CHAPTER XXIV. A SPIRITUAL TELEPHONE.

 

WHILE I had been at the Educational Hall for Ladies, Annie had visited me often. She now said:

 

"Mary, as you now desire to be united to your other self, and become an angel, you shall leave this Hall, and go with me to make necessary preparations for the bridegroom."

 

"For the bridegroom!" I exclaimed. "Why, I have never seen him yet, and if Franz is not he, I do not even know who or where he is."

 

"But because you do not at present know who and where he is, is no proof that he is not. If there were no knowledge except that which undeveloped spirits have, there would be nothing more to know, and all nature would be at a standstill. Mary, the desire within yourself of something more to complete yourself, is positive evidence that that something exists, and is as nearly ready as yourself to be united. Your feeling of loneliness shows you that there is a want, or incompleteness, which must be filled before you can be blessed or happy."

 

We now left the Educational Hall together, and joined Sigismund outside the walls, where he always waited for Annie, as gentlemen were not admitted to this particular Hall.

 

Sigismund smiled, and gave me a wise look. I flushed, and drooped my head, for I at once realized that my desire was known to him.

 

"Behold! the bridegroom waits for his bride," he said, sententiously: "make ready for the nuptials. Love and wisdom must be united, that truth may be made manifest."

I drew back almost affrighted.

"O, no! not yet!" I cried. I am not ready, and do not understand it all."

"You certainly shall not see him until you are ready," said Annie.

"And even if I were to see him, there is no need to be united for a long time, is there?"

"You certainly cannot be united until you desire to be," she replied. "The wooing can last for months if you choose."

 

"But, Annie," I questioned; "among all the men who ever lived, how is one to know, beyond a doubt, which is the right one, the other self?"

 

"This is what you have yet to learn," she replied; "and while you are visiting me I will teach you, so that it will be impossible to make a mistake. If this knowledge had not been taught to me, before I wedded with Sigismund, I could not impart it to you."

 

We had been gliding on rapidly for some time during the conversation, when, suddenly, a glorious scene burst upon my view: a great expanse, as far as the eye could reach, filled with the most beautiful sights imaginable. Directly before us lay a placid lake, in which was reflected much of the scenery that lay near it, and beyond was a city, so gloriously beautiful that my eyes were dazzled, and I was obliged to cover them with my hands as one on earth might do when looking at the sun. Sigismund and Annie laid their united hands on my head, which strengthened my sight, and shortly I was able to look again. The whole city glowed and sparkled as though built of the most precious Jewels: temples composed entirely of diamonds sent forth their dazzling rays. In the distance rose lofty mountains, whose sides were dotted with the brightest and most elegant structures, and upon the heights rose towers of gold. Beautiful shrubbery and perfect trees were growing profusely everywhere. Sigismund and Annie pointed to this lovely city, saying:

 

Mary, that city is one of many in which angels dwell; in that city is our own home, from which we go forth to labor for the good of men and spirits; that home is our retreat when weary; to that home we go to gain rest and strength, wisdom and love, and when we are filled with that which we need, hand-in-hand we go forth to scatter our pearls among those who desire them, and none who ask of us are ever turned away empty handed. Mary, you are yet a spirit, but the angelic world is opening up to your view; a little later, and you also will be an angel; at present you may not cross that lake, for a spirit is not able to dwell among the angels; but fear not, dear sister, we will abide here with you until after the coming event, and then together we will cross the lake, and you shall build a home beside us.

 

Dear Mary, as you are already aware, we can construct homes or dwellings wherever we wish here in the spiritual life, and as you are not yet ready to join the angels, Sigismund and I concluded to erect a dwelling on this side of the lake, that you might remain with us until ready to build your own home among the angels; and yonder it stands," she continued, pointing toward a lovely spot, where, glistening through the green trees, I espied a beautiful cottage, apparently built of pearl and gold, together with plate glass windows. The dome, doors and trimmings were of shining gold, the remainder of the most beautiful pearl with all its variegated tints. The flowers, trees, vines and shrubbery were more beautiful than a dream, and as we neared the place exquisite statuary and fountains met my view. A green, velvety lawn extended to the water's edge, and a little boat moored there was riding the waves gently. The boat in form and color represented a wild rose, with a concave seat of gold attached to each leaf, while one's feet could rest on the soft, yellow matting; yet the boat was large enough to hold four people easily. I noticed other boats sailing in the distance, and over all this beautiful scene rested a rosy, sparkling light.! it was so exquisitely beautiful here; it seemed as though one might dreamily linger for ever, and not grow weary of the perfect loveliness.

 

Sigismund said he would leave us for a short time: Annie and I entered the cottage. It is impossible for me to convey to my readers, through language, the splendor and magnificence of its interior, yet will try to give a faint outline.

