St Johns College - Yearbook (Annapolis, MD)

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Mlle. de Gouillet BY ONE STEADY GLANCE COMPEL ' ANY MAN, WOMAN OR CHILD TO COME TO HER, OR TO LEAVE HER PRESENCE. 'ie WHO CAN WITHOUT DIFFICULTY BRING ANY PERSON SHE WILLS TO ' THE PLATFORM. ETC. And for two weeks this strange woman- if, indeed, she were a woman -had been the talk of the town. But to continue : The performance had commenced. First, a stately procession of elephants entered, marched around the entire inclosure and retired. These were fol- lowed by half a dozen riderless horses, which galloped around in their free and easy style until caught by the ring masters and conducted to their proper places. They were then bidden to dance, walk, kneel, and to do num- bers of other things equally delightful to the rustic audience. After this the riders pranced in, gaily bedecked in brilliant hues. When the trapeze performers had made their adieux, a stillness fell upon the people, a sudden hush, 'for now she was to enter l Even the lemonade boy stopped, with his foot on a farmer's hat, to look. She came 3 not a large, coarse-looking, masculine woman, with painted cheeks and tousled hair-no. A petite creature, simply dressed, and looking anything but prepossessing. In reply to the almost timorous applause which greeted her entrance, Mademoiselle quietly bowed and took her place on the platform. Indeed, she did look very weak, and here and there all over the tent motherly matrons murmured something to that effect. But Mademoiselle merely seated herself in a chair and dreamily gazed around her. Then in a low and gentle voice she told the people that if anyone doubted her power to rise. The whole population of F redericktown sat like charmed birds and no one moved. Then, continued the mesmerist, I will that all the

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c7lze Qfesmerzbl. 'I- HE circus tent was crowded 5 not a seat to be had anywhere on the circular tiers extending one above the other to the height of at least forty feet from the ground. Peanut and lemonade venders found unutterable diffi- culty in getting around to sell their light refreshments, while everyone was pushing and struggling to .get in someone else's way, or, to put it in a milder form, every- one was trying to get a place where nothing would be missed by him-no, not even nails in the show horses' shoe. In the centre of the tent was a tall pole, around which a medium-size platform was erected, and on this tem- porary stage a .table and two chairs were placed. Of course, the usual number of trapeze, suspended rings and bouncing boards were scattered throughout the tent, and there were three circles Calthough small onesj in which the performance was to take place. Away near the entrance from which the performers made their appearance a brassy brass band sounded, and this hushed the expectant audience into something akin to quiet. Soon, however, the music lost its charm, and impatience was markedly written on every face, until I the manager left his box outside the tent, and after bow- ing politely, begged All the good folk of this flourish- ing town fliiredericktownj to accept his profuse apolo- gies for having kept them waiting so long, but the fact was Mlle. Hortense de Gouillet, the feature of the even- ing-the mesmerist-had suddenly been taken ill, and - Here the people rose from their places and looked threatening, but seeing that the manager was still trying to speak, they resumed their seats, catching the words very distinctly- but she will make her appearance as usual tonight, although a little tardy in coming to the tent. Then, with one grand iiourish of his soft felt hat, the speaker retreated, amidst the -thundering applause of Fredericktown's enthusiastic inhabitants. In truth, it would have been a sad calamity if Mademoiselle had been unable to appear, for these country farmers in this small fthough, to use the manager's words,j flourishing town had never seen nor had they heard of aught so wonderful as Mademoiselle's power. On the bill boards it was written :

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men on the bench opposite me come and touch my hand. Look I There was a stir, and a dozen or more men rose, and without looking at anyone but the central figure made their way to the platform. Mademoiselle extended a small, refined hand, which looked, as did her body, very out of place in the rough circus tent. It was amusing to see all those strong men crowded around a tiny figure in white, each one striving to touch the extended hand. She had accomplished her object and the farmers looked exceedingly foolish g then a buxom farmer's wife raised her voice and shouted to Mademoiselle, telling her that-nay, she defied her-no one could force her to move l The tired. little woman only arose, and resting herself against the tall pole, fixed her eyes upon the woman. The whole populace turned to look at the dame who had challenged this wonder. Slowly she arose, and almost glided down the many steps to the ground 5 then to the platform. Seating her- self on one of the chairs, madam - appeared quite dazed. Now you may go, wearily said her captor, and the woman stood up, quickly stared round her, and made her way from the tent, amid the furious applause of the lookers-on. The performance was over, and the manager stood aloft in his box, shouting vigorously the many attractions that his Show afforded 5 that tomorrow the rest of his treasures would be exhibited g also that Mademoiselle would make another appearance. Crowds of interested farmers pushed to obtain tickets I and the lemonade boy conversed affably with his rival, the peanut vender. Tired little Mlle. de Gouillet leaned against a large box some distance from this bustling scene, waiting for a dis- reputable one-horse hack-for Mademoiselle and her single attendant lived quite apart from the every-day circus peoplef' She knew absolutely nothing of the manager's affairs, save that the small remuneration for her services was very little, considering her hard life. Mademoiselle Hortense was not bred for the circus. All the superficial show and dazzling gaudiness disgusted and repulsed her, the manager especially, with his overly polite speeches and assumed gallantry. The mesmerist stood there, thoughtlessly looking at the moving crowd, when one face in the blended moon and torch-light attracted her attention. 'Twas not a full face, only a profile, and the owner of it was standing quite close to the manager's box. Sud- denly a desire to see his full face seized Mademoiselle, and she willed that he should turn 3 never for an, instant doubting her power, she only thought lightly of him, but when, after waiting a few seconds, the man remained in the same position, she thought harder, then harder, until all at once Hortense found herself leaning half way over the box in her eagerness. Every now and then the man would take a step nearer the box, but he seemed in no hurry, for always someone stepped in and bought his ticket before him. He shall look l Mademoiselle gasped. He shall ! and, gathering all her strength, she gazed with her whole