Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1914 — THE CRYSTAL-GAZER [ARTICLE]

THE CRYSTAL-GAZER

By GEORGE D. SHRAKE. (Copyright.) Glenville was aft astir. Si Hoover’s ihorse was stolen. That was something awful. Everybody was terrified. It happened some time between nine o’clock Wedensday night and five o’clock Thursday morning. At six, -every one of the 300 inhabitants knew of it. They simply did not tnow what to make of it. “The like ain’t been heard of for 40 years,” said Alec Humbert, the village philosopher and presager—also, the authoritative bureau for information concerning anything that Glenville might want to know. What put them entirely agog was the fact that there was nobody to blame, or even to suspect. There had been no strangers in town since the preceding Saturday night, when a traveling doctor sold medicine from a buckboard. These fellow's came often. Almost every week one would come around and tell the Glenville people that they were all sick, and then sell them something that would cure all ailments. If they did not chance to get sick, they could work it into a lather and use it to shave. Sure enough, there were two strange men in town, but they had been there since the day before, and were there yet. It could not be they. Their was to inspect telephone wires. They had a horse of their own. All through the next day the gossip

continued. Saturday morning things were in a deplorable state. Nine horses were reported missing. Every .one at the livery barn, including the wire-inspectors’ horse, had been taken. Never in the history of Glenville had such a thing happened. Nobody worked that day. Women, men and children stood around the streets, their faces wearing a serious expression. One of the two trains that stopped daily at Glenville brought another medicine man. Even he was questioned about seeing horses. He smiled, and said he was not traveling on horse-cars. After putting up at the hotel, he came out in the streets to look over Tils prospects. He was a little fellow, rather old, had steel-gray eyes, a few gray hairs, and walked lame. He soon struck up an acquaintance with Alec Humbert, and many of the others. He was very sorry that they had had such hard luck, for it surely would hurt his business. “Occasionally,” he said, “I tell fortunes and read minds; but not often. I used to do more of it.” “I wish you could do like a woman I saw once,” said Alec Humbert. “What did she do?” asked the doctor. Alec then explained how a woman he once saw in a vaudeville show could tell people whom she had never seen what their names were, how old they were, what their occupation was, or could even tell them where anything was that had been lost. There was now r quite a crowd round Alec and the doctor, all of whoip had heard Alec tell about the vaudeville show. Some believed, while others discredited it. “My wife and I did. that, too,” said the doctor. “What did she look like, do you remember? Maybe it was her.” "A very little woman,” answered Alec, quite interested “It was at Connorville that I saw her.” “Must have been her,” exclaimed the doctor. “We played together, showing on alternate nights. But, you see, she couldn’t stand it. She lost her mind, and finally died. Then I quit that business and went to selling medicine,”. The doctor's medicine did not go very fast. The people were too scared to buy medicine. He then started telling some of the little girls’ fortunes and springing jokes. This, of course, had a cheering effect. Some of them forgot their serious thoughts. “How 'bbut that tellin’ where things are?” asked Si Hoover, the first victim of the theft. "I toid you,” answered the doctor, “that I could do that, but didn’t like to. It will drive a man insane if he does much of it. But I won’t mind once.” One of the wire-inspectors then stepped up and told how he had lost jjis watch. He thought it dropped from his pocket when he was on some pole. The doctor hail him come up on the platform, then extracted i crystal from his satchel. Taking the inspector’s hand, he began staring into the crystal. “It appears to me," began the doctor, mumbling, “that there is a place right close here where the telephonewires cross the road. There is a green house there. I think I see your watch lying in the grass near the first pole The inspector, with Si Hoover and a couple more at his heels, started toward the green house. The balance of the audience listened to a talk the doctor gave them about his medicine, "which,” he said, ‘ls my reaj business." It was not long before the watchseekers came back, all excited and obsessed with enthusiasm. The inspector found his watch right where he was told to go. Rather, one of the others found H. Alec Humbert immediately stepped QP and said: “That’s Jus the way she did,” Then he asked: ’'Can’t you do the same with horses T'

