Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-05

down III a listening attitude. | shall
never forget the expression of his face
as he turned and looked up without
lifting his body.
Gentlemen" he said, 1.-THE man is
dead,'
l laughed outright at the preposter-
BUSINESS of the statement. Nv voice
was perfectly audible to myself. but
none of the others in the room seemed
TO hear it: at least, none of them turn
ed TO look at me. l heard one of the
bystanders say he would report the
case at once, and the druggist nodded
silently toward the telephone. AS for
me. | could endure the farce no longer.
and walked out with a distinct con-
seriousness of elation, as if I had sud-
denly become MD of a great burden. or
had realized some Iong-desired hope.
The snow was falling thickly outside,
but felt so strangely happy that the
Whirling storm seemed more beautiful
than the fairast June sky I had ever
seen.
| walked up fremont street, nv
heart leaping with an undreamed OF
joy in mere existence. On the corner
of the first block, whom should I meet
but dear old DR.. S, who had brought
me into the world, and who had been
my best friend and counselor until three
years before. when blood poisoning.
contracted during n critical surgical
operation, had carried him off. The
recognition was mutual, and we fell
into each others arms with exclama-
lions Of surprise and delight
"Why, doctor, God bless you! [
thought you were dead"
MY dear boy! I didn't know that
you had escaped
I looked at my friend in blank amaze
ment. ''Escapedw I cried. "What do
you mean? Escaped what?"
FLESH" cried the doctor briefly,
while the same old laugh seemed to
ring in his kindly voice Bones And
he beamed upon me with his face like
a plastic chunk of sunshine
I looked down at the tweed suit and
cork-sOled shoes. Then I gazed upon
the doctors expensive waistcoat. peep
ing through his half buttoned mackin-
tosh. 81 don't see that l have even
escaped my clothes-or that you have.
either" I replied obviously.
IF you don't believe that you have
escaped flesh and bOnes.' said the doc
tor seriously. try walking through that
lamp-post."
I advanced incredulously to the post,
backed off with laugh. then moved
up again, with the doctors hand on
my shoulder, and melted through the
solid iron, or, to speak more exactly.
the solid iron melted through me.
''Now follow me through this old ap-
ple-woman," chuckeled the doctor; and
in an instant we had permeated a half
bushel of wormy fruit and a dame as
withered and gaunt as the trees that
bore it.
care you satisfied" cried the doctor,
as he dragged me through Il solid wah
into the privacy of two closeted poll
ticians who never noticed cur intrusion
in the least.
Perfectly, so far as ocular demon
stration goes" I replied, admiring the
nonchalance and familiarity with which
the doctor leaned upon the shoulder
Of one Of the politicians, and, from
force of habit while in the flesh. pro-
ceeded to examine his tongue. yes"
I continued, 81 am satisfied that I am
not what I was, but will you have the
kindness to explain why we both re-
tain the same semblance as when we
were in the body?'
"Certainly." REPLIED nv friend. eve
do not-that is, not really. In very
brief space Of time now-perhaps be-
fore these wire-pullerS have arranged
their slate-you will begin to experience
me as do you. Your present notion
Of form is mere "Reminiscences. All
newly-escaped persons, that is, all who
have recently rid themselves Of the
flesh. retain for time a certain sense
consciousness as the eye, which has
been gazing upon a bright object, re-
tains the image Of that object after
the lids are closed But as that image
gradually fades away, so will your
Renaissance of bodily form fade
Presently you will no longer see, but
experience, which is a much more vivid
and delightful operation which ensues.
all the strangeness and unfamiliaI1ty
of the mid world. as we call it, win
pass away, and you viii not feel the
least embarrassment, for instance, in
walking through the poor, dull-sensed
bodies Of people or treating them In
any way you please"
AS the doctor spoke I became gradu-
ally conscious that his protruding waist
coat and vOluminOus macintosh were
fading away In their place appeared
nothing at first but a little whirling
column of mist. Presently that too
vanished and the doctors voice grew
fainter and fainter, till it utterly ceas-
ed. In place Of seeing or hearing came
such q sudden vivid realization Of the
presence and reality Of my friend that
glOwed to the center Of my soul with
an unspeakable warmth Of love and
joy. The air about me seemed to qlliv-
er with penetrating vet unseen life
and light 7 was about TO enter into
the perfect and unutterable ecstacy of
a spiritual being wllen-Broomfield ST.
opened it's slushy. dirty length before
me; compassionate bystander assisted
me to my feet, while another brought
my hat out Of the gutter. saying:
"Well, my friend, your head had a
pretty sharp rap On the curb! I guess
you must have lain unconscious for a
minute or more"
NEWS IN A NUTSHELL.
Russian Jews are being prosecuted