The St. Johns herald., 1898-03-26


 couple it was ever my good fortune to
 meet-Margaret and Paul Fischer.
 They were so completely absorbed in
 each other that they seldom took the l trouble to become acquainted with 1 stra ngerS, not feeling the need of com panionsh:p. But, as good luck would have it, they did allow me to come to see them, and when I had known them long enough to dare to speak on per sonal matters remarked upon the per rect harmony that existed between them. Then Margaret told me their story; and this Is the romance as she gave it 10 me:
 Il will tell yop my side of the story and then Paul can tell you his.
 AS you may have discovered, I have dabbled somewhat in occult matters. l have always been a natural musician and play without difficulty any piece Of music which may pick up, although have never taken a lesson or prac- tced one hour during my lifetime. When l was a child I had only one playmate-he was a little older than mySelf-and l was satisfied if I could hide away somewhere and wait for him to come. The peculiar part of the matter was that no one else was able to see him, and as for myself, I never knew where he came from, nor did ever see him until looked up suddenly and found him beside me. Another pe- culiar fact was that he always carried an odd instrument, similar to a harp, and we would sit side by side for hours, he playing, listening entranced, until suddenly the music would cease and would look up to find the player gone. Then l would go into the house and play the music over again on the piano. This went on for years and people con- sidered me queer. if not quite crazy.
 T never could talk with my play mate because he used language which 1 could not understand. As I grew old CT drifted away from him. Other af- fairs filled my mind and 1t was but seI- dom l would have vision in which the same form always appeared, but seem Ing to grow older even as was.
 Il began to study occult sciences when 1 was about IS years old. 1 at tended spiritualists' seances and final ly took up the study of theosophy. Never, however, had I received a so- called test, and any deductions I made were of necessity founded upon the ex- periences of other people.
 "One night, after 1 had attended meeting, sat down by the table at | home and, idly picking up a pencil, started to draw a portrait-I who had | never in my life been able to draw a | straight line. The picture resulting ] a young man with dark | eyes and hair combed straight back from wide, high forehead. The fea- .ures were delicately molded and the mouth was partially covered by a mus ache" (Here she looked admiringIy 1t her husband and then resumed the thread of her narrative). He seemed 8 or 24 years old, and was decidedly handsome. Underneath the portrait I vas impressed to write: This is Paul -. You will soon see his face.'
 was told soon afterward that Paul fischer was spirit and was the same title boy with whom I had been ac- uainted in my childhood. I was told lso that he was born in Alsace-Lor- aine and had never been outside of his wn country. l treasured the portrait had obtained. 1t had a great fascina- lon for me, but so much occupied my that had no time, as a rule, 0 think much of the original. Six years aSsed by and l found it necessary to Q to a strange city. I reached the own early in the morning and, hunt ng up boarding house at once, I set