how tell a story and others-第2章
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impressible girl deliver a startled little yelp and jump out of her seat
and that was what I was after。 This story was called 〃The Golden Arm；〃
and was told in this fashion。 You can practise with it yourselfand
mind you look out for the pause and get it right。
THE GOLDEN ARM。
Once 'pon a time dey wuz a monsus mean man； en he live 'way out in de
prairie all 'lone by hisself； 'cep'n he had a wife。 En bimeby she died；
en he tuck en toted her way out dah in de prairie en buried her。 Well；
she had a golden armall solid gold； fum de shoulder down。 He wuz
pow'ful meanpow'ful； en dat night he couldn't sleep； Gaze he want dat
golden arm so bad。
When it come midnight he couldn't stan' it no mo'； so he git up； he did；
en tuck his lantern en shoved out thoo de storm en dug her up en got de
golden arm； en he bent his head down 'gin de win'； en plowed en plowed en
plowed thoo de snow。 Den all on a sudden he stop （make a considerable
pause here； and look startled； and take a listening attitude） en say：
〃My LAN'； what's dat！〃
En he listenen listenen de win' say （set your teeth together and
imitate the wailing and wheezing singsong of the wind）； 〃Bzzz…z…zzz〃…
en den； way back yonder whah de grave is； he hear a voice！ he hear a
voice all mix' up in de win' can't hardly tell 'em 'part〃 Bzzz…zzz
W…h…og…o…tm…yg…o…l…d…e…n arm？ zzzzzz W…h…o g…o…t m…y g…o…l…
d…e…n arm！〃 （You must begin to shiver violently now。）
En he begin to shiver en shake； en say； 〃Oh； my！ OH； my lan'！ 〃en de
win' blow de lantern out； en de snow en sleet blow in his face en mos'
choke him； en he start a…plowin' knee…deep towards home mos' dead； he so
sk'yerden pooty soon he hear de voice agin； en （pause） it 'us comin'
after him！ 〃BzzzzzzzzzW…h…og…o…t m…yg…o…l…d…e…narm？〃
When he git to de pasture he hear it agin closter now； en a…comin'！
a…comin' back dah in de dark en de storm（repeat the wind and the
voice）。 When he git to de house he rush up…stairs en jump in de bed en
kiver up； head and years； en lay dah shiverin' en shakin'en den way out
dah he hear it agin！ en a…comin'！ En bimeby he hear （pauseawed；
listening attitude）patpatpat hit's acomin' up…stairs！ Den he
hear de latch； en he know it's in de room！
Den pooty soon he know it's a…stannin' by de bed ！ （Pause。） Denhe know
it's a…bendin' down over himen he cain't skasely git his breath！ Den
denhe seem to feel someth' n c…o…l…d； right down 'most agin his head！
（Pause。）
Den de voice say； right at his year 〃 W…h…o g…o…tm…yg…o…l…d…e…n
arm？〃 （You must wail it out very plaintively and accusingly； then you
stare steadily and impressively into the face of the farthest…gone
auditora girl； preferably and let that awe…inspiring pause begin to
build itself in the deep hush。 When it has reached exactly the right
length； jump suddenly at that girl and yell； 〃You've got it！〃
If you've got the pause right； she'll fetch a dear little yelp and spring
right out of her shoes。 But you must get the pause right； and you will
find it the most troublesome and aggravating and uncertain thing you ever
undertook。
MENTAL TELEGRAPHY AGAIN
I have three or four curious incidents to tell about。 They seem to come
under the head of what I named 〃Mental Telegraphy〃 in a paper written
seventeen years ago； and published long afterwards。 ＇The paper entitled
〃Mental Telegraphy；〃 which originally appeared in Harper's Magazine for
December； 1893； is included in the volume entitled The American Claimant
and Other Stories and Sketches。＇
Several years ago I made a campaign on the platform with Mr。 George W。
Cable。 In Montreal we were honored with a reception。 It began at two in
the afternoon in a long drawing…room in the Windsor Hotel。 Mr。 Cable and
I stood at one end of this room； and the ladies and gentlemen entered it
at the other end； crossed it at that end； then came up the long left…hand
side； shook hands with us； said a word or two； and passed on； in the
usual way。 My sight is of the telescopic sort； and I presently
