de l'ester—we find you difficult of control this morning. like the legendary martha you are anxious about many things. our journey of to-day is less in your thoughts than are the exasperatingly high prices of household supplies or the letter you have been reading. how do i know? have not i said that i can read your thoughts as you might read an open book? no, i cannot at all times do so; it is only when, as now, i am en rapport with your soul consciousness.

you are not resting easily. ah, that is better. now you are tranquil, and now—you are free, and we are off for ento. yes, glorious indeed is this sense of freedom from physical conditions, which only to a limited degree can you either perceive or realize. it may surprise and disappoint you to be told that in your present state you cannot perceive spirit worlds. that you may perceive us, we and these ento spirit friends are obliged to, in a sense, etherealize. no, not as cabinet spirits etherealize, but in a more sublimated sense. at the culmination of our mission conditions may be such as to enable you to behold spirits as they really are. no, i do not promise it, but it may occur.

no, mortal ears are not attuned to sense ethereal vibrations. hearken to the grandly sublime, sonorous under-tone coming from eternity's shoreless sea and rolling in rhythmic measure onward, onward forevermore. beetho

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ven, handel, mozart and others of earth's illumined ones, in moments of inspiration caught faint notes of music celestial, and with ardent longing strove to give them expression. believe me that a so termed musical genius is a musical medium, whose subconscious mind, like an aeolian harp, vibrates in unison with the unwritten music of the soul of the universe.

we are nearing the intersection of the waterways, and our friends perceive our approach. lohaû, ēmenos. we greet you all and apologize if we have kept you waiting.

gentola̤, you will please give me your attention. at no great distance the branch running in a southwestward direction forms a junction with another waterway which is not yet completed, and which later on we may observe. for the present we will continue our course toward the northwest. the large town at this intersection is an important shipping point, and yonder is quite an imposing temple, two smaller ones and some pretty suburban istoira̤s. there are some imposing public buildings, many handsome private residences, a pretty park, and the streets are wide and beautifully kept, and along the margins of the street canals are borders of blooming plants. really, it is an attractive town, but at present we cannot give it further attention. it is named fûna̤voh ritza̤, which in your language would mean town of the intersection. passing in either direction are vessels of various sizes, some of them equaling in dimension and tonnage the huge steamships traversing the seas and oceans of our planet, and it is not too much to say that in point of scientific construction and beauty of finish and furnishing earth does not possess their equal. they are so scientifically constructed as to be practically indestructible, and electricity is the propelling energy; also it lights them, and when desired heats them. for a brief period we will take passage on the vessel about

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to leave port. gentola̤, come to the bow and observe how swiftly and almost noiselessly it cleaves the water. at this rate of speed it will soon cross the second intersection, and before to-morrow will be traversing the broad expanse of villostû nykon (sea of many islands). we now will glance through the interior. these great saloons and luxuriously appointed sleeping apartments are finished in rare carved woods and inlaid designs of ento's fruits and flowers through which peer lovely child faces of marvellously delicate and artistic execution.

you perceive that this vessel carries many passengers, and all in equal comfort. unlike the vessels of our planet it carries no steerage passengers, for on ento such an atrocity is as unknown as are class distinctions, which the sacred writings distinctly forbid. this is the sacred statement: "i, andûmana̤, the creator of all that is declare that of one blood, one bone, one flesh, i have made all the children of my love, so let no man dare say, i am better than my brother," and i can assure you that the sacred commandment is obeyed.

on this deck are the offices, saloons, sleeping, culinary and dining apartments. on the deck below, to which we will now descend, are the engineer's and his assistants' apartments and departments, and also storage for freight. for the motive energy, the mechanism is partly here, and partly in what may be termed the hold. these vessels are so like and so unlike the seagoing vessels of our planet that should i attempt to describe existing differences i would consume too much time and space, but we desire that you shall bear to the peoples of earth a knowledge of the fact that it is possible for vessels of the largest size to be propelled by electric energy, and also that now on earth there are men inspired by spirit electricians who are working to that end, and that ere long there will come into

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the earth sphere men, who, on the spirit side, have learned the higher applications of electric energy, and who will know how to use them. the time is not far distant when, on our planet, steam as a motive power will have become as obsolete as it is on ento.

your continued surprise, at seeing on ento much that corresponds with, or at least bears a resemblance to earth forms, is so natural that we do not marvel at it; still, if you will bear in mind a fact we already have stated, that form is the expression of a universal principle, and that in conformity with the degree of his evolvement, man expresses it, you will cease to wonder that our next door neighbors, the entoans, shape the keels of their vessels on the same lines as earth's shipbuilders shape the keels of their vessels. adaptation of means to ends is an expression of form. thus the savage who shapes the primitive dugout, or his more advanced brother who constructs the more shapely bark canoe, intuitively applies the principle of form as a means to an end. as the entoans of the present are the result of the entoans of the past, you may rest assured that their progenitors also used dugouts and bark canoes, and only through their larger accumulated experiences do they, in some directions, take precedence of their less mature earth brethren, who, in time, will outgrow their youthfulness. we now will ascend to the upper deck, for we are approaching one of the circular basins which are features of all waterways. they occur at intervals of about twenty english miles, and through the system of atmospheric telegraphy the movements of all vessels are so perfectly controlled that their passage in opposite directions is accomplished through the medium of the basins, and thus collisions never occur.

observe how swiftly, how gracefully, yonder huge vessel sweeps around the further curve of the basin, cleaving

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the water like a thing of life, and leaving in its wake great undulating billows of snowy foam. across the basin friendly salutations come to our fellow voyagers, and they cry back, "lohaû, lohaû. fa̤endos a̤yon mûya." ah me, it is hail and good-bye to most things, and now it is good-bye to this fine vessel which for a time has given us hospitality and you an object lesson.

george, we now will ascend. sweeping northward and southward, yet tending eastward, we will afford you a comprehensive view of the equatorial lands and portions of the north and south temperate zones. observe how diversified is this equatorial region. cities, towns and villages dot the wide expanses which largely are devoted to agricultural pursuits, and so productive are the lands that they not only afford sustenance for local populations but admit of great quantities of grains, fruits and vegetables being shipped to other less favored localities. truly, ento's irrigated belt is the garden of the planet. george, we now will quickly pass northward to the headwater of cēhylû ooltoma̤h (rushing river).

gentola̤, in this chain of spring-fed lakes the great river rises, and during a considerable portion of the year its volume is greatly enlarged through melting snows and frequent rains of this rather cold but humid region. we will follow its course southward so that you may observe the cities, towns and villages lining its banks, and the various kinds of craft traversing its navigable length. you perceive that pfylonna, the city beneath us, is at the head of navigation, and we with profit and pleasure might pass an hour in viewing its points of interest, but not now, for time is flying and at any moment we may be called to da̤o.

yes, this northern region is more picturesque than are the lands of the temperate and equatorial countries, which, as we proceed southward, stretch into great level

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plains which sustain a dense population, largely of agriculturists. yonder, on the eastern bank of the river, is a pretty, wooded height, the remnant of a mountain chain of the long ago. now its slight elevation is little more than a sufficient barrier against the tumultuous floods, which during the spring pour down between it and the stone embankments of cēhylû ooltoma̤h's western shore. yes, ento's waterways, irrigating system, embankments and other stupendous works excite wonder and admiration for the skill, industry and enterprise involved, but generally, when self-preservation is at stake, humanity rises superior to emergencies. inidora̤, while we hastily survey the surrounding country, will you learn if the istoira̤ may be interesting enough to engage our attention? some rural istoira̤s possess very attractive features.

inidora—i feel strongly impelled to gratify your curiosity and my own. i shall be gone but a moment, and if worth while will summon you.

de l'ester—again we are near the northern limit of the irrigating and waterways system, and to what a state of perfection it has been brought. those great structures are pumping stations, and so excellent is the mechanism employed that the water distribution is under perfect control. the government of ento indulges in no half-way measures. whatever is done is done as well as can be accomplished.

what can so delay inidora̤? he must have found the istoira̤ unusually interesting. we will seek him there. ah—see how like one enchanted he stands gazing upon a woman kneeling before the flower laden altar. over her white robes falls a wealth of dark, waving hair, which, like a silken mantle, partly conceals her large, dark, luminous eyes and marvellously lovely face, in which yet lingers the timidity and guilelessness of childhood. so entrancing is

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the young creature that inidora̤ is unconscious of our presence. now she prays to azēon, god of love, to send her a lover who shall be handsome, tender and true, and she will be faithful and loving until death shall call them into the silence. prayer from a heart so pure, uttered by lips so tremulous, so beautiful, might move either mortal or spirit. genessano, speak to your brother, for truly he is lost to all save this lovely girl.

genessano—inidora̤, my brother, have you found in this beautiful suppliant your other self? nay, start not; it is i, genessano. you were so absorbed that you did not observe our coming in search of you.

