The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-02
THE PITFALLS OF MYSTICISM.

MonOtOny, 4. i. IL. IN Sta''o'
and two small wooden buildings, n
blank waste Of prairie, a line or track
straight to the level horizon, II cloud
less sky. The Ogden Express. Cast
bound) Is waiting upon Il siding. a
distant whistle, Il faint hum, vibrant
roar,-a pounding, rafting rush or
noises, and the West bound Chicago
Limited throws itself alongside the sta
ton, painting and thrObbing. The air
brakes settle back with long hiss.
the esca pe-valve roars harsely, a clouc
of vapour rising like the Genie emerg-
ing from the Bottle, while the locomo-
tive drinks eagerly from the tank.
Dusty travellers crawl from the coaches
and pace stiffiy up and down the board
walk. in the sunshine.
A young man with golf cap and ci-
garette. walks leisurely down the alley
between tlR trains. and seats himself
upon the steps of y vestibule of the
is the platform of the last Pullman
of the Chicago Limited. Through the
door of this coach. enters to him n
young woman,a lady, by every proof
of face. dress and bearing. She holds
i'm one hand notebook of the Lectures
of Vivekananda, and stands by the iron
rail of the platform after glancing
frankly at the young man. After Il
minute she speaks,-always in a low.
dreamy. almost impersonal tone and
manner. He is keenly sensitive. yet OBJ.
viously restrained, as if uncertain OF
the nicetes of his replies.
She: Are you,-what is called con-
ventional?
He: / beg your pardon,-are you
speaking to me?
No ,,,,-yao In , u.au Tho
individual You, not to the personal You,
though. Do you know what l mean?
He: Why. yes. l think so;-yet IL |
do know what you mean, there Is no
need of asking such q question, is
there?
She: That's very true. Still, it was
such an effort to speak at all. You
might so easily have misunderstood me.
He: You can trust me,-we are of
the same caste. assure you,-and there
are some things that even man knows
by intuition.
She: You think so? Then you think
we can say what we really think, with
out disguise, in these three minutes
The porter said we were to stay here
only three minutes.
He: But why for only three min
utes?
She: All. that's the mystery of it all,
Why is it? Yet If it were for longer
l would never dare speak to you at all.
But it has seemed so strange to me-
| these flying glimpses of people;--like
| images seen in a flashlight picture,
| and then fading away into nothing. I
couldn't stand it. 1t seemed as If I
must speak to some one. and say some
thing real, and then be swept away.
What does it all mean? Do you think
we have ever met before?
He: Why, met-I know 1t.
She: You feel it too? oh, I wonder
| when! Perhaps thousands of years
ago;-who knows?
He: But we shall met again, shan't
| we?
She: All, erhaps:-thousands of
years hence, may be. l wish could feel
sure of it,
He: ! feel sure of it.
J She: Do you? ! wonder how we shall
| know each other! If l could only give
you some word to know me by! Some
| message for you to keep! | feel as II
you were on some passing star, and
to speak to you. before you were swept
into space again. It's all like a dream
l wonder If you understand why | am
| talking to you like this!
He: / think / understand you better
than you understand me.
She: Why? But there is the bell. and
] shall never know-till the next time.
Goodbye! See, your train is moving
you must hurry! Good-bye, Oh oh.
get on your train. please! Oh. you will
be left! Why don't you go? You mus.
go!--There, the train has gone,
What do you mean? You must MT fol-
low me, you will spoil everything Oh
why did I begin this! What are you
| going to do?
He: I am going to Ogden. 1 hope
you will forgive me!
She: But you were on the other train
| He: For three minutes only. | have
been in this car. four seats behind you
| ayar since wa left Chicnun'