's just what we've come to see you about," she said. "Papa doesn't quite like our being engaged." I said. "That's very serious." "It is. And I want you to help us. Papa thinks that I am too young, and that George is not old enough. He won't hear of our being engaged, and he talks about sending me to the other end of the country, to stay with an aunt of mine in the hope that we will forget each other. But I won't go." And she stamped quite a pretty little foot. "Ali," I said, diplomatically. "You don't like this aunt of yours." "That's not the difficulty," she said, with a m uct.t...or "The difficulty is that I do like George. Boclie, we simply can't be parted. He would die if he coakln't see me. Arid lam not sure that I myself would live through it." I turned to the young man and said: "I am sure I appreciate these confidences, but—well, to put it shortly, what do you want me to do ?" But the young lady did not allow him to reply._  ten you," she said, laying a hand on my arm. "We want you to hypnotise papa." "What!" I exolaimed.  "Yes," she went on. "He was telling me all about you this morning, ailed how you can make people do just what you want, simply by hypnotising them. And the inspiration came to me at once that we must get you to help us. Do, please, Doctor Boclie, hypnotise papa, and make him agree to us being engaged.' I laughed aloud. Mr B— was a good specimen of the John Bull type. Not an easy type to influence, and not the sort of man to give his daughter away in a hurry. Besides, although I might be a hypnotist, I was not a matrimonial agent. And, even if I hid been, I was not quite sure that I should have chosen this particularly diffident young man as the right mate for such a charmingly outspoken girl. She broke in on my laugh by saying, in reproachful tones— "It's not a joking matter, Doctor 13odie. We're both very much upset. I'm not at all sure that George won't oommit suicide, or enlist, or do something equally dreadful if I am really sent away to my aunt. Now, do please hypnotise papa, and make him say 'Yes!'" I took a good look at George. He was very young and very shy, but he was a well set-up fellow, with a pleasant. honest expression. Perhaps the girl might do worse! "W 41 I said. "I will pronrise one thing. I will see your Lather, and sound him on the sub "It is no good simply sounding him," she said, "you'll have to hypnotise him. SAS aw 4