inidora—yes, yes, i indeed have found my other self, and cannot claim my own. oh, thou beauteous spirit amilla, for whom i have searched the worlds of space, clothed thou art in flesh, which holds thee as the shell holds the pearl. blind and deaf thou art to the presence of thy lover, thy other self, whom thou prayest azēon to send thee. drawn to thee through the law which attracts each to its own, i again have found thee, and henceforth i shall guard and guide thee until thou art free; then again wilt thou find thy lover tender and true, and i shall claim thee for my very own. amilla, dearest, loveliest one, reverently i kiss thy perfumed hair, thy upturned brow, beneath which thy luminous eyes shine like twin stars. i touch with mine thy parted lips, and the fragrance of thy breath is as the fragrance of rodels, but thou knowest not that i am near thee. amilla, amilla, oh, couldst thou know, that as of old thy lover so tender, so true, stands beside thee, how quickly wouldst thou turn toward me thy face, which is as beautiful as is the face of an angel. but thou dost not know, thou dost not know. alas, thou hast so forgotten the past that i am as naught to thee. oh, it is pitiful, pitiful, that i cannot make thee

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understand. fain would i this moment free thee, but i must not, i dare not. friends, bear with me, for until i shall have brought her soul into harmony with my own i shall remain with my regained amilla, whose repeated embodiments, like my own, have held us far apart. this accomplished, i at intervals will be with you, and when my love shall be freed, oh, joy of joys! we together with you dear friends will for love's sake labor for the upliftment of humanity.

de l'ester—even as thine own shall one day come to thee, so ere long shall mine own come to me. inscrutable are the laws of the infinite duality through whose seemingly devious ways apparently we are impelled toward destined ends. as to-day i walk alone, so one brief hour ago, walked our inidora̤. a seeming chance, a sudden impulse, and lo! for our friend the face of the universe is changed. gentola̤, you comprehend that, during past embodiments, inidora̤ and amilla have known of their indissoluble relationship. that you may come to further understand the law of re-embodiment, i briefly will relate a portion of my life story, involving comparatively recent experiences of my own, and of one who is my other self, for, as you have been told, the male and the female are the two halves of a whole, and it is a law of nature, or if it pleases you, of god, that, somewhere or somehow, the halves shall become as one, not as one entity or individual, but as one in perfect spiritual harmony.

more than a century ago, after a prolonged separation, suddenly my soul mate and i came face to face, and i knew my own. i a freed spirit, she a creature born of lust and fallen in the mire of a dissolute existence. vainly her spirit self warred against and strove to escape from the bondage of inherited animal passions which held her fast as with chains of steel; so, patiently, lovingly i did for her

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what i could, until one drunken with wine and frenzied with jealousy, struck her body dead at his feet. i, who waited and watched for her release, drew her away from the scenes of her degraded mortal existence to her own place, aiding her as other loving ones also did, to undo the tangled threads of her sorrowful earth life. she, who well understood the law of being, quickly realized that if she would progress out of the conditions of her previous embodiments, she again must enter the mortal sphere of our or of some other planet, and with slight hesitation, this she resolved to do.

it is well that you shall learn that all mortal experiences are necessary for the perfecting of character, which is but another term for spiritual growth. the tendency of the real self, the spirit, is ever onward, ever upward. the tendency of the animal soul or conscious self, ever is toward the material plane of being; thus, in the spiritualized human, there is a constant warfare between the positive or spiritual man and the negative or animal consciousness and no one comes out of the battle unscathed.

you question the justice of a law which demands from humanity that which from an elevated mortal standpoint is objectionable; but, my friend, have not you learned that the crust of bread earned by sweat of the brow is sweeter far than the whitest loaf to the palate of the idler? be assured that when again you shall find yourself on our side of life, you will prize the crusts you have, through sad experiences, earned, far more than the white loaves you might have eaten to your hurt, and i do not question but that in time you not only will acquiesce in the justice but in the beneficence of a law which admits of the undoing of mistakes, and of the acquisition of much that only can be

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learned through repeated mortal experiences, and of what is of greatest moment, the rebirth of exalted spirits, who may be saviors of humanity.

you, who in your mortal state, but partly realize that love, the divine principle, impels all things into harmonious relations, into a fulfillment of the law of love, may experience a sense of surprise, that after a period equalling no more than forty of earth's fleeting years, my romēne, grown strong and learned in many things, announced her desire to at once take on mortal form, that as a teacher she might serve women undergoing such experiences as to her were most sorrowful memories.

yes, romēne is the name of my other self, and at her desire one of the spirit bands, known as angels of the visitation, sought out suitable environments for her next step on the ever ascending ladder of progress. why did she so quickly become re-embodied? she did so that thus she might fulfill the law of love, for remember that it is only through loving service that spirits in or out of the mortal body grow strong, wise and purified. although romēne and i understood the fact that for all losses there are adequate compensations, it but slightly mitigated the sorrow of our separation. we simply submitted, as all must, who desire to progress toward the unattainable perfection of the infinite spirit, who alone is perfection. desiring that i should not interfere with, or even be cognizant of her mortal experiences, romēne exacted from me a promise that i should not seek for her or endeavor to learn on what planet she might be re-embodied, and i have kept my promise. when the moment of our parting arrived, there was one close embrace, one lingering look into each other's eyes, then a loosening of clinging hands, and then—and then i stood alone, for the angels of the visitation had borne my spirit romēne away to, i know not where. at

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times word comes to me of one who lives a life of self-abnegation, of an angel of pity, who ministers to fallen ones, inspiring them with clearer views of their duties to others, to themselves, thus to god. that ceaselessly she walks amid the squalid homes of the ignorant, the wretched children of men, instilling into their dulled minds a desire for knowledge, which is the bread and water of life. thus she is earning her crust of bread. thus she is earning the reward for duties fulfilled.

it is a provision of the law of re-embodiment that those who return to the mortal plane retain little or no recollection of past experiences, but to some peculiarly constituted persons, in moments of spiritual exaltation, come gleams of memories of a wondrous past existence, which, like the lightning's flash, come and are gone. i know not if to my romēne these gleams of memories ever come, but i know that with me her spiritualized image ever abides, and that with measureless longing i wait and watch for her return. never have i purposely sought for my vanished one, but ever as i journey from world to world, with vague expectation i scan the faces of women, hoping that in some one of them i may find at least a resemblance to her who on some planet is fulfilling the law of love, and the years go swiftly by and soon, ah, yes, at any moment she may return to me.

this recital i purposely have given as a lesson for you who so revolt against the law of re-embodiment.

gentola—certainly i do not desire to avoid learning any truth, however unpalatable it may be, but to one whose latest religious education has been thoroughly orthodox, the facts and statements of the spiritual philosophy are somewhat startling. i have outgrown some of my former beliefs, but i confess that i have not grown far enough to receive with equanimity a belief in re-embodiment. yes,

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i am aware that the belief did not originate in modern spiritualism, indeed it is only of late years that i have heard any spiritualist advocate it. if it is a truth, why is it that most returning, perhaps i should say communicating spirits are so reticent concerning it? during the twelve years of my mediumship, to me it has not been more than hinted at. from your own story i infer that re-embodiment is a matter of choice, yet clearly in order to progress of necessity one must yield to this law. when it may suit your inclination i should like you to more fully explain this very mystifying matter.

de l'ester—to your quite reasonable remarks i cannot now reply, but at a more opportune time i shall do so. this much i may say, that although a willing consent to an unavoidable necessity is somewhat paradoxical, when there is a choice between a lesser and an infinitely greater good, even at cost of ease or inclination, one is apt to choose the greater good. as with most persons some of the experiences of your present embodiment have not been so agreeable as to induce in you a desire for their possible repetition, yet i venture to predict that a time will arrive when, through your own desire, you again will take on mortal conditions.

gentola—it may be as you say, but now i recoil from the thought of again passing through the sorrowful experiences that of necessity are a part of mortal existence. but come what may, in all sincerity i can say, "thy will be done."

while we have been conversing i have been watching inidora̤ and the kneeling girl and it seems strange that she does not perceive his presence, he who appears so real, so substantial. as he gently touches her hair, she thinks the breeze is toying with it, and with her shapely hand she smooths its rippling waves. he kisses her forehead over

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which flossy curls are straying; again she fancies that the breeze is playing with her tresses, and somewhat impatiently she tucks them under her jewelled fillet. now she rises to her feet, raises her hands toward the golden sun crowning the altar and silently, but with an expression of intense devotion on her lovely face, bows low, murmuring, "oirah, oirah, oirah," and now with inidora̤ by her side, quietly, serenely she passes from the istoira̤. what a strange scene, but in keeping with all these strange experiences.

de l'ester, all my preconceived ideas relating to spirits are vanishing. what were my preconceived ideas? i scarcely can say, but certainly i have not conceived it possible that such a scene as the one we have witnessed could occur. like other mortals, in a sense, i have regarded spirits as superhuman, and i confess that it is something of a shock to realize that you are as human as myself. then again, as i believe that you would not mislead me, i am constrained to accept your declaration that re-embodiment is a fact, and in my mind the question arises, why does not the infinite potentiality create humans so perfect as to preclude the necessity of their experiencing the many trials and sorrows incident to repeated embodiments?

de l'ester—why the infinite duality does this, or does not do that, only the infinite can reveal, but this we do know, that as spirits in or out of the mortal body through high endeavor and loving service for others unfold their infolded attributes they grow into a clearer realization that whatever really is is right, and that in the universe there is but one principle which is wholly good, hence, logically, there can be no evil, and that so termed evil is a manifestation of unevolvement, which inevitably must yield to the divinity inherent in all that is real.

