Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-09-23
A QUEER STORY.
The Psychic Experience of London
Author.
Especial Correspondence.l

Author.
Special Correspondence
NEW NoRE, Aug. 30.-At the house OF "a
literary friend Of Brooklyn few weeks ago i
met Mr.. and Mrs. Gustafson, of London. Mr..
Gustafson won fame in England and also In
this country by his book Oh the drink ques-
tion entitled The Foundation of Death" His
wife, Zadcl Barnes Gustatson. American born
and DroLg ht up is a poet and magazinist OF
distinction, and while in this country is the
special representative OF The Pau Mall Ca
zette. Mr. Gustafson is a tall, dark haired
Swede, who retains enough accent of his ma
tive tongue To mark his nationality distinctly.
lie talks well as lie writes, though not 50
well his handsome wife, u young-faced
beauty with gray hair.
After the larger part Of the company left,
the remaining few of US, feeling relieved
from the CoustralIIC which Is the aNoidable
tiavoring OF the atmosphere OF a large COM
Iany, found ourselves chatting without re-
serve i'll the happcst manner Imaginable At
such times conversation is really spontaneous.
Bright thoughts, interesting experiences, hu-
uiorous adv ventures cOlhv forth IN attractive
form and with spirited step move about f.
tho entertainment Of those who called them
forth.
Somebody said something about the super
stitlon of the Norweglans regarding sleep.
rs it true, Mr.. Gustatson," asked another,
that they never wake anybody from sleep,
tor fear OF hurting tho SOUL which they be-
lieve TO be away from the body when one
sleeps {"
YES, when the spirit travels they think it
snUuld bc permitted To nnlSh its journey. y
sudden awakening IS ii shock"
"Hov l wish l lived in Norway" said a
vlc It.aL cha IA
Take six months uninterrupted nap II the
c.ues OF life would but permit her.
Then The talk driftvd toward the psychic
and mysterious, and Mr. Guslarson told this
story:
Some Years ago was visiting my home in
Snc eden My sister was TO Do married in
Few weeks and was anxious TO have me Ie-
liialr for the wedding. Though wanted to
do so, could not. Business affairs called me
back to London month before the wedding
occurred, and did not see my sister again
Tor i've 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,
| hlthough you stayed such u very, verv short
time"
/, knowing that had not been there, and
believing she was teasing me, said. Come to
your wedding. indeed; you know very well
wanted TO como. II did MOI:
"Oh. TO he sure you were not here for the
ceremony. but you were. here little while
III the afternoon, and L have always felt so
grateful to you. for | know it must have cost
you ever so much trouble"
Seeing that she was quite serious, and not
wishing TO staItle her by a denial of the
pleasant charge of being where had not, but
h
if possible, TO have been, begged that she
would tell me 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 I
saw you and hurried to meet you, kissed
you and so did Axel. We walked, holding
your arms to a summer kouSe and sat down.
But you surely remember"
NO, nN> clearly. Go on and tell me all
about it"
"Wel, Ch -istina. (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?"
"Yes, SURELY. Don't you remember"
"No, not exactly. Tell me, did / eat or
drink While here!"
"You drank some syrup, but You did not
stay to eat Yes, and YOU made speech"
81 made a speechl Why, what did 1 say"
@On, we have it written down. Axel wrote
T. down, and we have it Yet"
.Did l see many of the guests"
"Only those who We're in the garden with
Axel and me at the time. You would not 20
up stairs, although we urged you"
How did leave! | cannot remember
Suddenly and rather mySteriously. You
and my husband and 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 no longer with us and not
in sight. We supposed you had gone 10 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 together
"Yes; but l never thought OF it until now.
Everybody stared at you with the greatest
interest. am 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. You are not
in the least different rom what you seemed
to be then"
l assured her that was there in the flesh,
and net 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.
Allow do you explain it," some one asked.
81 don't explain it. 1t is perfectly incom-
prehenslble to me-"
perhaps it was one Of those strange appear
ances OF the spirit while the body sleeps,
which the Norwegians believe ill.," another
suggested.
But wasn't asleep. My wife and 1 dis
tinctly remembered that ON my sisters we'd
ding day we worked very hard all day."
WAS anything of the kind ever told of YOU
before or since." I asked.
Yes" answered MIR. Gustafson, "a lady in
London asserts that I once spent an hour III
her parlor, in company with other guests,
when wasn't there at ALL"
Who can explain iti Surely there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamed
>of in any ones philosophy.
EBBoN OLIVER
Changing the Subject.
Miss Clara-Do you not think Mr. Feath-