The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-09-09
A QUEER STORY.
The Psychic Experience of Lordon
Author.
Especial Correspondence.I

New YORK, Aug. 30.-At the house of a
literary friend of Brooklyn few weeks ago
met Mr.. and Mrs Gustafson, of London. Mr..
Gustafson won fame in England and also in
this country by his book on the drink cues
ton entitled "The Foundation of Death" His
wife, Zadel Barnes Gustafson. American born
and brought up, is a poet and magazinst of
distinction, and while in this country is the
special representative of The Pail Mall Ga
zette MIR. Gustafson is a tall, dark-haired
Swede, who retains enough accent of his ma
tive tongue to mark his nationality distinctly
He talks as well as he writes, though not so
well as his handsome wife, young-faced
beauty with gray hair.
After the larger part of the company left,
the remaining few of us, feeling relieved
from the constraint which is the unavoidable
tiavoring of the atmosphere of large COM
pany, found ourselves chatting without re-
serve in the happiest manner imaginable. At
such times conversation is really spontaneous.
Bright thoughts, interesting experiences, hui
morous adventures come forth in attractive
form and with spirited step move about for
the entertainment of those who called them
FORTH
Somebody said something about the super
stition of the Norwegians regarding sleep.
"1s it true, Mr.. Gustafson," asked another,
"that they never wake anybody from sleep,
for fear of hurting the soul, which they be-
lieve to be away from the body when one
sleeps!'
eyes; when the spirit travels they think it
should be permitted to finish its journey. A
sudden awakening is a shock"
"How wish l lived in Norway" said
tired woman, who looked as though she could
take six months uninterrupted nap if the
cares Of life would but permit her.
Then the talk drifted toward the psychic
and mysterious, and Mr.. Gustafson told this
story:
Some years ago was visiting my home in
Sweden. My sister was to be married in
few weeks and was anxious to have me re-
main for the wedding. Though l wanted to
do so, | could not. Business affairs called me
back 10 London month before the wedding
occurred, and l did not see my sister again
for five years. Then, when l went to visit
her and her husband, after greeting me, she
said: "Oh, brother, have always been SO
grateful to you for coming to my wedding,
although you stayed such a very, very short
time"
believing she was teasing me, said, "Come to
your wedding, indeed; you know very well
wanted to come, if | did not"
"Oh, to be sure you were not here for the
ceremony, but you were here a little while
in the after DON, and l have always felt 50
glatef ii to lou, for know it must have cost
you ever so lnuch trouble"
Seeing that she was quite serious, and not
wishing to startle her by a denial of the
pleasant charge Of being where | had not, but
should like to have been, and where | ought,
if possible, to have been, | begged that she
would tell he all about it, as five years had
somewhat impaired my memory of the Incl
dent
"Why, you know, brother, when you were
entering the gate Axel (her husband) and
saw you and hurried to meet you, kissed
you and so did Axel. We walked, holding
your arms, to a summer house and sat down.
But you surely remember"
"No, not clearly. Go ON and tell me all
about it."
"Well Christina (the old housekeeper, who
had known me since | was an infant came
down, and was delighted to see you"
"Whati did Christina see me and talk to
me-"
eyes, surely. Don't you rememberW
"No, not exactly. Tell me, did eat or
drink while here's"
"You drank some syrup, but you did not
stay to eat. Yes, and you made speech"
II made speech Why, what did l sayr
"Oh, we have it written down. Axel wrote
it down, and we have it yet"
"Did l see many of the guestsp
"Only those who were in the garden with
Axel and me at the time. You would not go
up stairs, although we urged you"
"How did leavel cannot remember"
"Suddenly and rather mysteriously. You
and my husband and l started to walk. We
reached a corner and you suddenly left us.
We did not see you go, but when we turned
around you were 10 longer with us and not
in sight. We supposed you had gone to the
house. But you had not and we saw you no
more"
Did the people we met look at us much
when we were walking togetherW
ayes; but never thought Of it until now.
Everybody stared at you with the greatest
interest. ana sure don't know why. You
were looking exceedingly well, and were well
dressed, as matter OF course"
Then told her that had not been there at
all; that | was not even out of London at the
time. She could not believe it. At last she
said:
"Why, brother, if you were not really here
then, perhaps YOU are NOT now Va" srn me-
III une least ulIIerenu from what you seemed
to be then"
assured her that was there in the flesh,
and not likely to vanish suddenly. We talked
over the mysterious visit. Her husband, the
housekeeper, and such of the guests as saw
me corroborated the story The speech / was
said to have made was read to me. 1t was
quite new to me ] had no recollection of
ever thinking of any part of it.
"How do you explain it," some one asked.
II don't explain it. 1t is perfectly incom-
prehensible to me-"
"Perhaps it was one of those strange appear
ances Of the spirit while the body sleeps,
which the Norwegians believe in" another
suggested.
"But l wasn't asleep. My wife and I dis
tinctly remembered that on my sisters we'd
ding day we worked very hard all day."
"IVas anything of the kind ever told of you
before or since" asked
Eyes, answered Mr.. Gustafson, "a lady in
London asserts that once spent an hour in
her parlor, in company with other guests,
when l wasn't there at all"
Who can explain it, Surely there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamed
of in any ones nhilosODhV