Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-01
THE SPIRITUALIST

! lHE OPlRIIUALISl.
The Cafe Jean was situated at the
corner of a quiet street in Paris-re-
markably quiet at all times, considering
the near proximity of noisy and much
frequented boulevard, but particularly
30 after II o'clock at night.
Late one evening most of the habitues
of this bright and comfortable cafe had
taken their departure, raising their hats,
as the manner is in France, to Madame
Jean, the smartly dressed and dignifed
proprietress, who, still sitting at her
post behind the marble compton, smiled
and bowed in return as they went out
The blinds were already down and the
doors closed in preparation for the night
Madame sat little longer, listening
to the gossip of the neighborhood gath
cred during the day by the head waiter
to retail for her special amusement
when the days work was over and one
could indulge in little relaxation. Then
looking round and seeing that nearly all
the well known customers who every
evening played dominoes or cards, and
slipped coffee or drank eau sucre or
stronger mixtures under her vigilant
but friendly eye, had left, she retired
for the night, leaving the remainder to
the care Of her faithful Alphonse. There
were only about dozen people now,
and everything was sleepily quiet in
the cafe, when suddenly the stiffness
was rudely broken by loud voice ex-
claiming angrily;
ut is lie! don't believe word of
it, and defy you to prove itr
All looked up, startled, from game or
newspaper, as these words burst from
one Of the occupants of small table at
the farthest end of the room. The speak
er seemed very much excited; his COM
panion, on the contrary, remained cool
and self possessed under the provocation,
but his white face and peculiar glitter
ing eyes belied that outward appear
ance and arrested attention when no.
ticed
The two had been engaged for some
time in close and earnest conversation,
without raising their voices, interrupted
only now and then by subdued exclama-
tions and incredulous remarks from the
excited man, which evidently did not
succeed in either shaking or moving the
pale man, who continued talking to him
and answering his objections quietly,
until his opponent. losing all self control,
sprang to his feet and violently dis
turbed the inmates of the cafe by the
angry words quoted above.
Seeing that he had attracted general
attention he looked around and said:
Gentlemen, l appeal to you all.
am sorry if have disturbed you with
somewhat violent language, but you
shall judge whether am justified in re-
fusing to believe the story | have just
heard. We happened to sit at the same
table,. and naturally entered into con-
versation. Our talk drifted from one
subject to another, until made some
joking remark about the so called scien-
tific research into the mysteries of the
spiritual world. Igrant it is fascinating
subject even for an unbeliever like my
self, and a good one for conversation and
playful badinage, but to be told serious
ly and as an undeniable fact that the
spirits of the departed can and do re-
visit this earth when they have prom
ised to do so, passes the bounds of Gre
dulity. My neighbor tells this most
extraordinary story: That two years
ago tonight he lost his dearest friend, Il
lifelong friend, who ON his deathbed,
seeing his despair, solemnly promised
that he would appear to him on the an
niversary Of his death, which took place
about midnight, if his friend invoked
his spirit He affirms that he has al
ready seen him once since he died. Now
/ ask you, as men of sense, living in the
Nineteenth century, is it possible to be-
leve such a statement"
The pale man had flushed angrily dur
ing this speech, but it was only tran
sient betrayal of feeling, for his face re-
su1ned its former pallor, although his
eyes retained their strange light, and it
was with marked expression more of
annoyance than anger than he replied
calmly:
ut is nothing to me whether you be-
heve or not; have simply stated fact,
and it is the truth. You pressed me with
questions concerning that great trouble
Of my life until told you all-my de-
spair when lost my friend after years
Of mutual devotion and attachment, and
his promise to return. l told you truth
fully that he had already kept his prom
ise once, but you did not believe me. l
do not wonder. The spiritual world is
closed book to the majority; glimpse is
obtained now and then by some, but
chiefly by conjecture and speculation
only, whereas actual experimental
knowledge is rare and not often COM
municated. told you what my priv
ileged experience had been, and can
prove it, incredible as it may appear to
you"
While he was speaking a number of
new arrivals had invaded the cafe, call
ing in On their way from neighboring
theater for drink or cigar. Their
curiosity being aroused by the words
they had partially heard, they drew near
to listen, and being informed of what
had happened joined the others in dis
cussing the pros and cons Of this debat
able topic, some laughingly, some seri-
ously, according to the view they took
OF the subject. No one seemed to take
it very seriously, however, except few,
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