recognized a familiar face among the throng of strangers drifting in at
the distant door； and I said to myself； with surprise and high
gratification； 〃That is Mrs。 R。； I had forgotten that she was a
Canadian。〃 She had been a great friend of mine in Carson City； Nevada；
in the early days。 I had not seen her or heard of her for twenty years；
I had not been thinking about her； there was nothing to suggest her to
me； nothing to bring her to my mind； in fact； to me she had long ago
ceased to exist； and had disappeared from my consciousness。 But I knew
her instantly； and I saw her so clearly that I was able to note some of
the particulars of her dress； and did note them； and they remained in my
mind。 I was impatient for her to come。 In the midst of the hand…
shakings I snatched glimpses of her and noted her progress with the slow…
moving file across the end of the room； then I saw her start up the side；
and this gave me a full front view of her face。 I saw her last when she
was within twenty…five feet of me。 For an hour I kept thinking she must
still be in the room somewhere and would come at last； but I was
disappointed。
When I arrived in the lecture…hall that evening some one said： 〃Come into
the waiting…room； there's a friend of yours there who wants to see you。
You'll not be introducedyou are to do the recognizing without help if
you can。〃
I said to myself： 〃It is Mrs。 R。； I shan't have any trouble。〃
There were perhaps ten ladies present； all seated。 In the midst of them
was Mrs。 R。； as I had expected。 She was dressed exactly as she was when
I had seen her in the afternoon。 I went forward and shook hands with her
and called her by name； and said：
〃I knew you the moment you appeared at the reception this afternoon。〃
She looked surprised； and said： 〃But I was not at the reception。 I have
just arrived from Quebec； and have not been in town an hour。〃
It was my turn to be surprised now。 I said： 〃I can't help it。 I give
you my word of honor that it is as I say。 I saw you at the reception；
and you were dressed precisely as you are now。 When they told me a
moment ago that I should find a friend in this room； your image rose
before me； dress and all； just as I had seen you at the reception。〃
Those are the facts。 She was not at the reception at all； or anywhere
near it； but I saw her there nevertheless； and most clearly and
unmistakably。 To that I could make oath。 How is one to explain this？ I
was not thinking of her at the time； had not thought of her for years。
But she had been thinking of me； no doubt； did her thoughts flit through
leagues of air to me； and bring with it that clear and pleasant vision of
herself？ I think so。 That was and remains my sole experience in the
matter of apparitionsI mean apparitions that come when one is
（ostensibly） awake。 I could have been asleep for a moment； the
apparition could have been the creature of a dream。 Still； that is
nothing to the point； the feature of interest is the happening of the
thing just at that time； instead of at an earlier or later time； which is
argument that its origin lay in thought…transference。
My next incident will be set aside by most persons as being merely
a 〃coincidence；〃 I suppose。 Years ago I used to think sometimes of
making a lecturing trip through the antipodes and the borders of the
Orient； but always gave up the idea； partly because of the great length
of the journey and partly because my wife could not well manage to go
with me。 Towards the end of last January that idea； after an interval of
years； came suddenly into my head againforcefully； too； and without any
apparent reason。 Whence came it？ What suggested it？ I will touch upon
that presently。
I was at that time where I am nowin Paris。 I wrote at once to Henry M。
Stanley （London）； and asked him some questions about his Australian
lecture tour； and inquired who had conducted him and what were the terms。
After a day or two his answer came。 It began：
〃The lecture agent for Australia and New Zealand is par
excellence Mr。 R。 S。 Smythe； of Melbourne。〃
He added his itinerary
