EXCITING CURIOSITY. 491 



any rate, on the next day the members of the Legislature, 

 the officers of the Second Maine Cavalry, and those of the 

 Fourth Infantry, attended my lecture in a body. The 

 better to illustrate the inclination of many people to 

 magnify trifling events when not understood, I will in- 

 clude here an incident in point: 



Once, in a town where I was entirely unknown, and 

 the prospect for success very doubtful, I was incited to go 

 with a man to his stable to look at a valuable mare. She 

 stood quietly enough in the stall, but on approaching, my 

 suspicions were excited by noticing the fear of the owner. 

 Observing carefully, I saw that unless approached just 

 right, she would be likely to kick, and determined at once 

 to make the circumstance a key to my success. 



While standing a little behind the stall, to attract her 

 attention I spoke to her sharply, at the same time glided 

 up to her shoulder, rubbed and caressed her head a little, 

 and then got out in the same manner. I told the man 

 there would be no trouble in managing her, which was true. 

 I then went directly back to the hotel, claiming to be in a 

 hurry, but in reality for the purpose of allowing him an 

 opportunity to ventilate his opinions among his neighbors, 

 which he did with an effect quite beyond my expectations. 

 After my exhibition, the moment I was ready to form a 

 class, the citizens voluntarily came forward and gave me 

 their names. 



After the experiments and instructions, I was with 

 much interest asked, " How did you manage to get inside 

 that mare's stall to-day without getting kicked ? " Said 

 they, " She is one of the worst mares in the country. No 

 one has been inside her stall before for over three months, 

 for she would kick any one going near her." The owner 

 had told the people, as I expected he would, that as soon 

 as I went near or looked at the mare, her whole character 



