Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-01-20

that there might be no mistake in the
mind of Maitre LAX, should that wise mar
he in the rooms should they, l say
choose to deprive me of my fortune, II
will only be in accordance with their pre-
cepts Perhaps it may be taken into &C
count that am independent OF fortune
| want to make no more money that an
an elderly man of fixed habits which II
would be difficult to alter; want, really
want my little omforts and in this cold
climate man cannot sit on stile
wrapped in sheepskin, and mediate. The
misery of the ascetic life would destroy
the power of meditation, Tom. 1t would
make the Higher Plane impossible. We
are not in the East; | cannot go about
with nothing on; should look a fool If |
attempted it-and so would Lady Augusta.
Tom, in the West, a man may be Phil
osopher bnt he must be respectable"
why, yes,n said Tom, "the Fakir bust
ness does not become frock coat. Fancy
st. Simeon Stylites in tall hat But
there is another way out Of it. Consider
may not Paul himself be a colossal
HumbugV
"No, Tom-no. Certainly not. That is
impossible"
Consider, sir, you have had many dis
appointments before. There have been
many others In whom, at the time, you
firmly believed. Yet they turned out i'm
posters, and cheated you of your money rs
well as your time. You have yourself
often said that the ease with which trick
cry can be accomplished is the greatest
drawback to Spiritual Research"
That is quite true. | have said it and
experienced it. Heaven knows, often
enough"
Then, sir, if one why not the other ~
NO" said Mr.. Brudenel, firmly, mot
Paul. Any other. But not Paul"
well, SIR" Tom insisted earnestly,
''if were to bring you proofs-proofs that
mild Not ha u faA haf mi or hD
like any other, would you listen :"
"Tom-Tom," said Mr.. Brudenel, with
the smile of superior knowledge. You
do not know you speak out of Ignorance
| could not waste time even IN listening to
your suspicious"
"In that case" Tom sighed in resigna
ton "let us go into the drawing ROOM
1t was then aboul a quarter-past nine.
The four ladies, VINO generally presented
the appearance of cheerfulness, II not al
ways of animation, were sitting III silence:
nobody played; nobody talked; nobody
sung; nobody laughed. 1t was a gloomy
continuation of the gloomy dinner; the
melancholy close of an anxious day. And
everybody listened for a footstep which
still delayed. AS for Sibyl, she was in
that frame of mind which impels a per
son, especially Il Cassandra, to spring up
before the multitude and cry aloud,
There | told you so All along ! told you
so ~ Cassandra was melancholy person
at all misunderstood, disbelieved,
Knocked, and extremely unpopular But
there were moments when she had her
trlumphs, as for example, when she stood
beside the burning Palace while the
Greeks were hurrying upon their prey, and
called aloud to Hecubl and her sisters
and the shrieking handmaidens, There
told you so All along told you SOP
Mr.. Brudenel took chair beside his
wife and sighed profoundly. No one ven
tured a word Of conso alton or of hope.
The situation was past both consolation
and hope Tom stood outside the ring and
tidgetted. Something was on his mind /:
something beyond the cause of the gener
al depression, and 1t was as if he was I'M
certain how to open the subject.
Sibyl perceived it and kindly gave him
the opening.
You had something to tell Us, Tom"
she said. Something important about
Herr Paulus."
She said this so softly and with such
sweetness of manner that everybody per-
ceived at once that something dlsagreeable
was coming.
as this a time, Tom" said Lady Au-
gusta, "for telling us that you do not be
lieve in supernatural forces -
at is question of perfectly natural
forces" Tom replied "Shall l tell you a
little story of how n man who pretended
to do miraculous things was watched, and
based on tricks 1t is really an interest
ing story, and has Il peculiar fitness on an
evening like the present"
"If you mean Paul" said Ccely, "you
had better tell your story, and then we can
ask Paul himself TO prove that it is not
true"
Very WE'LL" said Tom, 'ft is about
Paul. But perhaps, sir, you object to hear
the story ?''
~ said would not waste time in sift-
ing socalled proofs. But tell us what you
please-tell us-ah Mr.. Brudenel sigh
ed again-"tell us what you please
81 am only going to give you the result
of certain investigations and experiments
have been conducting. From the begin
ming | mistrusted Paul as ! should mis-
trust any man who starts with the pre-
tence Of having supernatural powers. Per
! liked him, as you know.
thought he was pretender, but of an or
der quite superior To the common run. I
warned him that | should watch, and he
laughed. Well / have watched, and |
have been rewarded by the full discovery
of how it has been done"
THAT is very curious and interesting"
Every body jumped, because no one had
observed Paul's entrance. Yet there was
no pretence at magical appearance. He
simply opened the door and stepped into
room. To be sure ne was always noise
less and the carpets were thick.
ne ulSCONety Vi now IL WAS uone,
Paul continued, " cannot but be extreme
ly interesting TO me, especially because !
myself have never been able to understand
it. And in future" he said, glanciIg at
Hetty, who had suddenly recovered and
dropped no longer, but sat up with color
in her cheeks and light in her eyes, lin
future, shall wonder all my life, more
and more, how it was done. | thank you
very much for finding out the mystery"
you are very welcome" said Tom. 81
will proceed then in your presence"
'1n your presence" echoed Sibyl the i'm
placable.
"As the evening draws on, and there is
which must be done before we
separate" said Paul, may | ask for the
ostponement-only the postponement-
for one hour-of these revelations :"
Certainly an hour will make no differ
ence"
Tom even felt relief at the postpone
ment. 1t is a truly horrid thing to have
to tell man, to his face, that he is an i'm
postor, Especially is it horrid when that
man is believed in by the rest of the house
hold as a Prophet
II have Message" Paul looked round
the circle, addressing all, but resting his
ewes on Mr. Brudenel