Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1890-06-17
TALE OF A DEAD MAN.

afN uOt titsu stst~NNtsis sut ssN
possibly curious enough 10 warrant pub
lication-
Asto the existence ~ astral hodlcs there
is unquestionably q general unbelief.
Still. there are thousands OF men and
women of high culture and intelligence
Who are hrm In the faith that each human
life u composed of at least two entities.
the physical body and an astral body.
which is semi.physical and scmispirit.
uai. and which 10 very like the ordinary
frame of ic-b-bicci. nerve. muscle and
tissuc-and which differs from the other
In being more aiicnuated In flsr. II is
an cthcrcaliIed quality. with human elc-
mcnts and the capability. at times. %
separation from the corporcai frame and
an independent existence AZ death u
does no, lose lis individuality. and con.
tinues to live either for an Indefinite
period or. possibly. forever.
Il isin the nature Of vitaiircj sentient
shadow ~ the body. and yet with aspecies
of tangibility that Permit. u, under GER
tain favorable conditions. to become Per.
ceptiblc to. and hold cou,er~- with. some
In the flesh Such are the belief. In re-
gard To this double of the human being
that ar, held by some of the most eminent
thinkers ~ the day.
Who write this am the astral body of
n man who lies dead bcfor. inc. ~ his
double. although am living. ! Am. In q
ssnse. also the dead man. and as N ]
were he. shall SPEAK.
The gradual approach of dissolution.
the illne--. the physical. mental. moral
and emotional disturbances which pro
oeie and accompany u. are rarely re-
lated ~ith ekactne.s. What 10 often
presented as characteristics % the mori.
bund 4. a Tsrycyion of the facts.
Ny life. including It, oourse and eat.
ing. was not ESPECIALLY rrmarkable. !
vas % robust youth: was r,lisiously ed.
uca,ei In the .traight-st fashion. had q
fair education In the school. and bu.i.
ns-s. and pursued an occupation which
without o,er,tertion furnished ue with
q moJcrai. c,mp-tebc-. enjoyed. a..
q rule. superb b-alth. and also enjoyed
an almost total exemption fr'm Injuries
life thus pa~-cd -,uably and uncvcn,.
fully until had reached a half century.
twas at this period that slight ripplcs
besan Ia disturb the level % the hitherto
pacific .ufiacc - the s-a % life. slcyp.
always undistuTbci and refreshing. L.
gan to IT, bruken. Alsays hal fallen
asleep when my head touched the pillow
AMI th. fcst would last for huurs without
interruption. Now u would H. hour
brfor. would drip Into a f,ful and
rcs,l-S- slumbCr. which would L. haunt.
81 by frightful Visionsof dsmoniac form,.
boltonilcss chasns and towering heights,
adown which Vas hurlci like Llcifer
frVn the taiil-ucnts ~ heaven
N, .plrndid appetite l-gan ,o fail. my
disposition fur physical and mental cr.
sriiou Ie~-~n,.l: my average gosi nature
l.yanr tainted. my nerves. always
,hcaih~l IN imIcn.trable dcfcnsc-. L.
came larr,l. a. axe wears the Enamel
from a iopih. leaving u. tender hl.r
cxp=sd a. oinc.ss..nt And painful contact.
Irritation tSpk th. place ~ the ordinary
endurance - INV nature. Stmng' and
siol-nt pain. a, times s-if.,i me with
fcrEiiy.
Al thcsr changes lid no, come In
munth. or year. 90 In i've years They
~erc almost imp-rccp,iblr Ia their ap
ppach II was - half score ~ year. L.
fore all these chans-s forvc'l themselves
GA my attention. AMI discovered that
had grown thin and vas losing my
strength
Well meaning friends contrihuici 90
the fastening - my awakening from the
uncnn-.iouspcs. - failing health
What In the world ails your Have you
l..n sickT'
mo. never felt b-ttsr In INV life
~ould rrpl,. ai th. time chill shudder'
INK along INV nerves as their remarks
furvs,l themselves on the as a deadly Jor.
tent What make you think ! am not
iDoking sellf
"oh. y"u'rr - thin and pale You
van, to 49, u dcctor-
Another ELUSIVE acquaintance. why.
old hoy. you'rr getting old. anything
the matter ~ith your
Then I suddenly b-gan To notice the
deaths among my acquaintanc.s IL
came to me with tile suddenpcss and
pang ~ dagger thrus, that ~ and 30.
who wcp younger than l. ~srr dead ]
glanced about among the Isople knew.
searching for thOsr Who we're NV chums
AMI companions ten and twenty Year,
isforc. AMI discovered with u throb of
pain that only herr and there one re-
mainei
trgan unconsciously taking an ali
.orbing interest In the death notices.
younger than !! Was the sinking com.
ment when such ~as the fact. and for a
moment I came tO tile verge 81 hating
llas-.. Who hal thu. .-t an example of
death nj their ag-. When the decrease
Of the '-iosrnarian and th,~- " l'o climb
~ Ia the very summit. Of the century
was announced. warmed TO their mem.
orics a. those who afforded examples of
the capacity of men for long life.
gT-w weaker In health and demofal.
ikcd in temperament The slightest ob-
.tacle ruillei mc. I fell into dcspondent
moo.i-. and lo~t my taste Zoe society.
amusement. ialor and study. The Inc
,itabIe burdens of life bscame unendur-
sbl. and ! lnst all ambition. The once
populous future changed into waste In
which there was nothing save gray arid.
ity and lowering sky
Meanwhile. ~ Tar ne ! know. ~S
possessed at that period VI no malady.
and yet INV fancy supplied -'orr- of die.
ease. felt the ianguor AMI waste OF
consumption. knew absolutely that ] was
affected 10y organic heart difficulty. and
at times felt the pr-nonitory gnawings
Of a cancer. the insidious symptoms OF
Rright's deadly disease and the warnings
Of paralysis In this labyrinth OF imas.
mary evils ! wandered constantly and
suffered A. poignantly aaif they had been
real
I consulted medical men. Who exam
ined the and found nothing-"a Io~
nervous tone. little tonic. les work and
q rest. No organic trouble. soms little
functional disturbance OF no conse-
quence.- A. times. after awhile. clouds.
~ it were. drifted over the sky Of my
brain and shrouded everything In mist
could not always think With clearnesA
now and then Loaf cohesion In thought;
NV memory occasionally Was impaired,
and ! would forget names. dates and
faoes spprehended softenins OF the