The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-27
TIL M AZ
Market, Taylor and Golden Gate Avenue.

mortal was burned in the fire th at de-
stroyed the Metropolitan Hotel on this
spot four years ago. You may have heard
Of me. | see that you have. Pardon me if
keep on with my work"
And, TO my amaZement. he picked up a
typewriter and threw it out of the window
listened for the crash, and hearing moth
ing, said:
II have heard of you. Richard, in a
desuItOry and unsatisfactory way and
should like to hear more of you. Could
you favor me with the particulars which
escaped the newspapers? You'll find a
cigarette. if you smoke, in that case on
the bureau. How happens it," | asked,
that you return to earth in this sys-
tematic way ,"
That's the disagreeable part of it.
You see that after all my care in looking
after my property | entirely forgot my
accident insurance policy and left it on the
bureau-you see it there. Of course il was
burned up and my family had nothing in
the way of compensation for my death.
For this outrageous careleSsnesS | am
compelled to return night after night to go
over the narrowing scenes Of my COM
bustion."
But why don't you take the policy at
once. now that it is in plain sight, and
make off and end the matter and 60 back
to your tibia and parietal bone like we'll
ordered corpse?"
That's justit. Ican't. Even with my
spiritual Giscernment / must work out the
stupid instincts of mortality. Don't you
suppose that spirit with my keen per-
ceptiOns recognizes the idiocy of pitching
a typewriter out of the window? Do you
think that ghost. thing purely of m ind,
unimpeded by matter, has not the sense to
see the crying folly of stopping to crease
trousers in moment like this? 1t is not
that | do not know better now. That is
where my punishment comes in. l rec og-
niZe the stupidity of mortality without the
present power to change it. Every night
l go just so far. The difference is that
now am conscious of the policy on the
bureau. but must go on pitching out type
writer ana creaSlng trousers, only to fall
in a volume of flame and smoke on the
threshold as the clock strikes one."
Richard" said /, your argument is
quite remarkable. bnt / am still puzzled.
Ii you are incorporeal. and l perceive on
closer inspection that you are. how can
you talkP Where are your vocal chords,
your trachea. your muscles OF expiration
How can you hear meP | examine you
closely, and l note the absence of the
usual auditory apparatus"
You are wrong" replied the ghost
''you deceive yourself. do not talk, do
not hear. | communicate with you and
you with me by sympathetic EXPIRE ssion.
As told you, you have rare mediumistic
qualities, but your spirituality is so insult
ficiently developed that you cannot dlstiu
guish between spiritual communion and
mortal interchange of thought. l beg your
pardon. | am charmed to have met YOU
here the ghost hastily picked up his grip
sack-"but have just time to get TO that
d or. don't wish 10 alarm you. but | m
sure l smell something burning"
And so. did |. There was no doubt CT
it. saw the ghost look laughingly at the
paper on the bureau and run swiftly across
the room. And I'll swear that ] saw him
throw open the door and fall in the volume
of flame that poared into the chamber.
And all tae time there was tremendous
singing in my ears, with the sound of the
banging of doors and the shouting of men,
And | heard a voice:
''Mr. Nelsoni Mr.. Nelsoni Get up,
qucki Come down the back wayi It's
on fire, the houseW
l. John Nelson, am lawyer and man
of unimp eachable yeracty. 1t is true that
| was the guest of the Phoenix Hotel, in
Greenville, September 10, the night il
burned to the ground. 1t is true that the
porter Cal ed lie at precisely o'clock in
the morning. and that / escaped in very
scant attire, securing my watch pocketbook
and legal papers. 1t is also true that an
accident policy which / had taken out be-
tore leaving the city was forgotten and
burned in the flames. All these are facts
heretofore unreyeaIed, as have dreaded The