Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-09
THE ASTRAL LIGHT.
fGopgrieht; is05. I


 power to develop the strange sort of ton. sciousness known to students of the occult as seeing in the astral nght.'' You placo upon white wall black or blue disk, an inch in diameter, with nothing near it to distract the attention, and then, sitting comfortably before it, look steadily at that spot. Try to not think about anything, do not even stir the mind to the slight eff fort of wishing for results, but just look intently at the spot for half an hour.
 Out of tho mist some picture will appear a hand, a face, whole figure, an ami nal, landscape. After time you will see clearly men and women, and even worse things, which may not be subjective.
 Penelope Merran was q very estimablo spinster who, having reluctantly aban- doned hopes of matrimony, turned her at- tention to other and moro attainable mys- teries, among which 'seeing in the astral light" soon became prime favorite. ShL had reached the point at which tho men and women she saw in her visions were quite as distinct as any real and tangible persons whom she might have jostled in the street, and they interested her deeply particularly the men-just as child looking through Il window might be fasci- hated by persons passing before it. Her brother, familiarly known in the family as Uncle John, with whom she lived, rath or suspected her of being little crazy when she told him of her new faculty. He was hearty, burly "man about town," very materialistic and practical, and though he himself sometimes saw things that wero not-as, for instance, two cabs where there was really only one--such visions rarely occurred to him early in the evening, and never during the day.
 After supper one evening Penelope, nc cordlng to custom, went to sit before her mental window in her own boutloir and had hardly more than settled herself in front of the spot on tho wall when the fig ure of man appeared to her. He seemed to como through the portieres of her bed room door, but of course she knew that was an illusion. Although not pleasing looking person, as man he interested her. Being much alone, having no one else to converse with, she had formed Q habit of uttering her thoughts aloud, talking to herself and so at seeing him, she oxclaim- ed: "A man! How nice! And how plainly I sec him!'
 Tho man gave gasp of astonishmcnt and stood staring at her silently.
 She rambled on in her artIcss way, "What a bad face ho has; 0 vulgar, mean face!"
 Tho man scOwled.
 "Doar me, how strange! Ho actually seemed conscious of my impression con- corning him and appeared to resent it. should be afraid to meet him in the dark, if did not know he was nothing but a phantom an airy nothing, fiction of tho imagination, at most mcro shade"
 The man appeared to pinch himself to sec how far that was so.
 "His nose is red, as if he drank great deal, and he has a very brutal mouth.''
 You've got a good deal of mouth yer self, it strikes me- " retortod the man.
 "Oh, how delightful! And how strangel I was conscious of the creatures thought! ! It seemed just as if he had really spoken :! Why, that proves it must be objective Then am really seeing q spirit? What a bad man he must have been when alive! He looks 1t even yet.
 Say, what are you givin mo? What yer gamer People blows theyselvcs up with such funny business as you TO play in.''
 "Ohi Again understood himl And yet he must belong to the lowest class, hardly moro than rudimental soul, should say. How bad ho must have been when alive!"
 "Yes, I'm a ba-a-ad man, I am: But ain't no dead bad man yet, old girl; you can bet your false teeth on that.''
 How extensively personal he is!''
 No moro than you are ycrself. You be- gun it''
 Dear me! I don't like him at all. I wish l knew how to dismiss him, but don't. That's the worst of these earth bound spirits. They come uninvited and do not go until they arc ready"
 "Not on yer life, not till I get ready, whether I'm earth bound or brass bound. See?''
 As he spoke he moved to one side and started to go behind the armchair in which she sat.
 Penelope, with undiminishod calm, since she felt no apprehension of injury from Q mere phantom, as she was quite convinced he was, turned her eyes toward a pier glass in which she could continue to watch his movements and murmurcd, 1T wonder what he is going to do.''
 She did not have to wonder long. With the quickness of cat bouncing upon q bird he sprang to her and spread a big, unclcan hand over her mouth, with the thumb and foreflnger grasping her nose so tightly that she could not cry out or even breathe.
 "Make sound, and 1 break yer facoi Sec? I'm out for the stuff. Give it up, and treats you like D gentleman. If you
  Seo?"
 II don't think you will" said calm, firm voice, accompanied by an ominous little doublD click, and turning quickly tho surprised robbcr saw behind him Un- cle John with cooked revolver aimed at his head. Mr. Mcrrall was passing through the hall on his way going out, when h3 heard the fellow $ voice in his sisters room and noisclcssly entered just in tho nick of time.
 "Say, let up! Don't! weaken! You've got tho drop on mc!' protested the thief ;n alarm, rclinquishing Pcnclope's nose and cndeavoring to shield himself behind her.
 Put up your hanuS and back into that corner behind you!" commanded Uncle John, and the fellow obcycd, pleading: "I didn't mean it, sir. I wouldn't have hurt tho lady. l was just giving her a bluff"
 Penelope, finding her nose free once more, took in the longest breath she had ever drawn and promptly let it out again in a approximately prodigi"us scream.
 The captive thief was soon taken away by a policeman, after confcssing that he had entered the house by climbing in at a window while the family were at tea, so that Penelope WAS not permitted to cher ish the illusion already half formed in her mlnu that Gne Da-a-;lu man was ma terialized being from the astral plane From that time on, in self defense against Uncle Johns jokes, she ceased trying to 'see in the astral light"
 J. H. CoNNELLY.
 Something Wrong.
 Whyte-I thought you said your wife wrapped up this bundle.
 BrOwn-I did.
 Whyte-You must be mistaken. There