St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-03
Have Discovered a Wonderful
Way to Produce the "Ghost
I'D Improper
a. i.Favopite Entertainment
Since Sullivan's Unex-
u; pected Defeat.
Queer Franks Performed by
the Phantasm of q Boston
u Merchant.

at night in Sheeted masquerade, drag
ging clanking chain, and trying to
brighten people with its uneartilly
pranlls. To this variety of -specter the
chief objection is that it is dead. Neces-
sariiy, therefore, it is disagreeable.
And, besides, for the same reason, it is
not available for scientific purposes.
Not with its utmost efforts has the Bos-
ton Society for Psychical Research been
able thus far to secure a single specl-
men. In vain has the haunted house
committee advertised for a DOGGY to in
yestigate. Even the local cemeteries
and some of them are sufficiently an
cient to be fruitful of apparitions-have
not, up to date, responded to the de-
mand. 1t may be that the rigid sense OF
propriety which distinguishes the mod
ern Athenian in life restraints his, or
her, shade from leaving the tomb visit
the silent glimpses of the graveyard
moon. At all events, nothing in the
shape of all old-fashioned ghost has
been seen of late in this vicinity. Thus
it happens that the PSychical society
has devoted it's attention for some time
past mainly to the
PHANTASMS OF LIVING PEOPLE.
Of the fact that such things exist as
the ghosts of human beings yet alive
the public at large is hardly aware.
Nevertheless, this surprising truth has
long been familiar to the student OF
spectral philosophy. The ''ghost i'm
proper''-as the phantasm of a living
person is called-is identical with the
Spiritual essence known to the theo-
sophical adept as the ''astra body"
Before going any further, however. it
will be as we'll to explain just what the
nature of this astral body is. All inter
planetary space, as you have often read,
is filed with a gas SO Infinitely less
dense than the atmosphere as only to be
perceptible by scientific tests. The
so-called vacuum created by eXhauSting
the air in receiver is wholly occupied
by this s.ether." But a third element!a
thousand-fold more tenuoHs than ether
so the psychical experts say-likewise
preyades the universe. This element is
the sastras tdid," through which the
disciple of the divine Koot Hoomi,
as well as his brother M lhatmas-those
inspired teachers who, attired in
a single coffee bag apiece, pur-
sue, in the Businesses of the Hlmalaya
mountains. the calculation of ineffa-
forth to parts remote an unSubtantlal
image of himself. This Simulacrum-
projection of his own consciousness
is sometimes termed the ''aStral body"
To his physical makeup it bears a
shadowy likeness, its distinctnesS to
the eye 1esSening as the distance from
its original increases. Only to the Wis
ion of a fellow-adept, however, is it
perceptible when present. When dis
patched to given point it is conveyed
thither with the sWiftneSS of thought,
to return at once upon being summoned.
While absent it holds no commulIica-
ton with its owner, who is thus unac-
auainted with its movements and be-
havior. Unfortunately, it would seem
that phantas1nS of this description do
not always conduct themselves with
propriety. The astral body-like the
Individual it represents-may
sUCCUMB TO TEMPTATION
in one form OF another, thus giving rise
to complications, of which an illustra-
ton is afforded by the strange and pain
full adventure that recently befel a gen
tleman we'll known in business circles
here, who has been identified with the
psychical movement since its first be-
ginning. The gentleman referred to is
not the least conspicuous figure in
the group of metaphysical enthusiasts
who have devoted SO much attention to
the artificial propagation of spoOks. The
work in which they are engaged has
scarcely passed as yet beyond the eX-
perimental stage. Facility in the pro-
lection of ones phantasm to point re-
mote is only to be attained, as might
very we'll be imagined, by long practice.
For more than three years past, how
ever. this species of pSychical gymnaS-
ties has engaged the interest of many re-
spectacle people in Boston. The crea-
ton of such spectral apparitionS has, in
fact, become popular form of entertain
ment in certain circles here. and fiocks
of ghosts are arriving and leaving the
city every hour in the tWenty-four.
Even the late blizzard, which cut off all
communication by rail or telegraph
with the outside world, did not inter-
rupt this sort of travel. Some little
time ago delegate was sent to Chicago
by the Psychical society with instruc-
tions to project his phantasm into the
presence of a committee in session at
the Tavern club, on Boylston place.
Unfortunately the trusted agent was in
weighed into seeing the metropolis by
the lakes under the gaslight, and the
condition of his astral body when it
reached here was positively deplorable.
But this occurrence though itself very
distressing trifie compared to
the alarming experience recently met
with by the distinguished member
aforementioned in the course of his in
yestigations of things supernatural.
Now, the said member is a rather
elderly and erusty person, OF quiet life
and sober habits, who finds in the incu-
baton of ghosts cOngenlal recreation
;or the empl " ment of his leisure time.
Other eecentricities he has none-un-
less weakness for saving his money
may be called such. Phantoms, how
ever-though undoubtedly ii luxury
are not, as rule, expensive. And us
it happens that the old gentle an, by
patient attention to the subject. has be-
come quite an expert in pSychical eX-
ereises. Well might the friends of this
austerely yirtu us citizen be diSmayed
!, at the reports which have lately gained
circulation, rejecting most seriously
most seriously upon his hitherto unex-
ceptiOnable morals. 1t was said that,
in the autumn of life, he had begun to
sow promising crop of that prolific
variety of GA which has its natural
season for planting in the spring.
> Rumor declored that he had been OBJ
served in the act of holding four three
spots against an
ACE FULL IN A POKER DIVE
down town. The case might possibly
have been worse-for instance, if he had
held the ace full and his adversary the
four three-spots. The accusations
against him were further complicated,
however, by the assertion of reliable
witnesses to the effect that he had been
repeatedly met coming out of bar-rooms,
OF going ina thing which no gentle
man in Boston is ever seen to do. His
very appearance supplied the best of
evidence in his disfavor. His features
assumed a dissipated look, and his clothes
formerly of a sombernesS suggestive
of the lugubrious undertaker-took ON
somewhat of a sporting guise. He wore
the widest trousers, with loud checks.