Early Days
I WAS born in Denmark, and am proud to be a citizen of the country from which beautiful Queen Alexandra came. I have had the honour of appearing before the Queen Mother, who, with that grace and charm which characterises her, set me a few tests of a novel and entertaining nature about which I shall have more to say presently.
In my early days I worked in a foundry, where I received the meagre sum of--in English money--28s. a week, and you will agree that there is nothing very psychic in foundry work. It was not till I went to America that I first discovered the remarkable harmony that existed between the minds of my wife and myself that gave rise to the idea resulting in two complete tours of the world, giving our demonstrations of thoughtreading, or thought-transference, whichever you like to call it, everywhere we went.
My wife was a little Danish girl, and I had known her nearly all my life, having been brought up in the same village with her. This probably accounts to some extent for the unity existing between us. But it was in America, not in Denmark, that I first noticed how almost invariably we anticipated each other's thoughts, but more particularly how my wife repeatedly mentioned things an events about which I was thinking, but had not spoken.
For example, when I came home from the foundry at night she would any to me, "Would you like so and so?" mentioning something for a meal. Nine times out of ten I would reply, "Well,that's very strange, dear, but I was just thinking about it. How did you know?" she would reply, "I just saw it."
When this happened time after time, it suddenly struck me how interesting it would be if this power could be developed to some little extent. Of course, I had no idea that it was going to develop to the marvellous length that it has done. But we set to work to practise, and our first experiments were of a very simple nature. We would get a pack of cards, and I would try to obtain a clear, sharp vision of this card, and my wife would endeavour to tell me what it was.
Now there were dozens and dozens of failures, for you must remember that my wife would often try to guess a card. This was when we were not quite en rapport with each other. It was not necessary for her to concentrate, as it was for me. It was simply necessary that she should make her mind a complete blank, by banishing all other thoughts, and remaining in an absolutely passive condition to receive my thought pictures.
Just by way of experiment select any card from a pack and after gazing intently at it, shut your eyes and endeavour to conjure up a picture of that card before you. You will find it very difficult, at first, but eventually you will he able to do to.
At length, after many dissapointments and repeated trials, I succeeded in being able to transfer from my mind to that of my wife the mental visions of any object at which I was gazing.
Having become more or less proficient in the art of thought-transference, we used to amuse our friends by giving private demonstrations at parties, and to a certain extent we became very well known in the locality, and on account of the extraordinary novelty of our entertainment we were asked out to various homes night after night.
Remember, I was a comparatively poor man living with my wife in very modestly-furnished apartments. I worked tremendously hard during the day, and my wages were still very small.
It suddenly dawned on me that I was being asked to these parties not so much for the pleasure of my company as for the interesting entertainment which I was able to supply; and an I was somewhat ambitious, and, if you like, mercenary, I decided to put my point of view to the test. So one day, when a lady acquaintance sent a message asking me to dine with them that evening I told her very politely that I was afraid I should be unable to come.
At once the truth of my suspicion was verified, for she came herself to see me and begged me to go, explaining that she had invited a large party of friends to whom she had boasted of my wonderful powers, and promised them a demonstration.
"You must come," alto urged. "I'll do anything for you if you will, even to paying you for it."
I determined to see whether she really meant what she said. I stated that if she cared to pay me a certain fee I might be induced to change my mind. She simply leapt at the opportunity, and said that she had only been deterred from suggesting payment by fear of hurting my feelings and offending me.
I assured her that, I was by no mean, offended, and that in future I should turn my entertainment to account by charging a small fee whenever I appeared.
Growing Reputation
The result was that I soon found my social engagements were more profitable than my work at the foundry, and in the end I threw up my foundry work and applied myself to the less exacting and more pleasurable occupation which I now follow.
My first big public appearance was at the San Sousa Park, Chicago, where there were a gathering of astrologers, palmists, fortune-tellers of all descriptions, and, the greatest novelty of all, the Zancigs. We were only engaged for one season on a percentage basis of the takings, but we did so well that when they wanted us to go back again I suggested that a larger percentage of the takings should be given us. The manager was a hard-fisted stager, who stated he could not give us any more.
When he adopted this tone I thanked him, told him there was nothing doing, and determined to get on with my private engagements.
It so happened that on one occasion Oscar Hammerstein, the great impresario of the Roof Gardens, New York, was present at one of the gatherings where I appeared, and he was so impressed by our performance that he engaged us to appear there for eleven weeks, during which time we became famous.
After thirty years of completely happy married life my wife died. I thought that the end of everything had come to me. It seemed that there was nothing in life worth living for without her, and that was my state of mind, when suddenly another wonderful happening altered the whole course of my career.
I was at a party when the hostess remarked to me that there was a charming woman to whom she desired to introduce me. I entered a room that was thronged with people, and as I entered it I became obsessed with this feeling that there was someone there who was part of me.
At that moment my eyes fell upon a woman sitting at the for side of the room, and without waiting for my hostess to effect an introduction I walked straight across to her, and as I gazed into her eyes I remarked, "Is your initial A?" and she nodded her head.
Again I spoke, "Your name is Agnes?" I said, and again she nodded her head in assent. Once more the coincidence of this remarkable meeting is emphasized for the name of my first wife was also Agnes.
We shook hands, and as we did so I could feel that there was a bond of sympathy between us, and from that moment I knew that we were destined to become man and wife.
After our marriage I discovered that the same unity of mind and understanding that existed between the first Mrs. Zancig and myself existed also between my second wife and me. The result was that we practised, and have now attained that same remarkable efficiency through which we can once more describe ourselves an "Two minds with but a single thought."