The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-31

and to whom mortgages are almost un-
known.
Where Mr.. Waltern was born no one
knows; of his nationality no one is
certain. Nor does anyone venture to
say with any degree of certainty as to
his age, or how long he has been A
resident of the county. But that he has
been there many years, that he is very
rich, and with a powerful personality
all agree.
He Explains His Belief.
Few have ever crossed the threshold
of this mysterious old mans residence.
His picture shows him in his usual con-
templative mood, sitting by an open
window. 1t is only to his closest friends
that he alludes to the destination of
his soul after what he is pleased to call,
not death, but migration.
Every man." he says, lis entitled to
his own belief respecting a future state
"a belief based, perhaps, on some ex-
listing religious faith and modified or
elaborated according to his intelligence
and his Interpretation of what he sees
around him in nature.
my belief is probably as old as any
that exists upon this earth. The great
est philosophers of all ages have argued
for the Immortality of the soul, and
the most ancient of them believed in
and preached the theory of the trans
migration of souls and the reincarna-
ton of the souls of men in animal
forms.
This is my belief. 1 believe that the
animals and birds we see about US
some of them birds and beasts of prey
and others docile and even benevolent
in their characters. contain the souls OF
human beings whose bodies have gone
back to dust.
81 do not believe this solely because
it was preached by wise men, by
adopts in India, centuries ago; but be-
cause of my lifelong observation gain
ed through sympathetic association
with Gods dumb creatures.
my firm belief is that my own next
reincarnation will be in the form of a
horse. That is to say, soon after what
we call death has blotted out my pres
ent visible existence. 1 will reappeaI
as a colt-the first colt to be born on
my estate after my death.
believing this. why should I not pro-
vide for my future comfort as an ami
NAL out of what / have been able Ia
accumulate as a man? Seeing that
know that in a few years I shall be a
horse on the estate which my industry
| created, what is more reasonable thar
that I should desire to live comforta-
bly, in that state. and should exercise
my right to insure that desire being
| gratihed?
Il have always treated animals as ]
should wish to be treated I'm their place
| If all the world were of my belief the
precautions I have taken would not bs
necessary. No bird nor beast would
| then be unjustly treated. for every
man would know them as kindred e
| humanity, with souls interchangeable
az successive human and animal visi.
| bic envelopes appear and disappear.
Neither | nor anyone Of my belief
eats any meat. we do not Kill animals
any more than we murder each other
After my allotted period on earth a.
! 3 horse shall iiYe again and again IA
I animal Or man until my soul D. ~ n
0nd IL way 10 God and lose itself IN
inGnity ! zee clearly only my mex
physical eEistence-and FOR thar hags
prepared. building q suitable stable fOi
| ne horse which vii be- ]. and iesYinf
| ln M VIII = sum elnicieni Tor ny COM