Aaron Poole—My height is six feet and one inch, and that is nearly the height of a particular friend of yours who has been permitted to accompany me on this visit to Ento. This way, my blond Apollo.
Gentola—Well of all the wonders of this wonderful experience, this to me is the most surprising. Will Cox, you dear, dear boy. Oh, I am so glad to see you. So, so glad, and to think that after all these years, we meet on the Planet Mars—I mean on the Planet Ento. George, do be quiet; I shall cry if I wish to. Will, you dear boy, you are handsomer than you were in Earth life. Oh, I wish your mother could see you, your mother who so adored you, and who never ceases to mourn for you. While I laugh and cry, do tell me something of yourself. Why, Will, you, too, are crying. Don't do that. I was so surprised that I—I forgot myself; but I won't cry any more, and you shall smile too. There, that is like yourself.
William Cox—My dearest friend, let me call you Lady Sara, as I once did. I am so overjoyed to meet you, so glad, so thankful to the Divine Spirit that we both have learned that life is continuous. When at the home of Mr. Wicks we were about to part to meet no more on Earth, you said, "Oh, Will, promise me that if you die before I do, and shall continue to exist, and can return to this world, that you will come to me to tell me if there is another life than this," how little I knew of what would come to me and to you, too, dear Lady Sara. When I passed to the Spirit side and to my own place, almost my first Earth memory was of my promise to you, and for your sake, and that you might be better able to comfort my dear, sorrowing mother, I, with the assistance of kind spirit friends, strove to reach your consciousness, and when, after two years, we succeeded, I wept for very joy. I should so like to talk with you indefinitely, but I must not abuse the special privilege of this visit to you. Then, too, I am one of a Band of Spirits to whom has been assigned the accomplishment of a certain mission, and my leave of absence must not exceed the time specified. Be assured, dear friend, that I never lose sight of you. Your sorrows have been my own, and when Bernard passed to our side of life, and your condition was so critical that we feared that you, too, might come before this Mission should be accomplished, your friend Will was one of many who sustained you with our strength until you regained composure and a degree of health.
I have learned that these friends have given you a new and I must say an appropriate name, but for the sake of old times and memories, to me you are Lady Sara, and when the hour of your coming to the Spirit side shall arrive, I will be one of many loving friends to meet and greet you. Some day my dear mother and other dear ones may learn of this meeting, and she and they will know that I love them always. Now kiss me good-bye until we shall meet where not even a thin veil hides beloved faces from the gaze of lovelit eyes.
Gentola—Good-bye, Will, good-bye, and watch out for me, for the years are falling away like beads off a broken string, and it will not be long before I shall come to the World of Spirits. Until then I may not again see your face, but I will not forget, no, I will not forget.
Aaron Poole—It was a little unfair to take you so by surprise, but Will, dear fellow, insisted upon it. He was curious to learn if you would recognize him. You will be glad to know that he is very aspiring and ever ready to lend a helping hand, and that his progress is all that those who love him could desire.
FLOITZA
Now I shall tell you why my coming was so delayed. You all are aware that I have been on the Spirit Side nearly thirty years, and that at the time of my passing over I was a little under thirty years old. Within a few following years, my dear parents also passed to the Spirit Side, my four brothers and two sisters, all younger than myself, surviving them. Suddenly, this morning, my eldest brother also came. Leaving him in the care of our parents and other loving ones, I have hastened here, but desire to as quickly as possible return to assist in restoring him to consciousness. Gentola̤, you may not know that those who suddenly pass from the physical body require special treatment for restoration to a consciousness of their changed condition. The occasion of his sudden passing over was arterial suffusion of the brain, which almost instantaneously released him.
Gentola̤, the special reason for my coming at this time is that we may select from this fine collection of plants a subject or two for illustration. You no doubt have recognized the Enrica vine. I had thought to have the pleasure of showing it to you, but, as De L'Ester would say, "L'homme propose, et Dieu dispose," which perhaps is as true as many other aphorisms. Now we will look about for a subject or two.