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as to spirits, the only difference between those in and those out of mortal bodies is the change in their environments. so termed death is the casting off of a coarse garment for one of finer texture, and a subsequent removal from one to another condition of existence, which in no way changes the higher emotions.

why does not the infinite potentiality create humans so perfect as to not require added virtues? as well may we ask when, where, how, did the first humans of the universe appear, for neither we, or most exalted spirits, or angels of the highest heavens know. the utmost that is known is that in the evolution of the human animal germs, of any planet, a period arrives when the evolved human animal becomes a conscious soul, and in him the ego, the spirit entity, finds an instrument through whom it may express its god likeness or attributes. how do we know this? because that on various planets we see it exemplified. upon what basis do we declare re-embodiment to be a fact? because we constantly see its demonstration. why do not all communicating spirits declare this truth? may i ask why do not you speak greek, hebrew or sanscrit? you may reply, because i have not learned those languages; besides, should i speak them but few persons would understand them. precisely so, and it is quite as true, that only spirits advanced to certain planes of spiritual being are learned in the law of re-embodiment, and equally as true that until of late comparatively few occidentals have been prepared to accept a truth so repellent not only to orthodox christianity but to the many whose minds reject all beyond the material plane of being. communicating spirits may be ignorant concerning re-embodiment, or too wise to offer that which might excite distrust or aversion. at times silence is indeed golden.

among the older civilizations of our planet a knowledge

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of this truth and of the significance of the karma are so incorporated with all that concerns their existence that their every thought and act are shaped thereby, and it is but a question of time when the western peoples will receive and retain the impress of their forcefulness.

yes, i am aware that by most of your thinkers the law of heredity is thought to be accountable for the great diversity of forms, features and mental characteristics of families, and to a degree they are correct, but only to a degree. for instance, you are one of ten children (not including inez and emma, whose growth has been on the spirit side) of the same parents, subjected to nearly the same antenatal influences and after environments, yet in physical likeness, temperament and mentality, you were so unlike your brothers and sisters as to be regarded as somewhat uncanny. we know that heredity only partly covers your case.

as another illustration, we will select a not exceptional instance of a low type of parents, whose ancestors may or may not have been below their own level, but certainly not above it. to these parents are born a number of children who may more or less closely resemble them, but among the brood is one so entirely unlike any of the others as to perhaps arouse suspicion as to his or her paternity. though the other children possess very ordinary mentality, and physically are uncouth, the exceptional child is unusually intelligent, straight of limb, erect of head, open eyed, handsome featured, and with a certain grace of bearing which sets him or her quite apart, not only from the other children, but from the parents to whom he or she ever is as much a stranger as though of another family. does the law of heredity satisfactorily account for an instance of this kind? and it is not an isolated one.

your scientists assert that not only through successive, but intermittent generations, mental and physical traits

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are transmitted, and i admit the fact; on the other hand i assert that it is not possible through heredity or fortuitous circumstances to, through a low type of parentage, produce a type possessing the very best characteristics of the human. one does not gather figs off thistles or roses from noxious weeds. believe me, gentola̤, entertaining angels unawares is of common occurrence, and angels are spirits who, through repeated embodiments, have attained to more or less exalted states of being.

yes, very exalted spirits, desiring to compass certain ends, on our or other planets, are, so to say, reborn, and generally into lowly conditions. if you will acquaint yourself with the mortal origin of the saviors of our planet, the men and women who, during the crises of humanity's upheavals, have come to the front as leaders or teachers, you will learn that as a rule it has been, not the nobly born, but the lowly born, who have been the champions, the deliverers of the people, whom "in the fullness of time" they came to serve, perchance to save.

to return to your own case. you are aware that your parents were very upright, very pious and intelligent persons; these and other characteristics fitted them for parentage of more than average merit. your father was strong physically and mentally, and of a most generous nature, which impelled him to assist all who came his way. at the same time he exhibited a certain ruggedness of character, amounting to brusqueness. your mother, frail physically, but with high spiritual development which afforded her fine intuition, formed with your father a combination through whom spirits well advanced might return to further fulfill the law of their being. physically, you are somewhat like your father, and also your mentality possesses a coloring of his positive, unswerving honesty of purpose, but largely it is through your mother's spirituality

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that you possess a free entrance into the realm of intuition. so much and more i yield to the law of heredity. then again arises the question, all having been born of the same parents and under like conditions and environments, why are not you and your brothers and sisters more alike? when you return to our side of life you will be better able to reply to this question.

you desire that i shall tell you something of your embodiment preceding your present one. you were an oriental, your parents being egyptians, dwelling in alexandria. your father was a dealer in rich stuffs and jewels. a man of stern character, yet withal of a rare tenderness of nature. your mother, a woman of great beauty and fine intelligence, gave you birth, and almost immediately passed to the world of spirits. toward the close of eleven years of earth life you joined your mother who had guarded and guided you until you were released. yes, previous to your present embodiment you clearly understood that you were to be the special instrument for the accomplishment of this mission, and gladly you re-entered the mortal plane that thus you might further fulfill the law of love. throughout your present embodiment you have shown decidedly oriental tendencies. your love of light, of high temperature, of rich colors, of flowers and fruits, and your equally strong dislike of darkness, of cold and of animal food, indicates a sort of overlapping of the tendencies of your previous earthly existence.

for some time i have had it in my thoughts to answer some of the unasked questions agitating your mind, but until now no opportunity has presented itself. i am quite aware of the inadequacy of my replies, and of my inability to verify such statements as i have made, nevertheless they are as true as truth.

gentola—i thank you for your patient endeavor to

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instruct me, and i earnestly desire that i may grow into a knowledge of all that is true.

de l'ester—we better than yourself comprehend why you so revolt against the idea of re-embodiment. your nature is very pitiful, very sympathetic, and it is not so much your personal sorrows as your consciousness of the fact that on our planet ignorance, injustice, cruelty and poverty so prevail as to render life undesirable, that occasions you to shrink away from further mortal experiences.

yes, it is true that the struggle for power and luxury among those best equipped for the battle is indeed a sad spectacle, only a little less sad than is the struggle for mere existence among the toiling millions of earth's children. on the surface the strife between prosperity and poverty appears very unequal, but to those who see beyond mortal existence, and who know that it is the sum of mortal deeds that determines the condition of all on the spirit side, how pitifully small and mean are all the ephemeral dignities and luxuries for which men and women barter their best, their immortal interests!

we are not surprised that you now shrink from the thought of again returning into this seething maelstrom of human passions and misery, but remember that under all this strife and agony is the ever uplifting lever of evolution which unfailingly brings to the surface and perpetuates that which is worthiest. cannot you yet conceive of the lofty devotion of discarnated ones, who, seeing their opportunity and their duty, hasten to the rescue of struggling humanity, sustaining the weak, restraining the wayward and consoling the sorrowful, thus fulfilling the law of love? thus presenting to humanity higher views of truth.

ever the onward marching army of humanity is calling for leaders who shall direct their ways toward a better land,

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and ever the supply is equal to the demand; for ever the angels of the visitation are preparing the ways and making them straight for the advent of saviors who are to be the leaders and teachers of humanity. at present the affairs of earth's peoples are tending toward a most destructive culmination. it would seem that only the infinite one can stay the mad strife for place, for power, for gratification of selfish greed, which, from day to day, grows fiercer and more aggressive. almost certainly they are sowing a wind that will develop into a whirlwind whose destructive fury will efface so many landmarks that survivors will find themselves at a loss to discover their whereabouts. those who are at the head of humanity's signal service should heed the outlook. will they? we think not. they and the accumulators and hoarders of the wealth that should serve humanity's needs are so besotted with selfishness that they are blind and deaf to the cries of suffering millions who know not where to turn for bread, and who now dumbly endure, but who, when the day of reckoning shall come as come it will, will hold their oppressors to an account of their stewardship. at no time during the history of our planet have the rulers of the nations been less humane, less selfish, less merciful, less just than at present. true, the sovereigns of some of the more enlightened nations do not, as in times past, indulge in wholesale or ruthless butcheries of their subjects, who have evolved too far to tamely submit to such cruelties, but it is a truth as true as god that a sovereign or nation who idly, perhaps exultingly, looks on while another nation is being butchered for the crime of self-defense, are aiders and abettors of murderous crime. at this moment fear of consequences alone stays the hands of the leading sovereigns of europe from flying at each other's throats and sacrificing on the altars of their unrighteous ambition hecatombs of innocent, unwilling vic

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tims. understand, gentola̤, i am not finding fault with a condition, which, in the present state of evolution of the peoples of our planet, cannot well be otherwise. i simply state facts and deplore their unwelcome existence.

not only i, but all spirits of right mind, long unutterably for an opportunity to say to mortals, if but this much: learn to love one another. learn that the good of one is the good of all. learn that a cup of cold water from the hand of a friend is better far than a cup of choicest wine from a grudging hand. learn that loving charity and pitiful mercy are as two radiant angels whose brightness will lighten your pathway to the brink of the river beyond whose further shore you will reap the harvest whose seed you have sowed while on the mortal side of life. learn that gentle words spoken and kindly deeds done are treasures laid up in the heaven of your own consciousness, and that throughout eternity they will be as precious jewels in your crown of endless existence. and learn, oh, learn that, above and beyond all else, love is the fulfilling of the law of the infinite.

yes, everywhere the processes of the progress of humanity appear to be much the same, and so advanced and harmonious are some of the peoples of some planets of our and other solar systems, that compared with the unevolved, inharmonious peoples of our planet they are as gods. yet so surely as on this height the sun is shining, so surely will a period arrive when earth's peoples will be as brethren living in perfect unity.

courage then, my friend, courage. with such ointment as you may possess, anoint the worn and weary feet of your fellow travellers, and though on earth's plane they may neither understand or value your service, be assured that on the spirit side their risen selves will turn and bless you.

