The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-12-18
80 that like myself, her soul would
be able to leave her body and hy side

be able to leave her body and fly side
oy side with mine through infinite
space. She, however. was already in
love with a young man about her
age. and. not finding my ancient years
and my Scared and emaciated body
sufficiently attractive. refused to
marry me-so a1er many trials, fail
ing TO shake her resolution, gave
up all thought Of attaining my object
and returned here to await in patience
the period of my solution, when my
soul will at last leave this body and
reside forever in the unseen world
which it loves.
"Iou may imagine that now the
only being | ever loved has so disdain.
fully trampled on the affections i Of
fered her, | have no wish to stay on
the earth longer than | can help. AS
l told you, however, the laws of the
universe do not permit me to leave
my body until the period appointed
by God. Although | am now sixty
years of age. and my body has been
exposed to t%ortures and privations
which would have killed an ordinary
man, yet still live on. and, so far as
Lean see, there is no probability of
my dying for some years. Ardently
desiring, however, to cut short nv
period of %earth-liIe, l sought for some
other solution Of the enigma besides
death. | could not die, and l dare
not kill myself. for suicide is terribly
punished in the spiritual world as
SOI1l. ml1rHnr INIT NV "noro ~ WV,
communings, while in the spirit, with
the inhabitants Of distant spheres I
have discovered that if | can obtain
a soul willing to inhabit my own body
and work out its allotted years, my
W soul can leave the world forever.
This solution perplexed me very
much. as | did not know where to
find a man who would be willing to
leave his W body and incarnate
himself in this withered trunk which
goes by the name of Doctor Michael
EOversmire.
II thought, however, that chance
might send me some willing to do
what l wanted. and the garden door
was left open by me that some strang-
er might be drawn hither by some
strong desire for his services. Had it
been a burglar, | would have offered
him the choice Of being arrested for
his attempt to rob my house, or of
being incarnated in my body, enjoying
my income and working out the bal
an e Of my life.
Though some weeks have passed,
no n came however, but tonight
you presented yourself. and | think
you will be an excellent subject for
my purpose. You have committed a
murder. and in your own body you
are in danger Of being hanged. |
therefore propose that you should
conceal yourself in my frame and
work out my allotted span Of life. so
that my soul can leave the world
without sin and mingle forever with
the pure spirits who inh;Olt the I'M
seer universe.
You see, therefore. that if you
are agreeable to my plan, a secure
you from all earthly harm by incar-
mating your soul in my body. As
Adrian Lancaster. tomorrow will see
gee you in prison. and a few weeks.
possibly on the scaffold. but concealed
in the personality Of Doctor Michael
Roversmire. you will be able to defy
every one and lead whatever life you
desire.
Nov l have told you my story you
can ask me whatever questions you
may please. but l think I have put
the question plainly before you. and
it remains with yourself whether you
will i%ncarnate yourself in my body or:
rs Adrian Lancaster. run the risk oil
arrest and an ignominious death at
the hands of the law"
CHAPTER ".
A Curious Transformation.