Cristy, Animal Magnetism. 213 



took her !" " Well," said I, " then if it is some thing I have 

 done it must be animal magnetism, and if that has helped her I 

 will see if she cannot be entirely relieved," and with that I sat 

 up, summoned my energies, and concentrated my will power 

 on the purpose to cure her. I did not move my hands from 

 their original position, nor rub her, or make any " passes" over 

 her ; I simply forced the current of blood through my sluggish 

 veins, and felt the increased glow of excitement in my body as 

 of one struggling with an adversary whom he is bound to con- 

 quer. To all appearances I might have been trying to choke 

 the child, so intense was my attitude and gaze. 



For half an hour I continued thus to will my life into her 

 and then she was too frolicsome for me to keep in that position 

 longer, and greatly relieved, and full of the sense of a new dis- 

 covery of an old fact, I returned to tell my wife and rejoice 

 with her. 



From that time I was more ready to try to relieve any, and 

 all ailments in my family, while still refraining from attempting 

 to help others, or even speaking of the power to do so. Since 

 then no sore throat, or common cold, or ache, or bruise, or pain 

 of any nature, has failed to respond to the application of my hands 

 for a few moments. Even in the case of my own ailments, as in 

 a sore throat, a cold, a kick from a horse which was throbbing 

 with pain all through my left leg, the application of my hands soon 

 quieted it, and also neuralgic pains resulting from bruises on 

 the cheek bone yielded to my own hands. 



Every member of my family has thus many times been re- 

 lieved of aches, or had severe colds broken up. The child 

 Martha when eleven years old had the scarlet fever, and at the 

 crises was tossing with pain. I was having sole care of her. 

 Her suffering was so evident that I asked her if there was not a 

 place on her body that did not ache, thinking to distract her 

 attention, and not thinking I could help her myself; after awhile 

 she said she could think of six places "the tips of her hair, 

 ears, teeth, fingers, toes, and roots of her hair." 



Impelled by her evident distress to attempt to help her, I 

 sat down and took hold of both wrists lightly, and in five min- 

 utes she was lying quietly and restfully, after twenty minutes I 

 asked if she still ached. " No sir." " Not anywhere ?" "No 

 sir." "Cannot you name six places where you ache?" "No 

 sir." I did not treat her again, but she made a very rapid re- 

 covery from the fever, and has not had any ill effects from it, as 

 so often follow that disease. 



