St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-03

by letter that his recent misbehaviOr
was likely to be made subject of
formal investigation by them. To this
communication response was received
some days later, in which the latterly-
wicked old gentleman begged permits
sion to make an explanatory statement
before the society took any action in
the matter, and appointed last Friday
evening-the regular meeting night
for the ceremony. When the delinquent
presented himself at the time thus set it
was observed that he was dressed as of
old, in funeral broadcloth. and that his
face was haggard and pale. The state
ment, which he read in a husky voice
from manuscript, was sufficiently re-
markable to deserve embalming in type.
A brief resume of it may here be given.
1t seems that, in the ordinary course
OF an official correspondence which-as
secretary for the committee on appa-
ritions : the old gentleman was
obliged to conduct with the British So
ciety for Psyehical Research, he was
led into a sort of epiStolary intimacy
with young but not undistinguiShed
member of the latter scientific body.
This youthful disciple of the mystic
faith, it has since been aScertained, is
one of the gayest club men about Lon
don teWn-a harum-Scarum sort OF fell
low, with a taste for practical Joking,
whose undeniable cleverneSS has given
him prominence in the councils of the
occult brotherhood. 1t was simply with
view to his own amusement, doubt
tless, that he invited his unsuspecting
acquaintance in Boston. a few weeks
shape to the giddy metropolis by the
Thames. This hOspitable offer the see
rotary for the
COMMITTEE ON APPARITIoNS
did not hesitate to accept. In his re-
Spouse he regretfuily mentioned the
fact that he had never had an oppor-
tunity before of projecting his spectrum
to greater distance than Omaha, for
want of percipient at the other end to
serve as an object for haunting. For it
must be clearly understood that two
persons are always required to complete
the pSychical circuit, only the one to
whom the ghost appears having an OPP
portunity for observing its actions.
The latter individual is, necessarily, an
adept, as well as the former, who, for
his own part, is never aware of the
manner in which the eidolon he has
created is conducting itself. The secre-
tary, however, thanked his correspond
ent in London for the invitation so
kindly eXtended-congratulating HIM
self at the same time that the phantasm
would require very little accommoda-
ton in the way of bed and board while
sojourning in South Kensington-and
promptly wrote that his spectral appari-
ton would present itself at about p.
M, London time, on the 9th day of
February, 1888, at Hon. Mr.. P--'s
bachelor quarters. Late in the evening
of Feb. 9, a cablegram reached the sec.
rotary at the Tavern club here. 1t read
as follows:
"Spook arrived this afternoon. Will
make things howl. Collect. p"
The old gentleman was somewhat at
loss to discover the significance of this
enigmatical dispatch. The reference to
his own phantasm by so disrespectful
term as ''spook" was not altogether
pleasing to him, nor was he able to
imagine wherefore there should be any
occasion for bowling. Nevertheless, he
was gratified to learn of the ghosts safe
arrival in London, and spent an hour
before going to bed in wondering what
it would do with itself for the week dur
ing which, according to the arrange
ment made, it was to stay there. Next
morning he awoke very feyeriSh and
tortured by a raging headache. Later
in the day he felt better. but at intervals
during the week the symptoms returned
with increased severity. His nose
most strange to Say-asSumed an unac-
customed redness, and toddy-blossom
of voluptuouS proportions artu-
ally began to develop upon
his shaven chin. Imagine the en-
barrassment this must have occasioned
Puritan of the old school, whose boast
it had always been that he never drank
drop of liquor in his life. The mis-
fortune even became subject for ribald
jestS among his acquaintance. He was
not disposed to think that his illness
had anything to do with the absence of
his spectrum in the British capital.
Nor would he have been inclined to
summon it back at all, if he had had
notion of what was to follow its return.
No sooner was the phantom recalled
than the old gentleman found his phys
ical malady Supplanted by moral one.
For some mysterious reason he was no
longer able to exercise a satisfactory
control over his own action. Tempta-
ton to do wrong assaulted him at every
step with force he could not resist.
He could not pass a gin mill without
going in for glass of whisky or beer,
against his will.
DRAW POKER AND POOL-FOR-DRINKS
acquired fascination which he could
not account for. The hours which
should have been occupied with his
business duties were spent in hunting
up out-of-the-way dives, where he could
indulge in secret his passion for these
interesting games. Other vices sud-
denly took On like allurement. And
yet he was very far from enjoying i'll
diligence in them. On the contrary,
they rendered him miserable. The
struggle against himself was unceas-
ing and unavailing. Unlike DR.. Jekyll,
he had not sought the evil TRANSFORMED
ton which had come upon him. How
much more, then, was he deserving of
sympathy. Those who knew him, how
ever, were by no means sympathetic.
They looked at him aSkance, and told
each other that the old man was going
to the everlasting bowwows. How
could he explain to them the situation?
In truth, he had no explanation to make.
The disease which afflicted him was not
susceptible of diagnosis. His family
physician was disposed to consider it
venture the expression of a positive
opinion. One day. about four weeks
after the first attack, letter in Hon.
Mr.. P-'s handwriting reached the
unhappy secretary. 1t was brief and to
the point. ''The weeks visit paid me
by your
SPECTRAL REPRESENTATIVE"
the writer began, 81 shall always look
back upon with the utmost pleasure.
You will believe me sincere, | know,
when I saw that I have rarely met
spook so altogether prepossessing as
your own. That it enjoyed itself very
thoroughly while here am confident.
OF course / did not permit it to haunt
my apartments in lonesome fashion, but
took it with me as companion of my
walks abroad. What there is of fun to
be had in this quiet city we shared.
Three wine parties, think, we attended
together, and my recollection is that his
ghostship got considerably booZed-
thouub how I cannot imagine The in