 

First, think of the most beautiful sunset that you ever beheld, with its opal, crimson, purple, and gold, and all their various delicate shades; pink, blue, and fleecy white; dun, grey, and heavy shades of darkest hue; and think of every thing within this large and elegant parlor as being not material but spiritual, as light and color are spiritual, yet perfectly adapted to our aerial spiritual needs, and you will get a faint idea of it all. The great oriel window, looking over and across the lake, directly into the sparkling, angelic city, was partly shaded by dainty draperies of lace and gold; the same kind of hangings partly concealed, partly revealed, another large parlor beyond, and within these parlors were the most elegant furnishings imaginable; tables of pearl and gold, golden grates, within which burned sweetest incense, a grand piano, an exquisite harp, a violin, and some other musical instruments; sofas, divans, and chairs, fashioned after the patterns of beautiful flowers, with all their color and shading; for instance, an easy chair would be like a calla lily, another like a passion flower, another like a full-blown rose; others, still, like water­lilies, tulips, pansies, and many other flowers were represented; sofas seemed to be beds of the softest, daintiest moss, besprinkled with the finest and sweetest of flowers. The carpets were similar, showing a greater variety of colors and flowers: I omitted to say that the cottage was circular in form. These two parlors appeared to be just half of the house, and as I looked upward toward the very high dome, I noticed a large number of little cherubic babes—they were real, living cherubs—moving about, smiling, clasping hands, kissing each other, and dropping dainty, aerial flowers downward, that faded before they reached the carpet. Annie noticed my wondering look, and said:

 

Mary, those little cherubs were never born into earth life; they were blighted in the bud, but are not lost as you perceive, yet it takes a far longer time for them to develop into spirits and angels; they really are never quite like those who have come up through the material; they lack the firmness and consistency of children that are born and have a partial growth on earth; still, they are exceedingly lovely, and develop as time rolls on. They scarcely ever descend, and become one with spirits and angels, but remain as you now perceive them: they are attracted into homes and halls where there are high domed ceilings, and hover over and above spirits and angels until they imbibe a sufficient amount of magnetism and wisdom to grow and mingle with the children; then they go on like the others, and remain within schools until old and wise enough to become angels."

 

Hanging on the walls of these beautiful rooms were very many exquisite pictures; all these pictures appeared to be prophetic, as though prophesying some great change or improvement in the future of the earth and the people who were yet upon it: among the others my eyes became rivetted intently on one; it was a beautiful likeness of the little boy of three whom I had left on earth, but not now a child, instead, a young man with earnest, rather sorrowful face. It seemed as though his form and features came out distinctly through a heavy mist, and in the background I dimly discerned his father and brother, besides many other forms too dim to be recognized; all were grasping at him as though to draw him back into the misty darkness, but yet he seemed to struggle, like one in the water, for his life, for a time. As I looked, it appeared as though he would be drawn out of my sight into the mist with the others, but at these times a look of anguish would settle upon his features, he would struggle once more and shake off some of the detaining hands, and reappear again distinctly through the cloud. When this had been repeated a great many times, and each time he appeared stronger and clearer, the detaining hands gradually began to drop off, until all had disappeared, and he stood clear, free and alone, a look of hope and joy irradiating his features; and now the hopeful eyes were gazing directly into mine. Ah! those eyes recognized me at last! My heart bounded with joy, but it was only a picture now, still, a prophetic one, as I was well aware. Beneath the picture, in letters of flame, were these words: "Through this Child will the Gulf be Spanned for You! Time rolls on apace!"

 

And now sweetest music filled the room. I looked at Annie in astonishment, for she was standing near me, and had not touched the piano, yet we were both listening to a wonderful performance on that instrument, and it seemed as though the player were in the room. I listened with great delight.

 

"It is your son who is playing," said Annie, with a smile. "Look at the picture once more."

 

I turned; the picture had disappeared, and in its place was what seemed to be a rainbow, or, perhaps, I should say a prism. The picture had been directly opposite the grand piano, and now in its place streamed forth all the prismatic hues of the rainbow, and, what surprised me, they were all vibrating rapidly.

 

""Listen," said Annie, holding up one dainty finger. "Hear your dear boy play."

 

Reader, the prism in our room was an ethereal or spiritual one, and as the rays vibrated they struck the keys of our piano, and the result was this wonderful music.

 

"Where is my boy?" I asked; "that we can hear him play like this?"

 

"Down on the earth," replied Annie; "but no sound is ever lost. I thought you could not have a better reception than to hear your gifted son play, and as we knew he would play about this time, we, that is, Sigismund and myself, arranged a spiritual telephone so that you might hear and be pleased with his Music."

 

"A telephone!" I exclaimed, in surprise. Pray, what is a telephone?"