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i have consumed so much time that only in the briefest manner can i reply to further questions. you desire to know if all mortals of our planet have been re-embodied? yes, repeatedly. you think it strange that spirits of a low plane of evolvement willingly become reborn under such conditions as inevitably must occasion them much wretchedness. i reply that spirits seeking rebirth are aware that they cannot re-enter mortal existence on a plane higher than the one for which their progress on the spirit side has fitted them, and gladly they take up their cross that thus they may earn their crown of spiritual progress. at another time i will inform you as to how spirits recognize their spirit mates. too long we have tarried on this pleasant height. now we must hasten elsewhere. george, your sister awaits your assistance.

george—i have been taking a survey of this locality, and have learned that the proprietor of the surrounding estate, with his family and domestic assistants, occupies the nearby fine residence, to which is attached this attractive istoira̤. on its eastern side the height gently slopes toward an extensive area of irrigated lands. when we rise you will observe the pretty village occupied by those who, with the proprietor, are engaged in their cultivation, which apparently is very successful. de l'ester has informed you that on ento seldom are laborers mere wage earners; all enterprises, of whatever nature or magnitude, being conducted on a co-operative plan.

i also have glanced into the residence and found it a finely appointed and luxurious rural home. i left inidora̤ enraptured with amilla, who sang a love song accompanying her voice with the soft, sweet notes of the harplike loita̤. she is the only surviving child of parents quite past middle age, and she resembles her rather dark skinned father, though indeed she also resembles her mother, who is

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fair enough to be of the quend race. in the istoira̤, back of the altar, are tablets setting forth the family history of births and deaths. ra̤imon kenoida̤s is the father's name. amilla bears the name of her mother.

de l'ester—as usual, george, you make us your debtors. now we will rise, and while following the course of the river we will obtain a view of areas of the irrigated belt. we are journeying nearly due south, though further on the river curves slightly toward the east, then gradually toward the west, but the general direction is southward until it empties into hûyda̤fon loisa̤ (bottomless lake), a fresh water lake, partly within the south temperate zone, and which is a part of the system. now the river widens and the elevation grows so pronounced as to suggest a period when its rocky peaks pierced the clouds. yes, ages have passed since that remote time.

those great embankments along the western shore are for the purpose of confining the prodigious volume of water which in the spring pours down from the north, threatening to inundate the broad, level stretches toward the west. you have yet to witness, and shall, if all goes well, the spring floods of melted snow, to which are added such downpours of rain as will astonish you. to one unused to the spectacle it might appear as though ento were about to have an experience similar to the legendary noachian deluge. as already stated engineering skill has risen equal to all emergencies arising from the spring floods, which no longer are regarded as disastrous, but as a special blessing.

what vast expanses of growing grains, of vegetables and fruits. yes, ento's labor saving machines are of such a high degree of excellence that they serve all the purposes of a fine system of cultivation.

below us now the mountainous height abruptly slopes to the level of the plain, rendering necessary the great em

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bankment which, as you perceive, is carried to the further side of the gap, where it terminates at the foot of the broken mountain, which extends the length of the river. gama̤lûfan (town of the gap), the large town below us, whose wharf is lined with vessels great and small, and in whose basin a number of large vessels await opportunity for discharging or for taking aboard lading and passengers, is a manufacturing centre of some importance, and its wide, beautifully paved, flower bordered and shaded streets and numerous fine residences indicate a considerable population of highly cultivated people. as is usual, the temple is the most attractive feature of the town. its white, sculptured walls and lofty golden dome, on which glows the many rayed emblem of ento's religion, stands out in bold relief against the background of the verdure covered slope at whose foot it is built. in the large building to the right of the temple is a fine library, and to the right of it is the town school, to which at this moment a large number of children are hastening; not with the noisy hilarity of youths of our planet, but with the gravity of their elders. it is a pathetic feature of ento child life which we will hope may ere long disappear.

why do not we in this region see any tuzamos for the same reason that on our planet a time will arrive when, as on ento, railways, in certain localities, will be impracticable. you have been informed that, in certain regions of this planet, to a considerable depth, the soil is friable and as porous as a sponge, rendering it too unstable for a tûza̤mo roadbed, which the spring floods undermine and render unsafe for transportation. it is only where the soil is coherent that tûza̤mo lines are practicable. of course, as air transports can go anywhere over the planet, for many purposes they are preferable to land or water transportation.

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yonder is a fruit laden vessel drawing to its mooring at the wharf. we will descend so that you and our lad may examine the crates and baskets piled high with the luscious fruits of the various countries. observe how each variety of fruit is surrounded by its own peculiar aura, which mortals term aroma. it is the vital principle or spirit essence of the fruit, and is the portion of which spirits partake, and i can assure you that an indulgence in this direction is never followed by a fit of indigestion. you may believe my assertion that the aura of animal foods attracts spirits of gross appetites, and the feasters at meat laden boards ever have guests they little dream of entertaining, and the drinker of intoxicants hobnobs with boon companions for whom he unwittingly pays the score.

while on this subject i shall tell you another fact. in all households there is a certain fluidic condition originating in the emanations of the persons composing the family, and also from the emanations of the foods partaken of by the family, and of visitors who in a slight measure contribute to the condition. so sublimated is this fluid that, as a rule, only discarnated spirits fully perceive it, yet there are instances where it is so decided, so perceptible, that, to a degree, visitors unconsciously are influenced by it, and according as this fluid is spiritualized or sensualized, will be the class of persons attracted by it. hereafter, upon entering different homes, observe your sensations, and soon you will recognize the meaning of this statement.

no, animal food does not necessarily debase spirituality; yet i would not advise you or any one to partake of it. comparatively few persons are positive enough to repel unseen, uninvited guests, but only decided positives have any assurance that they are not entertaining to their hurt, guests whose mere proximity is a menace. but enough of

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this, for i do not feel quite certain that this information is not somewhat premature, but let it pass.

now we will resume our journey. yes, the generally levelled surface of these equatorial lands precludes much variety or picturesqueness of scenery. we now have reached the southern confine of the province of vohûaka̤, and the river curves a little toward the southwest, rushing through this rift in the mountain, which is known as yoida̤s hûa̤ (bow shaped). below us, in the angle formed by the mountain and the river, is the capital city of vohûaka̤, which is known as endoina̤a̤ tylû (city of bridges), and aptly it might be termed the venice of ento. to my mind it is a very beautiful and unique city. gentola̤, what do you think of it?

gentola—it also impresses me as being a very beautiful city. through nearly all of the streets are canals spanned at intervals by handsome bridges, so ornamental, so apparently unsubstantial, that it seems surprising that they sustain the weight of the numerous vehicles and multitudes of people passing over them. the margins of the canals are lined with great palmlike trees, whose leaves are in incessant motion, and as the pretty, passenger laden and other boats glide along under their rustling branches they seem to be whispering to each other. and, dear me, see those lovely, lovely flowers, growing all along the margins of the waterways, their rich, glossy green leaves and great snowy blooms trailing down the walls and onto the water, where they rest like enthroned queens of the flower world. yes, i perceive their aura, and how wonderful it is. please take me nearer, so that i may see them more clearly. genessano, you are a flower lover, will not you tell us something concerning these beauties?

rodel. the national flower.

genessano—this is the rodel, the beauteous flower whose delicate perfume is considered far more exquisite

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than that of any other of the many fragrant blooms of ento. with fervent prayers to andûmana̤'s messengers that, through loving deeds and duties fulfilled, its life may be made as beautiful as is the heart of the rodel, its unfolding buds are placed in the hands of the newly created infant. bridal and other special ceremonies are graced by its peerless loveliness, and its snowy blooms cover from tear dimmed eyes the pallid faces of the beloved dead. also it symbolizes life and death. in early morning its opening chalices turn their hearts toward andûmana̤'s rising abode, their sweet fragrance ascending as an offering to him who is the source of all life. at close of day its white petals fold themselves over its golden heart and it sleeps the sleep of death, for it blooms but a day, ere its sweet life ends. look into its heart and you will see a golden representation of the shining rays surrounding andûmana̤'s glorious abode, hence it is regarded as a divine symbol, and in a sense it is idolized, or perhaps i should say reverenced as being possessed of sacred qualities. where nature has not provided suitable conditions for its growth it is artificially cultivated; besides, the matured buds are shipped all over the planet, so that no occasion need lack the office of the sacred flower.

gentola—many thanks for your interesting information. to me all flowers are more or less beautiful; these are especially so. what immense leaves and how oddly pretty their frilled edges are, and they stand up in a rim all around the—— oh, my, bernard, look at that droll little creature blinking at us from that large leaf. what is it, de l'ester?

de l'ester—if you should come across one of its kind on earth probably you would call it a frog. genessano may have another name for it. brillo? that is rather a nice name for the comical looking creature. ah, there it

