The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-03
THE SPIRITUALIST.

frequented boulevard, bat particularly
| so 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 dignified
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 differentiation. Then
looking round and seeing that nearly all
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:
alt is a lie! don't believe a 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 a 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-
tons 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, appeal to you all. I
am sorry if l 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 l made some
! joking remark about the so called scien-
tific research into the mysteries of the
spiritual world. grant 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,
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-
heve such statement"
The pale man had flushed angrily dur
ing this speech, but it was only tran
sient betrayal of feeling, for his face re-
sumed 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:
1T is nothing to me whether you be-
Eeve or not; l 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. | told you truth
fully that he had already kept his prom
Use 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. I@told you what my priv
LEGGED experience had been, and ! can
prove it, incredible as it may appear to
you"
While he was speaking number of
new arrivals had invaded the cafe, call
ing in on their way from neighboring
theater for a 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 lsughingly, some seri-
ously. according 10 the view they took
Of the subject. No one seemed TO take
it -ery seriously, however, except few,
who shook their heads doubtfully, while
Others laughed at them and joked about
spirits. Above the Babel Ike noise ex-
CARNATIONS and snatches OF conversation
could be heard, such as: "ImposSible!"
"Who knows? Do you What viii
you bet:7 Il am no fool!' Il bet
hundred francs ne can't prove IL
Strange things happen etc.
The gambling element asserting itself,
bets ran high. and it was finally agreed
TO deposit the stakes in the hands Of the