 

"A conductor of vibration," she replied. "Why; I never heard of such a thing," I said.

 

"They certainly know nothing about it on earth—not yet," she said, "but they soon will. The true theory of conducting vibration is soon to be given to earth through another mother's son who has already spanned the gulf; but those are vibrating colors which strike our piano."

"O! really! I don't understand it at all!"

"The keys of our piano, you will notice, are colored exactly like a rainbow or prism."

"Yes; but I thought it was for beauty: all things are in such beautiful colors here."

"Well, yes," she said; "beauty, and use go hand-in-hand throughout all nature; still, I think the piano keys would be equally as beautiful if they were white; the colors art: for use as much as for beauty. You will notice, dear Mary, that there are seven fundamental prismatic rays, and that these repeat themselves seven times, besides blending into every conceivable shade of beauty and harmony. Mary, we, as ethereal beings, can both see and hear color."

"O how strange!" I exclaimed.

"Well; no more strange than true. Listen: Is not that beautiful? Beethoven's grandest sonata?"

"Grand and beautiful as heaven," I replied.

"Well; heaven gave it to Beethoven. He was deaf at the time, and could not hear a sound. How do you think he got it without hearing?"

"He saw it," she said. "Saw it?"

 

"Yes; saw it. It was, presented to his sight by the angels, in all its beauty of vibrating color; he grasped it as well as he could, and wrote it down. Look at the colors again, dear sister; observe, black, white, red, green, blue, yellow, purple; seven fundamental colors, with all their different and beautiful shading, as they blend, one harmoniously into the other. These colors are all conductors of vibrations or sounds; notice how they run in straight rays, unless deflected by some object which they cannot pass through; when they strike such an object they glance off, are bent or deflected. Your son, when he strikes a key on his piano, sets corresponding color rays in motion or vibration', and those particular rays never cease vibrating until they reach the magnetic globe, which is the counterpart of the sun; there they become absorbed, and lose themselves as independent vibrations: but, to return. Now we have a method whereby we can catch vibrating color rays, and make them tell us a story, or sing or play to us that which we wish  to hear, and the opening in the wall is my telephone."

 

"But how have you connected it with my son's playing?" I asked.

 

"Why; in the simplest manner possible," she replied. I deflected the rays, and caught them as they journeyed on. You perceive, dearest, they don't stop long, just long enough for us to hear them, that is all. Do you notice that corresponding opening, over there?"

 

I had not until she called my attention to it. I now observed that the vibrating rays passed through the opening straight to the piano, and from thence deflected and passed directly through the opposite opening in the wall.

 

"Mary," she went on, "all principles in nature are round or circular; each little ray of color is round like a very fine wire; the seven color rays combined are round like a large wire, and when we have seven times seven combined, we have a larger wire or rope, just the size of that opening in the wall now, I have made that opening in the wall on a direct line, so that the color rays, which are set in motion by your son's music, shall pass, all vibrating as they are, directly into this room. You notice that my piano is placed just where these rays will strike each key corresponding to its color, that my piano acts as a mirror, bends or deflects the rays; that is, when each ray strikes it rebounds, to our delight, by striking us in its effort to straighten itself, and then finding its straight course once more, vibrates joyously on its way out at that other opening in the wall. In the same way, my sister, we can hear, if we like, lectures and conversations that are taking place on the earth, although we are very far removed from it. On much the same principle, dear Mary, they will shortly have a large cable wire, or bundle of wires, sunk in the Atlantic ocean, by which they will talk across the seas."

 

I drew a long sigh. Would wonders never cease?

 

"We shall have no more music through that aperture to­day," said Annie, "so I will replace the picture of your much-loved and most gifted child, that your eyes may be pleased if not your ears."

 

This young man had been my little cherub of three whom I left on earth, but as he advanced into boyhood and youth it was discovered that he possessed great musical ability; in fact he was a perfect prodigy for his age: his limbs were now straight and well-formed, the birth-mark could scarcely be distinguished, and he was a handsome and noble youth: his mind alone, of those whom I left, reached forward into the heavens, striving to understand what kind of life the immortals led. Although his father and brother did not believe in immortality, his fine, sensitive organization and larger, grander soul intuitively comprehended that there was and must be a future life; he had often felt, if he did not fully know, that his mother's spirit was near him. Ah! yes; through my cherub of three I should yet span the gulf. I had already discovered that the spirits of great composers of music hovered near him, for they loved to hear the language of their souls interpreted to the world in such masterly style. Ah! his hands were already taking hold on heaven, and the child I had feared for most was the one through whom I should receive recompense; he would fulfil for me my greatest desire, that of spanning the gulf between the two worlds: for others it might have been spanned, might be spanned, but to me it yet remained to be spanned.