Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-03-23
Continued from last week.}

Continued from last weekb
CHAPTER XI.-A COUNCIL.
The day after the dance there was a
committee of three in Bethiah's studio.
1t consisted of Bethiah herself, Tom and
Sibyl.
The business before that committee was
the actual condition and the future pros
poets OF Paul, or Herr Paulus, BY baptism
Ziphion, and by patronymic Trinder.
"He went away" said Tom, before
anybody was out of bed this morning. 1t
is alleged by housemaid that she was up
at six, and that his bedroom door was
then open. But this evidence is not con-
sidered trustworthy :"
Il hope and trust that he has not resolv-
ed to vanish,' said Bethiah. 81 know
that he did think of vanishing when his
last miracle was accomplished"
81 should not think so" said Tom. "He
packed up and took away all his things.
The illustrious pretender who jumped into
Etna took away nothing but his brazen
slippers, which the volcano refused to
keep, as useless. What does a volcano
want with slippers Paul took away a
beautiful new portmanteau, large, and
stuffed with things and a lovely dressing
case crammed with silver things; and
sealskin coats and fur-lined coats, and
gold-headed umbrellas. Oh he hasn't
vanished"
did he leave any letter ?"
Yes. He left a note for Lady Augusta
thanking her briefly for her great kind
ness to him during his stay"
and what does Lady Augusta say"
''She has come to the conclusion that his
friends in Abyssinia have called him away
and that heis now sitting in a white linen
robe, exchanging maxims with the Sage
Izak Ibn Meneek. Mr.. Brudenel is of
she same opinion, and Lady Augusta talks
If getting together the fragments of phil
%1sophic teaching which the young prophet
has left behind"
"Oh Paul must see her." cried BETH
nh in distress. He must tell her the
truth. He must. Mr.. Langston," Be
thiah turned to Tom with pleading eyes,
please try not to despse my poor boy too
much. He was always imaginative and
sensitive. ] never saw anywhere a boy of
quicker perceptions. He was like a girl
for jumping straight at a conclusion. He
Was like a girl in many other ways. He
hated rough work and rough talk. He
was perfectly unfit to struggle with other
men. As for money, there was not anoth-
er American in the world who cared less
about it and was less qualified to make
money"
Well-but-still-" said Tom.
wait little, Mr.. Langston. He left
mis- native town-oh why did we let him
20 at seventeen. He went to New York
resolved to become poet-all at once. He
Called, of course. He spent his money and
then fell iuto the hands OF man who
called him his pupil, humored and encour-
aged him. and kept him ignorant of the
world. Never was any boy so ignorant of
che world as Paul. He knew nothing.
This man, who must be most dangerous,
anscrupulous person. persuaded HIM that
his power of magnetic influence could be
made lever by which he could conquer
che world, Then he gradually encouraged
him to set off the plain and simple mes
merism with all kinds of articles and pre-
fences 1t was setting his own ceverness
against the clevecness OF the world, it was
r1oing what all other men did, to pretend
all kinds Of knowledge ia order to make
lse of the one kind they knew. For seven
years this man used Paul =; he kept him all
The time apart from society, from papers
and from other young meu he exag yerat
I'D his importance and his reputation he
made the lad believe that he WAS an OBJ
sect Of general admiration, and that the
,xrandest thing in the world was to gain
distinction as the pOSseSSor of supernatur
al powers With this object everything
pill. Paul has told me much. and hav,
learned more from some New YorK friends
now In London. 1t was the young Italian
he was called Signor Paolo-whO attract
ed the people to the house where this pre-
tender offered supernatural guidance t,
III -ln.Nx will N M fn Tha,
Cooked to ask his advice, or to wtnes,
his marvellous quickness and readiness
The money flowed in the old man has go
it all, and will not give Paul any. Eigh
months ago, they left New York for a tou
n Europe, meaning, | suppose, to return
With bigger pretences still. You know
The rest.
He certainly did pretend-tremendous
said Tom, perslstently.
IF he pretends no more, Mr., Langstor
will you forgive him :"
con forgive him? certainly-with tn
greatest pleasure" Tom replied readily
There is no question of forgiveness.
tneW all along that he was humbuggin
is. aud ! set myself to find ont. | like
the fellow, | confess, and we GOT chumm
II the evenings, and supposed he kne,
al the time what | thought Of him. A
Tor forgiying-why, declare that nothing
the world ever astonished me so niue
as TO see the way he took 1t when / shove
him how it was done. The mao actual
anted Yet be must have known that
lsver took him seriously"
He thought" SAID BeJhiah, that h
rad compelled you to take him seriously
And suppose-oh l know the poor DO
/ am certain that he concluded that 20
'1tenoed to expose him publicly and in
Znediately, and he suddenly realized tn
Shameiulness of the position and his ow
aegrsdation.m
again, touching forgiveness" Toi
vent on. 1--WE are, on the other hant
deeply, very deeply Indebted to him fC
saXing vast sum of money-all we mao
some of Us. To besure, he made mir,
Gle of it. What did that matter In tha
house, a miracle is neither here nor Their
oibyl has seen so many, that she expect
the order of things to be reversed rattle
than to follow in their usual sequen
whenever new medium comes alonl
Of course. we despise the medium bl
in his case we will separate the medium
from the man beneath"
1--WE shall always be grateful to him,
said Sibyl. Whatever he does cannc
destroy our Indebtedness. If he marie