Smyrna times., 1899-12-06
MR.. X, NEW YORK !
AStory of Hypnotism. :
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entirely without meaning for me when
first met Simcox. If any one had
then asked me what the term meant,
] would certainly have made some at
tempt to define it, although my defini-
ton would just as certainly have been
vague and unsatisfactory
1t was through Clarence that l met
Simcox. The two had been friends in
Ceylon, as 1 understood, though how
or why l never knew, and it always
seemed strange. Clarence's business in
Ceylon was coffee planting, and it
seemed that Simeox's was astral bod
les. The only natural thing about
their old acquaintance seemed to be
that Clarence always knew queer peo-
pie, and surely Simcox was queer.
"Why, how old do you take me to
beT' he asked me suddenly one day.
when l had said that something or
other had happened before his time.
And when l answered that he looked
to me to be about 40 he laughed quite
heartily.
1t so happened that this, conversation
took place as we were walking to-
gether to Madison square, where we
were to visit an exhibition of paint
ings, old and modern.
When we had spent about a half
hour ranging through the galleries,
SimcOx and found ourselves standing
before portrait of Spanish prince,
who, l believe, lived somewhere about
the time of Queen Elizabeth The
figure was dressed in armor, except for
the head. which was bare and showed
a fine head of dark chestnut hair.
"This is the picture l wanted you to
see," said SimcOX. Lets sit down on
this settee and take it all in
l could not remember that SimcOx
had said anything to me about seeing
any picture in particular.
"Well, what do you think of it? Sim
cox asked me presently.
Fine" l said.
81 suppose it is" said Simcox. 81 sup
pose it is fine. People have been saying
that about it for 800 years. suppose
all the lords and ladies of the Spanish
court said it was fine when they first
SdW IL. l WASH Lnere -
you're not quite so old as all that?''
/ interjected, thinking of the mystery
of his age.
''No," he said. smiling. mot quite so
old. And ] wouldn't have been at the
court of Spain either. But there is one
criticism the lords and ladies might
have made. though never heard that
they did"
whats that?"
''Simply that it isn't true to life"
But you don't mean to say it isn't
lifeliile?' | said in astonishment.
"What | mean is that it isn't as much
like the original as it might have been.
1t would have been just as easy for
Velasquez to have made it perfectly
true. | don't see why he didn't never
did. On the whole. it doesn't fiatter
his highness. His jaw was not nearly
such a cruel looking square thing as
that. And yet the painter has taken
the trouble to curl and lengthen and
dandify the Inustache almost out of
recognition"
'Why. Simcox." l said. you talk as
"Well." he said, Il don't and | do.
You see. my dear fellow. to know a
mans astral body is about the same
thing as knowing the man in what you
call the flesh You use the crude term
of a wornout medieval philosophy. An
astral body may produce at times a
faint impression on the eye. but 1t
stands to reason it must be exact"
1t occurred to me at this point that
Simcox needed fresh air. l had never
before heard any one talk in this glib,
matter of fact way about astral bodies.
Either Simcox was crazy or there was
something uncanny about him, in spite
Of his brisk. happy. everyday manner.
"Oh. you're surprised, are your he
said. chuckling to himself. 81 might
have guessed that a man who talks
about knowing people lin the flesh
would be. Let's have a practical dem.
onstration."
"Good heavensv' l exclaimed. "Yor
dou't mean to tell me that you are go
ing to raise the ghost of this old Span
iard?"
81 don't raise GHOSTS" Simcox an
swered. with some impatience. "or be
heve in them. But IL you are going tC
get fidgety. and as this is a public
place, let's go to my rooms.
''Take one more good look at the pic
ture before you CO." he said. 'and pay
particular attention to the chin, mus
tache and eyes. l want you to see Il
I'm not right in my criticism"
When we got to his rooms and / hat
seated myself as comfortably as m,
nervous state of mind would allow
simcox busted himself rummaging ii
the drawers of a roll top writing desk
81 don't need any very elaborate ap
paratus. you see." he said, "but ther
is one thing somewhere in these draw
ers, IL / can only find 1t, that ought t
help a good deal All. here 1t is."
He produced what at. first took t
be a glass paperweight. On closer In
spectIon 1t turned out to be Japanes