The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-03-21

NJ l.
~ ..yGDAA Simcox. II any one
G5Nl\,$ y =" \ had then asked me
E,|-7Y NJ what tho term
10 '-'S " meant, [ would GER
tainly have made some attempt to de-
fine it, although my definition would
just rs certainly have been vague aud
unsatisfactory.
1t was through Clarence that I met
Simcox. The two had been friends in
Ceylon, as l understood, though how
or why ] never knew, and it always
seemed strange. Clarence's business
in Ceylou was coffee planting, and it
seemed that Simcoxs was astral
bodies. 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
be?" he asked me suddenly one day,
when had SAID that something or
other had happened before his time.
And when l answered that he looked
to me to be about forty, he laughed
quite heartily.
1t so happened that this converse.
ton 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 half an
hour ranging through the galleries,
Simcox and L found ourselves stand
ing before a portrait of a Spanish
prince, who, L believe, lived some
where about the time of Queen Eliza
beth. Tho figure was dressed in
armor, except for the head, which was
bare, and showed fine head of dark
chestnut hair.
"This is the picture I wanted you
TO see," said Simcox. "Let's sit down
on this settee and take it all in."
could not remember that Simcox
had said anything to me about seeing
any picture in particular.
"Well, what do you think of it?"
Simcox asked me presently.
"Fine," I said.
81 suppose it is, said Simcox. "T
suppose it is fine. People have been
saying that about it for three hundred
years. / suppose all tho lords and
ladies of the Spanish Court said ii was
fine when they first saw it. 1 wasn't
there"
you're not quite so old rs all that?'
I interjected, thinking of the mystery
OF his age.
'No," he said, smiling, "not quite
80 old. And l wouldn't have been at
the Court of Spain, either. But there
is one criticism tho lords and ladies
might have made, though L 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
lifelike?" / said in astonishment.
"What 1 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. l
don't see why he didn't mover did.
On the whole, it doesn't flatter His
Highness. His jaw was not nearly
such cruel looking square thing as
that. And yet the painter has taken
the trouble to curl and lengthen and
dandify the mustache almost out
recognition.
"Why, Simcox," I said, "you tall
as if you knew the original in til,
aeshl"
"Well," " he said, ST don't and do.
Yon see, my dear fellow, to know u
mans astral body is about the sapc
thing as knowing the man in what you
call the flesh You use the crud,
term OF wornout MEDIEVAL phioso.
ply. An astral body may produce al
times faint impression on the eye
but it stands to reason il must b,
exact"
1t occurred to me at this poiut that
Simcox needed fresh air. had never
before heard any one talk in this glib
matter of fact way about astral Louies
Either Simcox was crazy or there wa,
something uncanny about him. i,
spite of his brisk, happy everyda,
manner.
"Oh, you're surprised. are youP'
he said, chuckling to himself, ~ nigh
have guessed that a man who talk,
about knowing people 'in the flesh
would be. Let's have practical dom,
ofstration
"Good heavcnsl" exclaimed. "Yor
don't moan to tell me that you are go
ing to raise the ghost OF this old Span
iard?"
II don't raise ghosts, Since,
answered, with some impatience, "ol
: believe in them. But II you are goint
to get fdgety, and as this is publ,
place, let's GO to my rooms.
Take one moro good look at I'll,
picture before you CO." he said, ''ant
pay particular attention to tho chin
mustacho and eyes. want you to Sc,
y I'm not right in ny oritioism."