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goes headforemost into the water, and now may be relating to its comrades its narrow escape from the clutches of some strange looking beings. observe how substantially these canals are walled. the masonry is about six feet thick and impenetrable by water, and at intervals spaces are arranged for the growing of rodels and other plants of an aquatic nature. the entoans, universally, are flower lovers; so, in your next re-embodiment, you will find other inducements than grapes to tempt you to become an entoan. we will ascend a little so that we may command a better view of the city. yes, the scene is very attractive. the canals are alive with passing boats, and overhead are transports coming or going.

you have observed the immense basin wherein a number of large river vessels await their turn to load or unload their freight. those numerous small, heavily laden boats are the carriers to or distributors for the large vessels which, of course, could not navigate the canals. an admirable feature of entoan cities is the absence of avoidable noises, haste and confusion. always the people work in harmony, each respecting the rights of their neighbors, and all intent upon doing their duty, thus honoring their calling and themselves. back of their harmonious relations with each other is the intelligent force of a spiritually evolved people, expressing itself in elevated thoughts and aims, and in the beautiful in art, architecture, industry and thrift, which ever are the concomitants of properly adjusted social relations and of an intelligent sense of duty. the entoans consider idleness so utterly at variance with right conduct as to be disgraceful and not at all permissible, save in cases of disability. although they never have heard that satan finds mischief for idle hands to do, they have learned that idleness is the begetter of all manner of social corruption, so, sternly it is frowned out of

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ento's code of ethics. what is known on our planet as the social evil, which, indeed, is a condition of undevelopment on a level with mere animalism, long, long ago, through their ever increasing spirituality and consequent refinement, was, by the entoans, outgrown. even by persons least observant of social niceties, strictest chastity is practiced. yes, ento's religion demands chaste conduct; but, aside from that, the entoans have evolved beyond mere animalism. idleness is a vestige of barbarism, and inevitably it begets vicious tendencies and vicious abuses of natural functions; hence it is all important that the law-makers of a people shall not only recognize the importance of this fact, but that also they shall in themselves furnish fine examples of honesty, industry, chastity and temperate living, which, alas, generally they do not. our acquaintance with the peoples of various planets affords us wide opportunities for observation of their modes of thought and habits, and wherever we have found degradation of the sacred function of procreation, we have found a corresponding lack of spirituality, and of all ideals constituting the basis of true civilization, which invariably is the reflection of the degree of spirituality of peoples who never are truly civilized until they recognize that the human body is a temple for the indwelling of the holy spirit, the god-man.

now we must turn our attention elsewhere. it will not, i think, be amiss to devote a short time to an investigation of yonder mercantile establishment, so that you may compare it with those of—well, of your city of st. louis. you perceive that the structure is seven stories in height, and its frontage is quite two hundred feet, its depth about the same. enter without hesitation. you are not yet quite accustomed to the fact of your invisibility. including the interiors the entire structure is of stone and

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various metals, rendering it fireproof. those elevators, swiftly carrying patrons to the various floors, also are entirely of metal. yes, the lightweight metal metszû.

these plant spaces surrounding the fountains are quite attractive, and the fountains themselves are exquisite in design and execution. i imagine that they are intended to serve the double purposes of ornamentation and of cooling the heated atmosphere. observe this one. in the centre of the basin, on an ornate pedestal, is poised the graceful form of a lovely, smiling girl, holding in her arms and outreaching hands a mass of blown rodels and buds, whose long, slender stems and frilled leaves seem to float on the water. from the hearts of the full blown flowers jets of crystal water are thrown nearly to the lofty ceiling, thence falling in silvery spray over the upturned face of the girl and her armful of rodel blooms. the rim of the marble basin is a composition of rodel blooms and foliage, as perfect of execution as is the marble form of the girl or the lifelike blooms she holds in her arms. here is another basin in which is a great white marble vase filled with growing aquatic plants and grasses. around its rim, at intervals, are sculptured water fowls from whose bills fine jets of water are thrown upward, falling downward into the vase and basin like a gentle shower of rain.

there are four fountains, and the basin of the next one is shaped like a shallow fluted shell, in which is a group of semi-human, semi-fishlike creatures of a mythical character. oh, yes, the entoans, like all other peoples, have their myths. genessano may enlighten us as to the meaning of these nondescript creatures, whose present occupation is throwing a bewildering number of tiny streams of water in such a fashion as to partly conceal their lovely faces and fishlike forms.

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genessano—it is a very ancient story, and reckoned something more than a myth, that once in a remote time a mother and her three children fled from one who sought to destroy her and them. being closely pursued, she cried to the gods for succor, and with her children sprang into indoloisa̤. the deific ones, compassionating her and her children, metamorphosed her and them in such a manner that easily they eluded their pursuer, who, in his fury, still sought for them, but the avenging gods raised such a tempestuous storm that quickly he and his followers were destroyed. i recall that during my childhood, when storms swept over indoloisa̤'s bosom and the moaning winds sounded like wails of distress, it was a common saying, "ah, rinahdo, the cruel one, pursues noyna̤ a vonna̤ and her children," and our mother would shelter in her loving arms her two timorous boys. this group commemorating the legend is, of course, purely fanciful, and the smiling mother and her laughing children are very unlike what my childish fancy used to conjure into something terrifying. this fourth fountain also illustrates a mythical legend, but it is not so regarded by my people.

in the centre of this beautiful flower rimmed basin is a mass of large leaves of a heart shaped growth. up-springing from them is a long and strong stem, bearing two great, many petalled flowers, from whose hearts are rising with outspread wings, two softly plumaged birds, each one carrying in its beak a bud just bursting into bloom. our sacred writings declare that out of himself andûmana̤ created and caused to come forth from the buds the infant progenitors of ento's children. that at his command the gods so assiduously cared for the infants, that with miraculous quickness they grew to maturity, and in time their offspring peopled ento. since most ancient

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times this myth has been perpetuated in sculpture, painting and in religious ceremonies.

de l'ester—this story of the origin of the ento human is no more absurd or illogical than are legends of the same nature of peoples of other planets, who cling to senseless superstitions because they are yet too immature to perceive the truth.

now, gentola̤, you will speak of whatever may interest you.

gentola—where everything is interesting it is difficult to choose, but certainly this great structure is worthy of notice. the roof is composed of four great domes, filled in with plates of glass, so transparent as to not obstruct the light, which falls through shades so adjusted as to permit the sunlight to fall only on the groups of plants and fountains. to me the whole interior, including the displays of the various wares, appears very admirable. as we pass from one department to another i scarcely can realize that we are not in some similar establishment on earth. here are textile goods whose coloring, weave, designs and quality equal, if they do not surpass, any fabrics i ever have seen. after all you have said to me relating to the universality of substance, the homogeneity of the mind of man and of the natural and inevitable results of certain universal laws, perhaps i should not express surprise to find here silks, satins, velvets and other fabrics very like those of our own planet. here, too, are woolens of a great variety of weaves and colorings, but i do not see any black goods of any kind.

genessano—to the entoans black suggests darkness, for which they entertain a positive aversion, and darkness suggests death, the ever present terror of their lives. black, the symbol of death, is never worn or used in any avoidable manner. you may not have observed that in the

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homes of the people lights ever are shining. light being the symbol of life, on every home altar a light burns perpetually.

gentola—as i have been on ento but twice during the night i had not noticed the custom. a dread of darkness may to some appear rather childish, but i can sympathize with the entoans, for i have an intense dislike for darkness. in the absence of light, i cannot locate myself. i feel as though i were drifting through illimitable space, and the sensation is excessively disagreeable. de l'ester, can you explain this mental condition?

de l'ester—not now. i merely will say that you lack what phrenologists term locality, which will account for the fact that always you are getting lost.

gentola—that is true. at present i am lost in admiration of the very attractive garments worn by ento men and women. i know that i never again will desire to wear the close fitting, ungraceful clothing i always have worn. see that stately woman whose inner-robe outlines her superb form, yet is modesty itself, and the over garment, loose, but extremely graceful of cut, has such an air of distinction that it seems to me any change would detract from its beauty. oh, yes, indeed, i greatly admire the manner in which the ento women wear their abundant waved or curled hair. the fillet is far prettier than any millinery creation.

dear me, what exquisite laces. as delicate as gossamer and of such lovely designs. i profoundly admire fine laces, and am a fair judge of their qualities, especially handmade laces, and these in texture, designs and workmanship are as fine and beautiful as any i ever have seen. here, too, is a display of embroidery, which is surpassingly lovely. i perceive that in their production gold, silver and silk threads in a great variety of colors are com

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bined harmoniously and most artistically, and here are bands in which the flowers are simulated by minute stones closely imitating the natural blooms. yes, frequently i have observed robes of both men and women bordered and trimmed with such embroidery, and—no, it does not make the men appear effeminate, quite the contrary. i cannot attempt a detailed description of this adjoining department, devoted to an endless array of articles for the toilet. should i do so, certainly my earth friends would laugh at such an exhibition of my vivid imagination. quite as certainly i would not find fault with their incredulity. i, however, will say that i find here combs, brushes, manicure implements, perfumes, soaps and an endless array of articles whose uses i only can guess at. could some of our earth folk walk into this establishment, which they would term a department store, they, like myself, would find themselves amazed, not so much by the strangeness, as by the familiar appearance of a thousand and more articles.

de l'ester—do not forget that in the universe there is but one mind which must everywhere express itself harmoniously, and you will cease to marvel at many things.

ah, george is experimenting and genessano looks on with curious interest. mon ami, what are you attempting?

george—i am trying to find out if any of these salespeople are sensitives. ah, my gentle sir, as you look about you seeking to learn who has spoken to you, your dreamy eyes are opening wide with surprise. genessano, through gentola̤, address him. i fancy that he does not understand english.

gentola—emano, ra̤ûdossa̤ illûma̤ voi hûa̤. voiha istan finostû tsoina̤.

george—he grows alarmed, but stands in an attitude of intense attention.

