San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-01-03
MY UNLUCKY ASTRALIZATIOH.
By J. 4. CONNBIILY.

iously desired materiality.
The day thus badly begun was des-
tined to like continuance. l was in no
proper mental condition for the astral
plane. My perturbed thoughts, full of
concern about my loss, untitled me for
the calm self control shonld have had
and made me subject to all manner of
vicious illusions and painful impress
sions, artfully produced by the mali
cious sprites constantly besetting me.
Late in the afternoon, weary of aim
less wandering about the town,l VIC
lated resolution had firmly formed
the night before, which was that
would never look upon Marian's face
again. 1t seems as if there were sort
of fatality against a mans keeping the
resolutions he makes concerning wOm-
en-. Doubtless if had gone slowly to
her house, as my body would have had
to, memory and reflection would have
braced up resolution and turned my
steps aside, even from her door, to the
club; but having only to think of any
place in order to be there, if wished
it, was actually in her parlor before i
had time to remember j had abjured
her.
She was lying upon a sofa with her
face in its cushions, crying bitterly, and
an evening newspaper, dropped from
her hand, lay upon the floor. My first
glance at the sheet canght the para
graph which had no doubt caused her
grief 1t was this:
HARRISBURG, Dec. an sleeping car berth
on the Chicago train arriving here at three
a. m. a passenger was found dead. Papers in
his pockets enabled his Identification as John
Bentley, of New York. He was apparently
well when he boarded the train at Pittsburg
Death is ascribed to heart failure. His body is
held to await claim by friends
"May the blessing of the unlucky
light ON the writer of that item," / said
to myself. why could not the wretch
have said where my body is held to await
the claim of its best friend?" | Won
dered if it was being held ION ice" hav-
ing slowly frozen out the little spark of
life l had left in it? If some sapient
country doctor, to make an imposing
spectaclepf himself before coroners
jury, would not want to cut it open and
take look at the heart, to be sure it
had failed? Either was quite possible.
Clearly had no time to lose if / was
ever to get that body back in reasonably
serviceable condition. But to find where
it was "held" was the first thing. Per-
haps some other evening paper had fuller
particulars.
1 was really sorry to have to leave
Marian in such bad spirits, notwith-
standing her blamable behavior the
night before, but could not do the slight
est good by staying. Momentarily for
getting ] was practically mere ghost,
/ did try to tell her my views differed
in some important particulars from
those presented in the newspaper, but ]
had no more voice than a mummy.
AS have learned by bitter experience,
an astralized person suffers under enor-
nous disadvantages in trying to read
the news. Having no material hands
with which to.open and turn the papers
he has to depend upon those who have,
peering over their shoulders, crouching
down before them to get sight at the
under side, and in all sorts of undigni-
fed attitudes and announcement ways
adapting himself to their perverse meth
DDS of handling the sheets. 1t is simply
maddening to wait while fellow wades
slowly through long, labored editorial
on the tariff or increases the adding Of
his brain by perusal of the baseball COL
umn, and then, just at the moment
when you think he is about to turn to
the next page, see him fold the paper
and put it in his pocket. Eventually
gave up in despair that way of finding
out what had become of my body.
Then happy thought occurred to me.
my friend X.." reflected, sis one who
can be depended upon, if he has seen
that item, to take prompt and energetic
measures. Most probably he is already
preparing to set out and hunt up my re-
mains. If so, all shall have to do will
be to go along until l hear him told
where they are, then skip ahead, retake
possession and be ready to welcome him
when he arrives"
found him in his room, dressing and
thinking aloud, bad practice to which
he is much addicted when seriously
troubled. The paragraph / had already
read lay on stand beside him, clipped
from the paper.
''Pm awfully sorry for the poor fell
low" / heard him mutter; "of course
am. But his dying just at this particu
lar time is all sorts of a nuisance.
can't go corpse hunting tonight-eve1
for him. Alicia would never forgive mt
if 1 did not axe her to this opera-only
time it's to be given in the season. And
day more or less won't matter to hin
now. They no doubt have him nicely