Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-11-01

WIN thv tEah soi'at-at thVW"k ~ w
the seat NJ he passed out. In . few sec
onds one returned for Q glass of water
at the cooler before retiring. aud casu.
ally oluiched and pccketed the bcan;
then thu other also returned for drink.
looked as the seat from which the bean
was gone AMI grinnei complacen,ly.
I continued my rAmble through ths
train. but found nothing more 90 inter.
csi ine. and the discomforts of the eIcep.
tionAlly unpleassn, trip were sven aoccn-
tusted 10 my Consciousness through their
presentation 90 my mind ~ knowl~igc.
AMI not ~ mere deductions from pos-
sibly illusory .ensory impressions, dis
tinction my readers familiar with the
phenomena % astrAliIaiion will per.
fcc'iy comprhend.
"Dut." saii 90 myself. "why should
ioi,er a,pu, these crawling cars. where
every one who can do 20 u trying to Tor.
get his wretchedne-s In sleep. when
might. with tho swiftne.s Of thought.
transport myself anywhere else ! chose'
Why not 20 on 10 New York and -
MariAny'
For tho frs, time the idea occurred "a
me that there might 10 some special
danger In asiraliIation on Q moving
train-.ome,hins might happen 10 my
body Will. ! WAS away. fitted hack
and looked at II. OF course Il was Jus,
~ I had left H. DubitAtion about Il
weakened the self confidence which. ~
everybody knows, 10 - essential 20 any
one moving safely. ~ . visitor. UPON
the astral plane. and ] was not at all
surprised 90 Zee about ms instantly q
number of malicious sprites. and even q
few malignant "elrmrntAls." eager u
take saivan,age of my deteriorate,i
strength. hut the sight of them nerv-d
my resolu,ion-or at least ! ~ fancie,l
at the time. though now ! know the Fl.
feet was simply . stimulation % my an.
tagunism. not rehabilitation Of my
moral force. Hesita,ing no longer. !
transferred myself TO New York, "a Ma.
riAn's parlor. where ! did not doubt
finding her. ~ the hour was not ys,
late. I may incidentally remark that
an engagement % marriage existed be.
tween Marian aud myself. = fact which
did not prepare mo 20 anticipate the
scene which presented itself 10 my as
tonishei gaze.
IL would have seemed quite natural "a
me "a have found her contemplating my
portrait. perhaps reading my las, letter
and wishing for my safe and speedy re-
turn 90 her side. But that was not NJ
ell what ! saw. She sai by the piano.
- 10 she had jus, been playing. Instead
% my counterfeit pressntneni claiming
her attention. 10 Was Alsorled by q gen.
tleman. q stranger TO me, who bent over
her. murmuring afectionate phrases In
her ear. Soon he took his leave. aud In
doing 20 actually had the audaciiy 70
kis- her. And she. saying "0cod night.
returned the salute.
In all my astral experiences ] have
never ~ much missed my good. solid.
material right leg and foot as when
Jaw that fellow going leisurely down
her stoop 90 the pavement. OF course
did not haunt about Marian any nors.
was done with her. Disgusted and
"mad all the way through" ] went
around to my club. forgetting for the
moment that could not take = soothing
glas. of wine: but that fact was soOn
enough borne In upon the. could do
nothing but look At the other fellows
AMI listen 10 them. and 10 Is just plain
truth and not slang when ] say they
made me tired. Nothing diverted my
painful reflections, for had been very
Sud ~ Marian. and that discovery hurt
ne more than I can adequately tell.
II Is strange that man suffering
from q grief caused by one woman
should almost always seek consolation In
the presence u some other woman. but
,uch l. the fact. Having l-en - deeply
wounded by the girl loved. ! instructive
ly sought one whose tender love and per.
icct faith Will. life lasted could never
question. the one who-s dear face ws'
the first my infancy knew. How tn
placid charm, of the familiar s'rn'
touched my heart - ! moved slowly
down through the orchard TO the old
hoinestead'
Mother slept. but ~ stood by hei
bedside kindly smile suifused her aged
countsnance. as II her spirit was aware
Of my presence and gaye me kindly
greeting. How long ! remained gazinl
upon the wrinkles ] am glad 10 ihinl
were furrowcd more by smiles thar
tears. and the band Of silvery hail
framing them at the frilled edge OF hel
snowy nightcap. cannot say. but Ions
enough for the influence OF calm ant
peace and purity p-rvsding there :,
sink into and strengthen my soul. sud
denly happened to wonder what tin'
IL WAS.
II u really one Of the most annoying
things In these astral experiences-as,
am sure. will be generally admitted
that we have In this form no innate feel
ing Of the Lapse Of time or limitations o.
space. We lack standards of compari
son. don't clearly zee how this can b
rrine,iie,i. hut u ought 10 BE- somehow
Moving 10 great distances by mere ef
fort IL volition miles are absolutel!
meaningless 90 our astral consciences
and as for time. every one knows tha
N we could not catch sight Of dial o
draw deductions from thipgs On the ma
terial plane we would not know any dif
ference between be lapse OF ten ninute
and q week. Ciearly the most neede'
invention Of the age IL some good, relia
ble sort Of astral watch. When the ide'
Of time occurred to me I had 10 godowI
into the sitting room for look ut th
face Of the old tall clock that has ticke'
generations of my family into and on
Of life.
To my horror I discovered that !
lacked but three minutes 70 four O'Clock
And that train was divided at Harris
burg nearly an hour before. For %
moment vague senss OF alarm seems
TO paralyss me. Thsn ! dartsd 10 Ha'
risburg.
Yes; the mischief hsd bssn doos
The train had come. split and gone ava
again, twothirds Of u toward Philadsl
phia, ons-third toward Baltimore. whic
had carried Cd my bodyf
II the car porter had - much ssass 9
. hen. I rsasoesd. bic lins 0f duty woO