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gentola—oûna ûfan yoidas ēmano. info oovistû.

george—now he is thoroughly alarmed and rushes away, exclaiming, "zēmos, zēmos, dēlûsa ilmo evantos." his comrades and the people stare and question as to the cause of his alarm, and two young men have gone after him, evidently thinking him attacked with sudden illness. very certainly ento possesses many sensitives, and when the spirit worlds shall have succeeded in changing the positive conditions surrounding them they will become amenable to spirit control. what did genessano prompt you to say to the youth? in effect you remarked, "friend, the weather is fine." then you asked, "do you hear what i say?" then you added, "be not alarmed. info oovistû." evidently he did not heed your advice, and certainly he does not desire further acquaintance with you, for his cried to zēmos, a god, to protect him. the experiment being concluded, i shall not further interrupt you.

de l'ester—of course it is not practicable for you to give a detailed description of the contents of this establishment or of the structure itself, which is a fine example of its kind, but when the time shall have arrived for you to compile for publication our somewhat imperfect manuscript, under my control you will arrange it, and then you will recall all that you have seen, heard or experienced during your journeys to ento, and it may be worth while to describe to some competent architect the style, including interior arrangements, of this and of other structures you have observed. being within the equatorial belt, you may imagine that artificial heat is not required; but, in this latitude at times the temperature falls so low as to be uncomfortably cool; hence this electrical appliance for heating.

our clairaudient friend, wearing an abashed and nerv

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ous air, is returning. be at peace, gentle souled one, for at present we will not further disturb you.

gentola̤, you gaze longingly at those lovely laces. i wish it might be possible for you to bear with you to earth such a pretty memento of your visit to endoina̤a̤ tylû. george, what is next on the programme?

george—gentola̤, in this city there is a library which save for one in dao, equals any other of ento, and now we will afford you and bernard a view of it.

gentola—i have meant to ask you to show me a library, but always the time at our disposal is so fully occupied.

de l'ester—come, then, for the hours are flying and we cannot much longer hold you. allow me to assist you. this large edifice contains treasures in books and various objects of value, but i do not greatly admire its style of architecture, still it is a grandly imposing structure and well adapted to its purposes. those fine statues over the main portico are representations of certain of ento's authors, and you will observe that those columns supporting the portico and them are in style nearly as purely doric as any you may find on our planet. they offer another illustration of the universality of form ideals. the main entrance, though severely plain, is very imposing. we will enter it and view the interior. you perceive that the roof is a series of four domes through which the interior is lighted, ventilation being secured through a scientific mechanism which thoroughly serves its purpose. also you perceive that five galleries encircle the interior, and that the walls are fitted with glass inclosed shelves, which are filled with books, largely bound in a material similar to papier-mache, which its manufacturers know how to render flexible, and indestructible by insects. others are bound in leather of a very fine quality. no, cloth bindings are not at all

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used, the entoans being of the opinion that books worth preserving are worthy of meritorious covers.

on this table is a large open book. examine the leaves, and you will see that they are of an excellent quality of paper, resembling parchment. its texture is very close, and it is almost as thin as tissue paper, yet it is quite opaque. as zenesta̤ is absent, you, genessano, will tell us something concerning the language of this book.

genessano—gentola̤, you have been informed that on ento one language universally is spoken. true, there are other languages and dialects which, on occasions, are both spoken and written, but practically avûnassa̤ is the language of ento. by spirits of your and other planetary spirit spheres i have been informed that they find it a singularly elegant and easily learned language. the alphabetical letters are not complex, and during many centuries ento's scholars have made a study of simplifying the language. did you understand avûnassa̤ you would perceive that through terminal letters and accentuation a limited range of words serves for a wide range of expression. no, this book is not avûnassa̤, but va̤a̤mû, the language of a southern race, of a period preceding the establishment of ento's religion. you perceive that the letters or rather the characters, are quite unlike those of the avûnassa̤ alphabet. our friend, poole, is studying avûnassa̤, and should you so desire, he may draw the alphabet for you. yes, i am his instructor and find him an apt pupil.

our father, who, during his mortal existence, was a learned man, owned a volume of this rare work, and through him inidora̤ and i became a little acquainted with the va̤a̤mû language and the contents of this book, which treats of the sciences of eighty ento centuries ago. as the lesser is contained in the greater, so the accumulated

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knowledge of one era contains the germs which in after times unfold their potencies. thus the sciences as understood in the days of dylos ra̤ûmo, the author of this book, were the germs of achievements of the past and present, which you have learned are in many directions of a high degree of excellence.

i am told that your word paper signifies the same as our word billosa̤, which largely is the product of a fibrous plant known as ekētos, which blooms prettily, producing large seed pods containing a white, silken fibre, which is utilized, not alone in the manufacture of billosa̤ but also for the production of textile fabrics, some of which you recently have been admiring. does this scene impress you agreeably?

gentola—certainly; this is a large and beautifully arranged library, and what numbers of people are coming, going, or entering the adjoining room. a reading room? yes, i should like to look into it. why, it is quite crowded with men and women, all intently perusing books, papers and publications which wear a very familiar appearance; so familiar indeed as to nearly make me doubt the evidence of my own eyes. de l'ester, please ask genessano if the entoans possess a literature corresponding with what we term romances.

genessano—indeed, yes, and it constitutes a considerable portion of ento's literature. one story, which was based upon actual occurrences, inidora̤ and i used to read with profound emotion, and when this mission shall have culminated, and you may find leisure and inclination to hear it, i will relate what de l'ester may translate into your language, and you may name it "a romance of ento."

gentola—i am sure that i shall be even more pleased to hear it than you can be in relating it.

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george—yonder is another clairaudient sensitive, the youth robed in blue, who apparently is seeking for some special book.

de l'ester—yes, and he also is somewhat clairvoyant. gentola̤, he may be able to perceive or to hear you. stand near him and follow my dictation.

gentola—voian ēlos toya̤ ēmano?

entoan—efon ista̤ voian——ah, andûmana̤ kētoivan froya̤——

de l'ester—come away, come away, gentola̤, the man is scared out of his wits, and has fallen in a swoon. what a commotion. employees and visitors hasten to his assistance, expressing much concern and surprise. what a pity that he is such a nervous and timid person. ah, he is reviving and looking about him in an apprehensive manner, and every one is plying him with questions. genessano, what is he saying? he speaks in such an excited and rapid manner that i cannot follow him.

genessano—he says: "i was seeking for a copy of brohûû lûitszen, when i thought some one inquired as to what i searched for. i was about to reply, 'i am searching for brohûû lûitszen,' when i felt impelled to turn my gaze in the direction of the voice, and i call the gods to witness that i thought i saw a strange woman, unlike any i ever have beheld. it was not that her appearance was forbidding, but there was in her face or form or expression that which i cannot explain or describe, and in an instant i was so overawed that i lost consciousness. i am ashamed of my weakness for, of course, it was a freak of my imagination." they ask him how the woman was clothed, and he replies that she was very singularly clothed, but that really he cannot describe her garments. he also says that he and his auditors have heard the strange stories relating to prince dano and some of his friends, and he

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prays the gods that he may not find himself similarly afflicted. now he says, "i feel myself quite restored, and am convinced that the seizure was due to an overtaxed brain, for lately i have been too studious and must desist from such imprudence." although the youth assumes a careless air, it is very apparent that he is ill at ease, and his fellow employees and visitors to the library express concern over what has occurred. from their conversation it is evident that the experiences of dano, lēta, favēon and other sensitives have gained wide publicity, and from their peculiar nature are exciting attention and greater unrest in the minds of ento's sorrowful peoples. a favorable omen, friends, a favorable omen of the swiftly coming dawn of the new religion, and as the day draws near i scarcely can restrain my impatience.

de l'ester—as little can we, but the hours are swiftly flying and well may our hopes rise high, for surely, surely the light is penetrating the spiritual consciousness of many of ento's children.

gentola̤, we cannot attempt even a limited description of the vast collection of books, manuscripts and many curious objects. you must content yourself through storing up memories of many things which in coming years you may recall with pleasure to yourself and possibly to others.

gentola—i wish that i might retain memories of all that i experience during these journeys to ento, but always when i try to recall scenes and the appearance of peoples and places it is like attempting to revive illy remembered dreams. now i gaze on this great library, on these magnificently beautiful marbles, bronzes and many lovely and interesting objects and i know that when i shall have returned to earth it all will appear as "the baseless fabric of a vision."

