The sun., 1881-01-30

sleeve. ms II TO invite mo up stairs ascended
step or two and tho pressure on my arm was
relaxed. paused. and the silent invitation was
repeated with an urgency that left no doubt aB
TO what was wanted.
We mounted the stairs together, the presence
leading tho way following. What an eXtraor-
binary Journey 1t wasl The halls were bright
with gaslight. BY the testimony Of my eyes
there was no one but myself upon the stairway.
Closing my eyes. tho Illusion. II illusion 1t
could be called was perfect. / could hear tho
creaking OF the stairs ahead OF me. tho soft but
distinctly audible footballs synehronous with
my own. even the regular breathing OF my
companion and guide. Extending my arm.
could touch and finger tho skirt OF his gar
ment-a heavy woollon cloak lined with silk.
Suddenly ! opened my eyes. They told mo
again that was absolutely alone.
This problem then presented itself to mind:
How to determine whether vision was playing
me false while tho sonscs OF hearing and feeling
correctly informed mo. or whether my ears and
touch lied, while my eyes reported tho truth.
Who shall be arber when the senses contradict
each other? The reasoning faculty? Reason
was inclined to recognizo tho presence OF an in
tclligent being. whose existence WAS natly de-
MED by the most trusted Of tho senses.
Wo reached tho topmost floor Of tho house
Tho door leading out Of tho public hall opened
for me, apparently OF its own accord. cur
tain within seemed to draw itself aslde aud
hold itself aside long enough to give mo ngress
to m apartment wherein every appointment
spoke OF good tasto and scholarly habits. A
wood fro was burning in tho chimney place
The walls were covered with books and pic
lures. Tho lounginR chairs were capaoious
and inviting. There was nothing in tho room
uncanny. nothing weird nothing different from
Al. "A
istcnce,
BY this time had cleared my mind OF tho
last lingering suspicion OF the supernatural
These phenomena we're perhaps not inexplca-
BILE; all that lacked was the key. The bohav-
Tor OF my unseen host argued his micabe dis
position. was able to watch with perfect calm
moss series of manifestations OF independent
energy on the part OF nanlmate objects.
In the first place. a great Turkish easy chair
wheeled Itself out Of corner OF the room and
approached the hearth. Then u square backed
Queen Anne chair started from another corner.
advancing until It was planted directly opposite
the first little tripod table lifted itself q few
inches above tho floor and took n position be-
tween the two chairs. A thick octave volume
backed out OF its place on the shelf and sailed
TRANQUILITY through the air at the height OF three
or four feet landing neatly on top of the table.
finely painted porcelain pipe left n hook on
the wall and Joined the volume. tobacco box
jumped from tho mantelpiece, The door OF q
cabinet swung open. and decanter and wine
glass made the journey in company, arriving
simultaneously at the came destination. Every
thing In the room seemed instinct with the
spirit Of hospitality.
l seated myself in the easy chair. filled tho
wineglass. lighted the pipe and examined the
volume. 1t Was the HandJuch der Ge,cedelelrs
OF Bussius OF Vienna. When had replaced the
book upon tho table it deliberately opened itself
at the four hundred and forty-third page.
You are not nervous?" demanded voice,
not four feet from my tympanum.