The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-30

1T is good wine" said tho pilgrim. holding
ont his glass. Except. perhaps. tho vintage
OF 1892 when the grapes"
The Baron stared at his guest Tho grapes
OF 1892" said he drily. lack forty years Of
rpening. You are aged. my friend. and your
mind wanders."
Excuse me. worthy host" calmly replied
tho pilgrim. The vintage Of 1899 has been
forty years cellared. You have no memory for
dates"
What call you this yoar7" demanded the
Baron.
by the almanacs and tho stars. and pre-
cedent and common consent, 1t is the year OF
grace fourteen hundred, three and thirty"
by my soul and hope OF salvation" eiacu-
lated the Baron. II Is the year OF grace thirteen
hundred, two and fifty"
There il evidently misunderstanding
somewhere" remarked tho venerable stranger
Il was born hero in the year 1859. the year the
Turks invaded Europe"
mo Turk has invaded Europe, thanks be 10
Heaven" replied Old Twenty Flnsks recover
ing his scif-control. You are either magician
or nm impostor In either case l shall order
you drawn and duartered rs soon as we have
finished this bottle Pray proceed with your
very interesting "reminiscences. and do not
spare the wine"
81 never practise magic" quietly replied the
pilgrim. and as to being an impostor. scan
well my face. Don't you recognize the family
nose. thick, short. and generously eoloredp
How about the three lateral and two diagonal
wrinkles on my brow 2 see them there on
yours Are not my chaps weinstein chaps
Look closely l court investigation"
You do look damnably like u.s." the Baron
admitted.
Nv was the youngest" tho stranger went on.
| - L.
sickly things. and did not long survive their
| birth. As n child I was the idol OF my poor
father who had some traits worthy Of respectful
mention. guzzling old topper and uncomfortable
thief though he was"
The Baron WINGED.
They used to call him Old Twenty Flasks.
II is my candid opinion. based on memory, that
| Old Forty Flasks would have been nearer the
truth"
IT'S a liep shouted the Baron. II rarely
exceeded twenty bottles"
And IA for his standing In the community"
tho pilgrim went on without taking heed OF the
interruption. " 1t must be confessed that moth
ing could be worse. lie was the terror Of hon
est folk for miles around. Property rights we're
extremely insecure In this neiRhborhood. for
the rapacity Of my lamented parent knew no
bounds. Yot nobody dared TO complain aloud.
| for lives were not much safer than sheep or
ducats. How the people hated his shadow. and
roundly cursed him behind his back remem-
Der we'll that when was about fourteenth must
have been in '66. the year the Grand Turk oc-
cupied Adranople-tall Hugo the miller. called
me up 10 him. and said: Boy thou hast right
pretty nose II is pretty nose, Hugo said I.
strengthening up. Is II on firm and stronRT
asked Hugo. with sheer Firm enough. and
strong enough. dare say. answered; but
! ,,h, 81 N
boy said Hugo. turning away; look sharp
with thine eyes after thy nose when thy father
is unoccupied for he has just that conscience to
steal the nose of his sons face In lack OF better
| plumber"
by ST. Christopherp roared the Baron.
tall Hugo. the miller. shall pay for this.
always suspected him. BY St. Christopher's
burden. I'll break every bone In his villainous
body"
"'Twould be an gnobe vengeance" replied
the pilgrim. quietly. for tall Hugo has been
in his grave these sixty years"
True" said tho Baron. putting both hands
to his head and gazing at his guest with look
! OF utter helplessness. " forgot that it Is now
| next century-that is to say. II you DO not a
spectre"
' You will excuse me. my respected parent"
returned the pilgrim, d" II | subject your n.y.
poihesis to the test Of logic. for it touches me
! upon n very tender spot. impugning. rs ii does.
my physical verify and my status as an actual
indiyidualzed Ego. Now. what Is our relative
position? You acknowledge the date OF my birth
10 have been tho year Of grace 1852. That is a
matter in which your memory is not likely to
/ be at fault On the other hand with q strange
Inconsistency. you maintain. in the face Of al
manacs, chronologies and the march OF events
that II is still the year OF grace 1852. We're you
one OF tho seven sleepers. your hallucnation
| ito use no harsher term might be pardoned.
! but you are neither n sleeper nor a Saint Now.
| every one OF the eighty years that are packed
away in the carpet bag OF my experience pro-
tests against your extraordinary error. 1t is
who have a prima faeie right TO question your
physical existence. not yoa mine. Did you
ever hear Of a ghost. spectre. wrath. appa-
rtion. eidolon. or spook coming out OF tho flu
ture to haunt. annoy. or brighten individuals OF
an earlier generation p
The Baron was obliged to admit that he never
had.
" But you have heard OF instances where ap-
partitions. ghosts. spooks. call them what you
will. have invaded the Present from out tho
limbo Of the Past 2"
The Baron crossed himself second time and
peered anxiously into the dark corners OF the
apartment. " II you are genuine Won Vein
stein" he whispered, you already know that
this castle is overrun with spectres Of that Sort
1t is difficult TO move about after nghtfall with
out tumbling over half dozen Of them"
Then" said the placid logician. =" you sur
render your case You commit what, my re-
vered preceptor in daleetics. the learned Ara
bian. Ben Dusty. used to style sylloglstic sui
eide. For you allow that. while ghosts out OF
the future are unheard Of ghosts from the past
are not infrequently encountered. Now. sub
NIT to you as n candid man this proposition:
That 1t is infinitely more probable that YOU
are a ghost than that am one"
The Baron turned very red. Is this lllal."
he demanded. TO deny the fesh and blood Of
your own father ?"
Is it paternal." retorted tho pilgrim. not
losing his composure. TO insinuate the un-
readiness OF the son OF your own begetting p
BY all the santsl" growed the Baron.
growing still redder this question shall be
settled and speedily. Halloo. there. seneschalP
He called again and again. but in vain.
Spare your lungs" calmly suggested the
pilgrim. The best trained domestic in the
world will not stir from beneath the sod for all