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de l'ester—you cannot retain memories of your ento experiences because your subconscious self or ego is too deeply submerged to be in conscious rapport with your animal or soul self, which receives negative imprints, which i promise you shall in time be developed into memory pictures as vivid as are these realities. from the inception of our mission we have known that in your normal state you would not remember your ento experiences; hence the necessity of an automatic record of them. yes, i assure you that our expectation of your efficiency in this undertaking has been more than fulfilled and we promise you that the future shall not disappoint you. you yet are only on the verge of surprising experiences; soon your spirit senses will be greatly quickened and then your work will be made plain to you. ento is but one of the planets of space which, with us, you may visit, should you so elect, but of this we will speak later on.

friends, we yet have an hour at our disposal; how shall we best apply it?

genessano—i suggest that as gentola̤ and bernard have seen but little of ento home life they shall be afforded a view of the interior of some residence.

de l'ester—a good suggestion, genessano, and we will ask you to select the residence.

genessano—then we will visit yonder massive and spacious dwelling just beyond the sun-crowned column. observe that its architecture is not modern, neither is it of a very remote period. it may have been erected two centuries ago of our time. its massive stone foundation and stone walls carried to the height of three stories show no evidences of disintegration, and around the doors and windows the finely executed sculpture appears as perfectly preserved as though chiselled recently. about the handsome structure the spacious lawn is abloom with a variety

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of flowering shrubs and plants and doubtless we will find the interior of the home equally as attractive. we will enter and ascertain. this wide, central hallway and the fine staircases are of ento's rose tinted woods, and the mosaic floor, rugs, tapestries, statuary and decorative features are in every way admirable. gentola̤, i have not yet experienced the pleasure of viewing the cities and homes of your planet, but ere long i may be afforded the opportunity of comparing them with the cities and homes of ento.

de l'ester—it may add to the sum of your information, but it will not add to your happiness to view some features of earth's cities and homes. some of these friends and i have viewed the best and the worst of them, and i assure you that the contrast between the sumptuous homes of the rich and the squalid homes of the poor is very saddening.

on our planet this residence with its beautiful appointments would be considered exceptionally luxurious, on ento such homes are the rule not the exception. we will enter the apartment on the left, and you, gentola̤, will describe it.

gentola—we are in a very spacious room, through whose large alcoved windows one obtains a fine view of the lawn with its great beds of blooming plants and a lovely fountain throwing jets of sparkling water high into the air. the room is panelled in rose colored woods which rise to the ceiling and curve to its centre, meeting under a great cluster of carved foliage and rodel blooms. in the hearts of the rodels, which are of exaggerated size, are crystal bulbs, and i wish i might understand ento's system of electric lighting, which is so unlike that of earth. the floor is a mosaic of a very delicate rose tinted field, with shaded sprays of rose colored flowers scattered over

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it, and the wide border is of shades of rose colored foliage, grasses and flowers. the effect is delicate, very unique, and i think extremely pretty. in the centre of the apartment is a fountain, whose large basin is of white marble, veined with palest rose. it is in the form of a full blown rodel, and from its heart, tiny jets of water are thrown upward, striking a peculiar arrangement of crystal cups, producing soft musical sounds similar to the notes of a music box. all about the apartment are handsome divans, chairs and tables, on the latter are books, papers and other reading matter. there are swings and hammocks, and in the further one reclines a young girl with flowing dusky hair, olive-hued skin, lovely features, dark large, luminous eyes, full scarlet lips, through which her teeth gleam like pearls, and a form of perfect proportions. to me the eyes of the entoans are their most noticeable feature. they are so large, so luminous, but always i see in them a sort of brooding expression as though in their depths lies some sorrowful memory.

surely, yonder youthful looking woman near the window is not the mother of all those children, four of whom are swimming or playing in the basin of the fountain; three are swinging, and the two smaller ones are playing at her feet. near her, reclining on a pretty wicker lounge, a fine looking man of apparently middle age reads aloud from a book which seems to greatly interest them, and now an aged man and woman, whom the children hail with delight, are entering the room, and the man and woman hasten forward, and as they lead them to seats, they affectionately welcome them and speak to them in gentle, solicitous tones. now quite a youthful man and woman approach, and the two younger children scramble to their feet, and hasten to the arms outstretched to receive them. the man swings the older child to his shoulder, and the wo

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man takes up the younger one who is little more than a baby, and turns to salute a beautiful, but sad faced young woman, who quietly and alone enters the room where all with much tenderness of manner greet her, and an attendant quickly robes the children playing in the basin of the fountain, who hasten to her and fondly cluster about her. allow me to be silent, while genessano shall explain the relationship of these persons.

genessano—from their conversation i learn that the woman who entered alone recently has been widowed, and that she is the mother of the four children grouped about her. her robe is not so much a badge of mourning as it is an indication of her widowhood. only widows wear this peculiar shade of hinifro (yellow). the young girl in the hammock, the widow and the father of the other five children are the son and daughters of the middle aged couple, and the aged pair are the father and mother of the middle aged man, and all reside in this spacious home, of which this living room is a feature common to ento.

de l'ester—another feature is about to be added to the already attractive scene, for here are a number of attendants bearing trays laden with delicacies and fruits, to be served for the family luncheon. the hour has expired, and after a hasty survey of other apartments of the residence, we must bid adieu to it and to endoinas. at a low altitude we still will follow the course of the river, which from this point flows in a southwestward direction, and soon we will arrive at hom-arû, (city of palms), a city situated very near the line of the equator. it is on the west bank of the river which forms a boundary between the provinces of vohûaka̤ and ha̤mûyen, where we will meet a messenger from da̤o, who will inform us of the precise condition of valloa̤. the purport of the message will determine our movements of the near future. george,

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pause for a moment that gentola̤ and bernard may again view this city of bridges. is not it quite attractive?

gentola—it is more than attractive, it is a view so impressively beautiful that one is not likely to forget it. you, who have seen the great cities of earth, those aggregations of magnificence and squalor, will understand how my son and i are impressed and surprised by the beauty, thrift and cleanliness of the cities and towns of ento. as i gaze in all directions the scene impresses me with a sense of unreality, much as though i were beholding the creation of a mirage. the humid, hazy atmosphere lends a sort of indistinctness to the far reaches of the country, where various kinds of water-craft are passing along canals and the larger waterways; while below us the streets and bridges are alive with the movement of people and vehicles, and, de l'ester, i observe several animals running about the streets or lying on porches; what are they?

de l'ester—do not you remember fenēto, in giant's dwelling? well, those animals are fenēto's kindred, and a naturalist would inform us that they belong to the feline family, which they do. no, on ento there are no animals even similar to our wolf or its kindred. indeed, on ento, nearly all savage life forms have disappeared, and, in time, such forms will disappear from our planet. it is a fact that on all planets evolved to the spiritualized man period, in proportion as humanity advances, the coarser life forms recede; for it is a law of nature that, as the spiritual atmosphere of planets increases in quality and quantity, through lack of proper vital sustenance, coarser life forms perish. were the lion, tiger, bear and other savage animals of our planet left unmolested, of necessity, in time, they would cease to exist. the activities of generation demand specific conditions, and ento no longer offers conditions favorable to the generation of savage life forms.

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yes, domesticity of certain animals enables them to for a time ward off the day of their doom, but it is only delayed. have you observed those lofty light towers?

gentola—yes, and when at night they are ablaze, the scene must be beautiful. some time, like you, i may be free to go where i will. then i may come to ento to view all the wonders we now have not time to even glance at. you all are most patient with my dear son and me, and i think that you know that we appreciate all your goodness to us.

de l'ester—progress, spiritually, comes only to those who stand and serve. you partly comprehend our present service of love, but you do not at all comprehend your service of a coming time, which to a greater degree will make us your debtors, even as we now are. now we will continue our journey.

bernard—mother, dear, rest your hand on my shoulder. no, it does not hinder me, and it is so pleasant to feel your touch.

gentola—you dear boy, i shall be glad to do so.

bernard—what do you imagine the folks at home would think could they see you and me with this large band of spirits passing through the air?

gentola—dear me, i cannot imagine what they would think, but i suspect that they would think us in danger of an awful fall. de l'ester, at what altitude are we?

de l'ester—about one english mile above the surface of ento, and we are moving rather slowly so that you may obtain a good view of the river and its shipping, of the irrigated country and its many towns, villages and fine suburban estates. the town we are nearing offers a rather pretty view. through the arrival and departure of those great vessels its commodious shipping basin presents quite an animated appearance. being a distributing centre it

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possesses a handsome air transport station which adds to its importance.

it is near high noon and the chime of yonder sun-crowned temple dome is softly pealing, and men, women and children hasten to the midday service. were we not so pressed for time we might witness it, but we must pass on. gentola̤, direct your gaze toward those low-lying, grayish clouds, for soon, in that direction, you will behold the light towers and golden domes of hom-arû tylû, where sylvian, the messenger from dao, will meet us. she is a relative of the sick girl, valloa̤, being an aunt on the maternal side. she and the spirit mother of valloa̤, are in constant attendance, sustaining and strengthening her so as to as far as possible prolong her mortal existence. why do they desire to prolong her mortal existence? for the reason that she is one of the principal instruments through whom is to come to ento the priceless knowledge of a continuity of existence. then each added day of her mortal experience more fully unfolds her spirit senses, thus better fitting her not only for our purpose but for her entrance into ento's spirit world.

