"Let us see what faces you can make," I say, and the barber and his patron immediately stop their work and sit before the audience, twisting their features all out of shape. There is nothing so funny in this except when we take into consideration that these same boys would not get up before an audience in their normal waking states and do anything of this kind. Now, they don't care. Anything is all right - so long as it is in the bounds of reason and nothing is asked of the subject that is absolutely wrong.

When they are in the midst of their face-making performance I cry, "Look out, boys, your clothes are on fire. Be quick or you will burn!"

And they forget all about their barber shop or their faces. In an instant they are up and their coats are off. Then there is wild grabbing for their arms, their legs and all parts of their persons.

"Here, what's the matter with you boys? You haven't any fire in your clothes, but your clothes are full of bees!"

Then the dancing about would do credit to a Green Corn dance on a reservation. I let them spend about fifteen seconds thus and then bring them back to a more quiet state of mind.

Handing them two large dishes, I say: "Here is some medicine. You have to take a quart at a dose. It is very bitter, but it will not make you sick. I want you to drink it slowly and let the audience see how you dislike it. Very bitter! But when you come to the last, it will be sweet.

Take care and do not tell your subjects that they will be sick or things are apt to be exciting on the stage for a while.

As the boys drink their "medicine" they pull some horrible faces and this furnishes additionai glee for the audience. When they reach the last their expression changes to one of pleasure and they are happy, very happy, over the change in taste.

One more act and then I will take my subject, Harry, and place him in catalepsy.

Taking these two subjects and putting them in a sleep, I get six more and have them arranged in a semi-circle in front of the others.

"Sounder and sounder asleep," I command. "And when you awake you will find that there are hundreds of mice running about the stage. You will all jump on your chairs and keep out of their way. Don't be afraid to scream".

As two of the party are girls, there is apt to be a lively time for a while when they come out of their sleep.

"When I count to three, you will all be awake and the mice will be running about the floor. One, two, three!" And they are awake in an instant. The girls are the first to get upon the chairs. They scream and pull their skirts about them so naturally that the boys are following them rapidly.

They cling to the chairs in wild despair, lest the little mice should succeed in getting to them.

When their positions are the most artistic - I refer to the artistic from a hypnotic standpoint, which means that the poses would be most inartistic - I approach them with, "Now, you are frozen to the chairs in just the positions you are in at present. There are no mice, but you are all statues. You cannot move!"

There they are, every one of them, just as though they were carved out of marble. And as I wave my hand and tell them that they are all right, they assume an upright position.

"You are all monkeys," I tell them. "Hurry up and come out here so that the people can see you. Hop along." And they come forward in various attitudes. When they are directly in front of the audience and in laughable positions, I awaken them. This is the last act with the volunteer subjects, and, although they do not like the awakening very well, they take it good naturedly.

I place the subjects all back so that I can have plenty of room for my stone-breaking test.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I say, stepping up to the footlights, "this will be the last act of the entertainment. It is that of placing my subject, Master Harry Smith, in a state of catalepsy, and, while he is in this state, having some strong man break this large stone on his chest with a sledge hammer".

I then bring Harry forward, and after he has received his applause. we bring out the "horses" on which be is to rest during the experiment. I will take him through several different stages, showing the audience the wonderful rigidity that can he produced through the power of hypnotism.

"If there is some man in the audience who is very strong, I would like him to come upon the stage and break this stone when it has been placed on the chest of the subject. Will some strong man kindly volunteer?"

After a short delay a powerful looking man. some six feet in height, comes forward. I should judge from his appearance that he is a blacksmith. And my guess is correct.

THE PROFESSIONAL CATALEPTIC BOW.

Giving him a seat, I bring Harry out where every one can see the process plainly. Standing behind him. I have him Close his eyes.

Passing my hands from his head downward, I suggest thus: "You are becoming rigid, just as rigid as a Our of steel. You cannot bend your neck is rigid, you are rigid all over. You cannot bend. Now, I will pull you backwards and you will not bend. You are rigid!"

I pull him over and catch his head with my hands, but he does not bend. When I have lowered him a short distance I motion to Albert, who comes forward and holds Harry's feet while I keep my arm under his neck. In this manner we raise him and hold him aloft, I still repeating suggestions of rigidity.

You may notice, reader, that the good cataleptic subject always has a slight upward bend when he is placed on supports. So it is with Harry. As I place him on the standards, with his head on one - the back of his neck resting on the cushion - and his heels resting on the other, there is a perceptible bow to his anatomy, the convex side pointing upward.