Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-03
Can't do it. | have an engagement"
with whom?'

William Pitt" replied absently.
William Pitt? Don't think / know
him. Well, come and look us up before
{ you return to Brighton. Goodbye"
| was vexed with what | had said, but as
my brother-in-law had not understood it. it
mattered but litte Macairidis lived in a
part OF London where | had never been
before. The way there was somewhat in
tricate, up and down all kinds of by-streets
and lleys-nevertheiess | did not once
inquire my way; though / did not notice
IL at the time, must have gone straight
and unerringly through the strange streets
as II drawn by a loadstone. | found him
installed IN fairly decent lodgings he said
he was expecting me-gave me a cigar
ana after little desultory conversation we
entered on the subject that had brought
me there.
do not remember now all the explana-
TONS with which he favored me, nor do |
think l altogether understood them at the
time, Speaking roughly it appeared that
every man was an inside passenger in his
own body, and had the power of getting
outside and carrying the senses of the
body with him, leaving the body behind
IN a state of coma. That / personally
had this power in an extraordinary de-
gree. was pleased to hear that, for | have
always considered myself different from
other men. That Macairidis not only had
the power of throwing man into a trance
and controlling the wanderings of the in
side passenger, but could also entrance
himself and wander in full possession of
his senses wherever he wished-that was
all nothing, Macairidis said, and any one
might be able to do so much But his
great secret-a secret which the world sup
posed to have died with the Witch of En-
dor-was his power of summoning the
spirits of the dead; that the spirit sum
moned was obliged to present itself in a
certain sphere-not unconnected with
many mathematical terms-in an embodied
form; that he could project-that was the
word he used-the sentient being of the
man in the trance into the same sphere.
and cause the embodied and the disem-
bodied to converse, his own will forming a
kind of telephone for the question: and the
unconscious will of the medium forming a
telephone for the answer Finally, that
he could at any moment entrance himself
and start off to consult any authority of
antiquity that he pleased. Such powers as
he possessed were the result of much labor ::
with my natural qualities and his guild
ance | might master them very quickly,
but | must not be disheartened if at first
! failed.
Let me try at once" exclaimed, and
summon William Pitt The Times shall
have such letter tomorrow on Irish
affairs as will convulse the whole country"
DO not expect too much, my friend,
and remember that as long as it is | who
throw you into the trance and exercise the
will, you will remember nothing afterward,
and you will have to depend on my ac-
count of what has passed. Well, we will
| try, if you wish, at once. But first tell
what you have been doing to-day~
| described in detail my visit to the
Office.
"Can you free your mind from these
business matters? Can you concentrate
your ideas entirely on what is now before
US? If you cannot, | warn you that the
attempt is useless"
l assured him that the events of the day
were quite forgotten, and that as far as
they were concerned my mind was per-
feet blank
Good; try and keep it So That should
give you little trouble Sit down in this
| NildAl W IilC hIlluOM, anu lDOh Ille Ill l1c
| face"
The late evening light fell equally on
both our faces. As | leaned back in nv
chair, my eyes seem to lose themselves in
the sombre light that poured from the
dark ones facing me. Two dusky hands
came and went before my face, making
slow passes. Suddenly everything disap-
peared.
/ opened my eyes and found some one
rubbing my forehead. was still sitting
in chair, but it was not the same direc-
ton; the blinds had been drawn down
and the gas was lighted. l felt deadly
tired. So heavy was the feeling of oppres-
sion that could hardly speak
3" | have been asleep" | murmured at
last
Macairidis returned no answer but
continued to smooth my forehead. Grad
ually the sense of fatigue and oppression
left me, though was still conscious of an
indefnable feeling of lassitude At length
Macairidis ceased from his exertions and
dropped into chair as if exhausted; his
face was pale and haggard and his eyes half
closed
"WeIl," l said impatiently, "was it a
success, or did you fail? | feel myself as
if | had awoke from sleep. and was none
the better"
GA SUGGEST" Well, it was hardly alto
gether successful, but for first attempt it
was very good-very good, indeed. Yes l
think you will make wonderful medium
But first tell me, do you remember moth
ing that has passedY
Nothing; it is though I have been
dead nothing whatever Nay, | do re-
member something. Who was that said to
me- Write writel write as | tell you ?
Surely must have heard these words, for
! seem to hear them still"
Macairidis looked at me anxiously.
"Can you remember no more than that Y'
he said. "Try to recall who it was that
said them"
"No; | can remember nothing more.
| tell you it was as though | had been
dead
1t is curious, then, that you should re-
member that. | will tell you now what
has passed. Once that you were thrown
into trance, | had no difficulty in guild
ing your thoughts; | projected your SEN
tient being into space and brought it into
contact with the embodied spirit of Pitt.
, You described him to me accurately
enough | made you converse with him
/ and hoped for great results, for never have
, | so easily controlled new will before.
Unfortunately your occupations of to-day
defeated my intentions; you would speak
/ to him of nothing but business; the ques-
t lions that | dictated to you you disre-
garded, and put others of your own; the
, answers in consequence were confused and
: useless. At one time you cried, He tells
/ me to write. How can / write it down
, when / have neither ink nor paper ?-that
must have been the impression that has
| still remained in your mind, and let me
t tell you that such recollections are not 6
| good sign"
l feel vaguely disappointed, although ]
had been warned not to expect too much
Suddenly, as l was putting on my gloves, ]
caught sight of my fingers.
"Hullol but l must have written some
, thing after all, for my fingers are inky"
Ink" cried Macairidis. "Ah, / an
afraid that is another result of your morn
t ing's work"
Impossible. l never wrote line
r had on my gloves until / came here"
"Voyons ca" Macairidis took my hanC
and gravely examined my fingers "Ah
, bah! mon ami, you are joking; there is NJ
, ink there