including the human, the stages of animal existences find correspondences in the vegetable kingdom. first, the germination of the sown seed, followed by growth and the unfolding of the infolded bud into the full blown flower; then the ripening of the seed and the harvesting. humans who pass from mortal existence ere the culmination of corresponding stages of growth and maturity, lack, so to say, ripeness, and upon entering the spirit world they are at such a disadvantage that they find it necessary to again return into mortal environments where, through association with mortals, they may acquire growth and experience. the spirit friends of valloa̤, understanding

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this law, will, for as long as may be possible, hold her in her physical body.

the low-lying clouds have drifted away, and yonder amid a sea of verdure is hom-arû tylû (city of palms), where, in a certain park, our friend, sylvian, will meet us. it is now beneath us, and we will descend to the palm fountain. is not this a peculiar conceit?

gentola—very, and as pretty as it is peculiar. instead of the usual human, animal or fanciful composition, is this great metallic palmlike tree. bernard, see how from that central cluster of upright leaves the water is thrown into the air from whence in silvery spray it falls upon the luxuriant foliage, from which, in a copious shower, it rains into the basin. really, i think it almost the prettiest of the many fountains i have seen on ento. in form and coloring both tree and foliage are true to nature. i wonder how the color effects are produced?

de l'ester—genessano says that the coloring is effected through a process of enamelling which resists corrosion. he also says——ah, sylvian approaches.

sylvian—efon fiestēmos, ēmanos. (i greet you kindly, friends.)

genessano—onos ta̤ fiestēmosa̤a̤, sylvian. (we as kindly greet you, sylvian.)

de l'ester—gentola̤, i shall serve as interpreter between sylvian, yourself and bernard, who yet but slightly understands the ento language. emana̤ sylvian, this is gentola̤, of whom you have heard, and this is her son, bernard, who recently passed from the mortal to our side of life.

sylvian—only as a matter of courtesy need i be presented to one whose name to me is as a household word. gentola̤, as i look into your eyes my heart goes out to you in fonder greeting than my lips can utter, for i recall cher

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ished memories of long ago, memories which happily you cannot now recall, but which, at times, like evanescent mist wreaths drift athwart your mental vision. de l'ester's warning glance deters me else i might grow too reminiscent, which, at this time, would be unwise. gentola̤, i cannot express my joy, my gratitude, that across the vast space between earth and ento an incarnated spirit has been brought to deliver to ento's sorrowful children a message of hope; a message which shall lift out of an abyss of darkness into effulgent light a people who now with heavy hearts and downcast thoughts ever walk in the shadow of a great fear; for ever, as they courageously smile and strive to forget, they are conscious of the approach of the dread horror death. gentola̤, see you not how my people in whom the love element is so evolved as to dominate all other emotions, count all things valueless when compared with the intense affection they bear for their nearest and dearest ones? to them death is the synonym of despair, for when their dear ones pass into the silence only despair and darkness of mind remain. but our hopes are high for the success of the mission; for at last through the ceaseless efforts of spirits of many spirit worlds the inner consciousness of the entoans is being so aroused that in their despair, blindly they are reaching out for relief. more wonderful still, my kinsman, omanos fûnha̤, osy hûn, listens with rapt attention as his child valloa̤ relates her wondrous experiences, which he no longer regards as the vagaries of a diseased brain, but begs her to repeat again and again the story of her beatific visions. valloa̤ stands upon the threshold of our spirit realms, and her inner senses are so unfolded that she sees and holds converse with her mother, with me and with other spirits who minister to her. to her father and others about her she conveys messages from her mother, from me and from other spirits.

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to her father she relates incidents known only to himself, and she whispers to him of private affairs, and he marvels at her knowledge and eagerly questions as to the source of her information. so rapidly are his spiritual senses unfolding that at any moment they may burst into bloom; then the old, hopeless beliefs will pass into oblivion.

prince dano, my young kinsman, who is valloa̤'s betrothed, scarcely quits her presence, and his heart is heavy with grief, that his beloved one is so near the conclusion of her mortal existence; but with a strength born of the new faith, he cheers and consoles her. constantly his cry is, "courage, my valloa̤, my own, for thou art not going into the dread, endless silence, but into a gloriously beautiful world of living, loving ones. i, who for a time must remain on ento, will ceaselessly proclaim the joyful tidings of continuous existence, and the swiftly fleeting years will pass, and then i shall come to thee, my beloved, mine own forevermore." spiritually, he sees and hears with phenomenal clearness, and to all about him he earnestly proclaims his absolute faith in the declarations of the strange woman gentola̤, and implicitly he relies upon your declarations and promises.

his father, basto andûlēsa̤, who was in despair over what he considered the lost mind of his son, now cherishes dano's words as though they are the very strength of his life, and ontellēna̤, dano's gentle mother, smiles or weeps as she listens to her son's glowing portrayal of the life that is to be. thus, gentola̤, you perceive that the seed you have sown has germinated and gives promise of a harvest of joy inexpressible.

the hour draws very near when we no longer will be able to hold in her physical form our precious valloa̤. when that hour shall arrive we well know that spirit forces from many spirit realms will with you dear and devoted

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friends unite in a supreme effort to reveal to omanos fûnha̤ and others irrefutable knowledge of the continuity of life, and, gentola̤, that which more than all else will hasten the acceptance of the new religion will be the promise and proof of escape from ever impending annihilation, from which priests and people shrink with ever increasing horror. unquestioningly the people have been obliged to accept the ancient faith, whose exponents, the priesthood, have interpreted to fit their own ideas and ends; but, ceaselessly, evolution proceeds, and despite most unfavoring conditions the peoples of ento now are prepared for the ushering in of a brighter day than ever has dawned upon their consciousness; and, like many others, i scarcely can await the culmination of this momentous event.

yes, ento possesses many sensitives, but hitherto, to a greater degree than now, the aural atmosphere has been so positive as generally to prevent their approach by wholly freed spirits. being yet physically embodied, your spirit body is of a less sublimated character than are those of wholly freed and advanced spirits who are visible only to certain priests and priestesses of inner sanctuaries, whose lives are most ascetic and in a sense spiritualized. when, through the influence of the new religion, the hopeless mental state of the people shall yield to joyful expectation, the aural atmosphere gradually will grow penetrable, and sensitives whom now we cannot approach will develop into mediums through whom spirits will communicate to mortals the glorious truth that their present existence is but a momentary experience of unending life. de l'ester informs me that now you fully understand the aims of those conducting and assisting in this mission, which, as you may know, is not an unusual one, for all revelations to mortals are the results of spirit activities, and all saviors

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are missionaries re-embodied for a fixed purpose, which, alas, is not always accomplished.

valloa̤ being near the time of her release from her physical body these friends and i have arranged for constant communication between them and the watchers at da̤o. thus, until summoned thither, they may without further anxious thought, devote every possible moment to your instruction concerning ento.

with you, bernard, who stand so silently observant, ere long i shall make it my affair to become acquainted, and with you, gentola̤, i rejoice to renew our friendship of a time when we were co-workers in an undertaking similar to this mission. when you return to the spirit side you will comprehend what now i must leave unexplained. let these embraces assure you and this dear boy that as of yore i am your loving friend, sylvian ravvecta̤. and now, ēmanos, info sta̤-tiva̤ zēnosa̤a̤ oovistû. (to the care of the angelic ones, until we again meet.)

de l'ester—gentola̤, it is arranged that constantly sylvian shall be informed as to our movements, and as constantly she will keep us in touch with affairs at da̤o, for in a few days we will be summoned there to share with others the responsibilities of a most momentous occasion. in the meantime we must improve the swiftly fleeting hours. to-day we have held you with us overlong, and now must return you to your home, over which the shadows of twilight are falling.

bernard—mother, dear, do not you think sylvian very gracious and beautiful? really, i felt quite abashed when she kissed and embraced me.

george—bernard, your modesty is very commendable. evidently sylvian discriminates between men and boys, as she kissed and embraced no one but you and your mother.

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bernard—all right, my british kinsman, for as long as sylvian may discriminate in that manner i shall be content to remain a boy. but, mother, you have not answered my question.

gentola—sylvian is indeed both gracious and beautiful. the rich olive of her complexion is to my taste as much to be admired as are the roses and lilies of fair skinned beauties. on first coming to ento the stature of the people impressed me rather unpleasantly; indeed, when i met inidora̤ and genessa̤no i imagined them specimens of a race of giants, and was surprised when i learned that they were of the average height of ento's oriental and most other races. sylvian's height is, i should say, quite seven feet, but she is so symmetrically formed that she appears a grandly beautiful woman. our friends tell me——

de l'ester—gentola̤, positively you must defer further conversation, and i shall take it upon myself to see you safely landed on earth. bernard, as your mother is quite exhausted, george and i will bear her home, where ere now she should have arrived.

gentola—good-bye, dear son, good-bye until to-morrow.

de l'ester—yes, in interstellar space there are countless magnetic currents, each varying from others in their ever onward inconceivable velocity, in never varying directions. this current on which, or rather in which, we are speeding to earth is not one in which previously you have journeyed, but which has speedily borne us within earth's atmosphere, and—again you are safe at home, where loving ones will guard you until we meet to-morrow.

adieu.