The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-08-04
CHAPTER xI.
INVESTIGATIONS.

After one or two postponements,
Mrs. Standards projected esoteric
evening was actually about to come
Off She had often exerted herself
before for the benefit of struggling
geniuses, to whom she had been { :
real assistance. Ill-natured people
were apt to compare her benevolence
to that of the tabled shark, which
collects though it does not sub
SCRIBE" and 1t was perhaps true that
her heart opened more readily than
her purse. After all, money is not
the only or the most valuable contri-
button in all cases, and even of money
Mrs. Standard could be liberal when
she saw occasion.
But it was quite q new sensation
to her to figure as the protectress of
rising faith, which might with a
little timely assistance regenerate So
ciety, and she received her friends
with deep satisfaction. 81 do think, !"
she assured several of them, that
we are going to have most interest
ing evening-dear Mr.. Nebelscn
hopes to be allowed to go quite be-
yond the usual phenomena.
The rooms filled, and as the char
iot-wheels which bore the hero of the
evening still tarrieG, there was little
to distinguish the gathering from an
ordinary evening party. Young men
stood talking, with the usual convic-
ton that it was uncommonly good
of them to talk at all, down to the
eager girl faces upturned to catch
their utterances; here and there
some one, with an evident pride in
his social dexterity, would pick his
tortuous way through the groups
until he dropped into the converse
tional opening he desired, much as
the marble in the game of nursery
billiards zigzags down maze of pins.
Nebelsen was feeling supreme ex-
altation at the prospect of being at
last allowed to unveil some of the
mysteries of occultism to larger as
sembly than he had ever yet adj
dressed; the brotherhood, through
their representative, had withdrawn
their opposition; he felt himself in
be capable of producing phenomena
far more startling than any he had
hitherto ventured upon.
Conversation, after two or three
rebellious outbursts, was finally
quelled. The Chela took up a posi-
tion on the hearthrug, from which he
contemplated his audience through
mooney spectacles with a gaze of
dreamy emotion.
The Chala had already started
with rapid and enthusiastic, though
slightly incoherent harangue, on the
stupendous powers which were to be
attained by the human will when
guided and fortified by occult train
ing. He, discoursed upon these at
such lengths that his hearers showed
slight but unmistakable signs that
their attention was wandering
though it took Nebelsen some time
longer to discover that he was ex-
pected to "cut the dialect and come
to the losses.
Then, by way of introduction to
the more reconcile mysteries, he OBJ
tanned sharp double raps and silvery
tinkles from unexpected quarters.
1t is quite possible, however, to
overdo bell-sounds, and it must be
owned that the Chela, in his artless
pleasure at his own performances,
produced them in profusion long
after they had lost their first fresh
ness; but the tagging interest was
revived when he announced:
"Do not be frightened, anybody,
but there is one of the brotherhood
hier in astral form upon the BALCONY.
Now we shall be able to have very
curious and beautiful manifestation!
Perhaps this lady who is opposite"
(and he bowed to Mrs. Pontifex)
will be SO gracious to think zom-
thing she has long ago lost and would
be joyful to see again?"
To DO Continued.