LONDON TABLE TALK.

Evening Star, Issue 8717, 8 January 1892, Page 4

LONDON TABLE TALK.

[Fbom Odr Special Correspondent.]

London, November 28. THE MAONBT.

A storm of controversy rages around the “ Little Georgia Magnet, who, despite the 'Star’s' frantic cries of “Fraud!” continues to draw huge crowds nightly to the Alhambra, and well earn the LISO a week the directors pay her. I have read all the * Star ’ has to say on the subject, and come to the conclusion it has discovered not “the truth about the magnetic lady,” but a mare’s nest. Mitchell, the prize-fighter forced his way on to the platform on Thursday evening, and, to the delight of a sceptical gallery, insisted on being invited to experiment. Mrs Abott offered no objection, and Mitchell, evidently meaning business, stripped to the buff so as to give his arms full play. First the Magnet said she should allow Mitchell to Hither, and the big man swung the little woman well-nigh through the roof. When, however, she resisted, there was a very different story to tell, In vain Mitchell tugged and pulled and struggled and swore. The Magnet stirred not. Again and again did the mao of muscle exert his supremest strength. The Magnet simply smiled sweetly. At length—mad, mazed, and mortified beyond expression— Mitchell desisted sullenly. It was no use, he intimated to the audience. He could not move Mrs Abott. Then did the house at last buret into loud applause. The trick (if trick it be) is exceedingly clever, and as yet, at any rate, the modus operandi has not been discovered, HEBE COMEB THE BOGIE MAN. In the admirable Christmas number of the ‘ Review of Reviews ’ Mr Stead makes his appearance in the new and original character of “The Real Bogie Man.” Like most of the impersonations this accomplished variety artist has undertaken, the new one is so good as to seem almost convincing. I incline, indeed, to think Mr Stead may be—as his old colleagues on the * Fall Mali Gazette ’ allege—a regular old woman for superstition, and that there is less pretence this time than usual about his acting. The idea of * Real Ghost Stories ’ is excellent. Why it never occurred to anyone to make up an annual of this sort before is what everyone now wonders. But, truth to tell, Mr Stead’s talent for gauging what the pqblip will read amounts almost to genius, Moreover, he knows exactly how to arouse curiosity. The strictly conscientious “ Caution ” on the outside of ‘ Real Qhost Stories’ was a veritable inspiration, and will sell tens of thousands. These “ower true tales,” Mr Stead tells ns, must not be read by anyone of “ morbid excitability ” or “excessively nervous temperament.” Readers are solemnly warned against experimenting in hypnotism, spiritualism, and the unseen generally, save in “the most careful and reverent spirit.” Persons “frivolling” with familiars or giggling with ghosts will expose themselves to (shudder, please) “ the horrible consequences of possession ” In the chapter headed “ Myself,” Mr Stead tries to persuade us he himself has enjoyed some experiences. He cannot certainly lay claim to a real live ghost, but he has heard vojees, “1 have,” he declares, “ had three or four very striking and vivid premonitions in my life which have been fulfilled to the letter,” Here, then, is premonition No. 1. “On New Year’s Day, 1880, it was forcibly impressed upon my mind that I was to leave Darlington in the course of that year.” In September, 1880, Mr Stead became Mr Morley’s assistant at the ‘Pall Mall Gazette,’ “and my presentiment was fulfilled.” Premoniton No. 2 carried Mr Stead a stage further. In October, *BB3, I “ felt distinctly as it were a voice within myself saying : You will have to look sharp and make ready, because by a certain date (which, as near as loan reoolloot, was the IGth of Maroh next year) you will have sole charge of the‘Pall Mall Gazette.’ On the strength of this voice Mr Stead sadly doomed his chief to die (in presentiment only, of coarse). Bat Mrs Stead, with feminine shrewdness, said: “Nonsense; ho is not going to die. He is going to get into Parliament; that is what is going to happen.” And, as everybody knows, it did happen; and thus was the second premonition fulfilled. The third was that his sojourn in certain northern latitudes would be for two months. The actual period of it was two months and seven days, f agrep with the ! Pall M*B Gazette ’ (which makes terrible fun of ]sr Stead’s premonitions) that this sort of ghostly experience amounts to absolutely nothing, Every man and woman combining vivid imagination with superstition (I use the word in its most inoffensive sense) has constant premonitions. Ninety-nine out of a hundred are unfulfilled and forgotten, The hundredth comes off, and forma the groundwork of a story to be retold and embroidered (of course upinten tionally) all one’s life. Premonitions are like bets—we never talk of those whioh go wrong. With regard to the editor of the * Review’s ’ “ strange case,” the * Pali Mall Gazette’ points out that some of Mr Stead’s prophecies as to what would happen were closely associated with what Mr Stead intended to happen, and not altogether unconnected with what Stead was able to make happen. Toe same crltlos will further suggest that Mr Stead’s narrative betrays the usual signs of the unconscious accretion of detail in the presentiment after the event—a trick of the human mind whioh often leads perfectly honest persons, starting with a vague bedtime feeling that “something is going to happen,” to embroider that something in due course with all the minutest attributes of what actually does happen, even to the date and hour, and allowances for their watch “being a little slow, you know.”