Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-03-06
Mr.. K, NEW YORK
AStory Of nypsotism.

0sOeOeDeOs0s~sOsosososo:s
Astral body was not an expression
entirely without meaning for me when
first met Simcox. II any one had
then asked me what the term meant,
would certainly have made some at
tempt to define 1t. although my dehni-
ton would just as certainly have been
vague and unsatisfactory.
II was through Clarence that l met
Simcox. The two had been friends In
Ceylon. as understood. though how
or why never knew, and 1t always
seemed strange. Clarence's business In
Ceylon was coffee planting. and Ii
seemed that Simcox's was astral bod
les. The only natural thing about
their old acquaintance seemed to be
that Clarence always knew queer peo-
pie, dnd surely Simcox WAS queer.
"why. how old do you take me to
beY he asked me suddenly one day.
when I had said that something or
other had happened before his time.
And when | 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 half
hour ranging through the galleries.
Simcox and found ourselves standing
before a 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
fine head Of dark chestnut hair.
This Is the picture wanted you to
see." said Simcox. Lets sit down ON
this settee and take II 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?" Sim
COX asked me presently.
Fine" I said.
T suppose II is." said Simcox. IL sup
pose II Is fine. People have been saying
that about II for 800 years. ] suppose
all the lords and ladies Of the Spanish
court said It was fine when they first
saw it. wasn't there
You're not quite so old as all thatY'
| interjected. thinking Of the mystery
Of his age.
"No." he said. smiling. mot quite so
old. And I 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 thatw
simply that II isn't true TO life"
"But you don't mean to say 1t isn't
llfelIker said In astonishment.
what mean is that II isn't as much
like the original as II might have been.
II would have been Just as easy for
velasquez to have made II perfectly
true. don't see why he didn't never
did. On the whole, II doesn't hatter
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 mustache almost out Of
recognition"
"why. Simcox." I said. you talk as
II you knew the original In the flesh"
"well." he said. II don't and do.
You see. my dear fellow. to know a
mans astral body IL about the same
thing as knowing the man In what you
call the flesh You use the crude term
Of wornout medieval philosophy. An
astral body may produce at times q
faint impression on the eye. but 1t
stands to reason II must be exact"
1t occurred to me Mt this point that
Slmcox needed fresh air. 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. II might
have guessed that n man who talks
about knowing people In the flesh
would be. Let's have practical dem.
onstration."
"Good heavensw I exclaimed. You
don't mean to tell me that you are GO
Ing to raise the ghost Of this old Span.
iardT
81 don't raise ghosts,'" SImcox an
swered, with some impatience. cor be-
lieve in them. But II you are going to
get fidgety, and as this is a public
place, let's 60 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. want you to see II
I'm not right in my criticism"
When we got to his rooms and I had
seated myself as comfortably as my
nervous state of mind would allow,
Simcox busted himself rummaging In
the drawers Of roll top writing desk.
81 don't need any very elaborate ap-
paratus, you see." he said, "but there
Is one thing somewhere in these draw
ers. II I can only find 1t. that ought to
help a good deal. All. here 1t is."
He produced what l at first took to
be a glass paperweight. On closer In
spection 1t turned out to be Japanene
crystal ball. very clear aud exquisitely
rounded, but not mounted on any carv-
ed stand, like most Of those ! have
seen.
"Just hold this, will your he said.
took the crystal in my hand.
"You had better sit here" he said,
''with your back to the window. ]
want the light to come over your shoul-
der"
ought to say that In that window
frame there was no curtain Of any
kind, only q brown holland window
blind, which was rolled up. In front
of me as sat with my back to the
light was nothing but an open carpeted
space. Indeed baroness was the most
obvious characteristic Of Simcox's
room. It was more like q lawyers Of
! fee than a private sitting room.
"Now, am going to stand behind
you, II you don't mind" he said and
acted accordingly.
In obedience to hls Instructions ]
| held the crystal in my lap with both
hands and looked intently at It. Once
| Il could not resist the temptation to
look behind me and zee what be wa
doing. He was standing with arms