The doctor replied that he could, but would not. He did not dare. He already felt the effect of itis other reading. If he had thought they were going to demand it, he wished he had skipped Glenville and gone to the next town. " fit Alec Humbeift and Si Hoover were holding consultation. Presently Si stepped up to the platform and said: “Get my horse, and there’s 15 dollars in it for you.” The doctor did not like to do it. He could not get it, he said, for he was crippled, and could not walk very well. He did not care so much about the reward. It would be the favor that he would be doing for Glenville. He would try, however, to locate it. Si Hoover was then ordered to the platform, and the doctor went through the same maneuvers. It appeared to him that there was a sort of valley around Glenville somewhere that was rather remote. It could not be reached by road. He could see a horse there, the thief probably waiting for a chance to take it away. He then raised his eyes from the ci'Vstal and stared at the audience. He had never been round that part of the country, he explained, and might be mistaken. But he thought not. Several of the older men instantly confirmed the doctor’s statement concerning the valley. They also knew the way to get there. It was moonlight, so Hoover and two others started horseback for the valley. Everybody looked at the doctor, 'marveling. This he immediately took advantage of by selling an. immense quantity of medicine. .• -- - There was no use for the doctor to stay up any longer. It was growing late, he said, and, being extremely tired, he would go to the hotel and retire. -

Long before the doctor was up in the morning, it was voiced all about Glenville that, he was the greatest wonder that they had over seen. SI Hoover and his party had returned at two o’clock with his horse. It was exactly where the doctor said. They were again standing around in small groups, discussing the superhuman powers of the doctor. Si was at the hotel, waiting, his sls in his pocket. One thing he had forgotten. Why did he not find out who did it? This he would do. It was late when the doctor rose. He said he was sick. His head hurt him. He guessed he would leave on the noon train. He was glad to hear that his reading had been correct. SI Hoover and Alec Humbert were the ones who had been appointed to interview him. He did not care much about the sls. It was more of a favor. Perhaps, he said, he would not feel like working at his business again for several days. But this did not satisfy Glenville. They were worked up to a high pitch. They were not going to let him go, leaving them in such a state of affairs. So the two interviewers were 3ent back to the room. The sum and substance of it was that the doctor, although he did not want to, was forced to give them another “reading,” as he called it. He was to get sls for every one of the nine horses that he located; but he must also tell who the thief was. They wanted vengeance. It appeared that there was a cavern inclosed with rocks somewhere around Glenville, the doctor could not say just where; but he could see .nine horses there. This, the gentlemen In waiting said, was true. It was called the Hawk’s Nest. Then, for the guilty person or person. The doctor looked and looked, but at first could not see. It appeared .to be some one right there in their own town; then, again, it looked like some foreigners. The men were becoming anxious. Alas! He had it. It was a tall fellow named Jim Hershey, and a short one named John Shaw. He could see plainly now. It was they, without a doubt. . Who were these fellows? No ono ever heard of them before. They had never lived around Glenville, according to Alec Humbert. Well, the doctor explained, he did not know the country around there or the people; hut he could see those fellows in the crystal just as plainly as if they were .right in front of him. Immediately, another much larger searching party was formed. They started on a gallop. It was shortly after dinner when they were seen returning, making, a sight that was memorial to Glenville. There were 16 horses in the group, seven of which were being ridden. The doctor left Monday. The people of Glenville never had so much to talk about before in their lives. Without a bit of doubt, he was the greatest man living. It was the second week after that they really did open their eyes. Alec Humbert had become the proud possessor of a newspaper. Imagine the expression on their faces when he read the following to them: SMOOTH EXTORTIONERS CAUGHT Stillwell, July 20.—Two men were arrested and brought to this place today, charged with extortion. In company with another, who is still at large, they have been operating in the small country towns fpr the last three months. Two of them would travel ahead, posing as inspectors of telephone wires, and steal from six to a dozen horses and hide them in some remote place. Then a third would follow, pose as a doctor, medium, arid crystalgazer, and charge large fees for readings in which lie would tell where the Itorses were. Nigeria has a little more than 900 miles of railway.