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Title: Ruth's Marriage in Mars: A Scientific Novel

Author: Mrs. Charles Wilder Glass

Release date: January 8, 2018 [eBook #56338]

Language: English

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RUTH'S MARRIAGE IN MARS: A SCIENTIFIC NOVEL ***

“AUTHORESS AND CHILD”

Ruth’s Marriage in Mars

A SCIENTIFIC NOVEL

BY

MRS. CHARLES WILDER GLASS

Copyright by

MRS. CHARLES WILDER GLASS

1912

Books sold at

856 West Fifty-seventh Street

Los Angeles, Cal.

DEDICATION.

It gives me great pleasure to dedicate this book to all my readers. I also dedicate it to my dear father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. L. R. Perkins. To my two brothers and three sweet, lovely sisters; to my dear friends Dr. Willard P. Burke and his brother, Dr. Benjamin Franklin Burke and his only son, Willard Franklin Burke, and only daughter, Millie Burke. To my husband, Charles Wilder Glass, and to my only child, Jennie May Glass. All these dear souls have been a great comfort and blessing to me. In my darkest hours they have thrown their sacred influence around me. I dearly love all these and many hundreds of others. I wish I could express in this little book my love for all humanity. May my daughter be as great a blessing to the world as she is to her father and mother. My earnest prayer is,

May God protect her,

Love be true to her,

Joy draw near to her,

Home a joy to her,

Health stay close to her,

Life be dear to her.

Wealth find what you can do for her;

Search your treasure house thro and thro for her.

May God and His dear angels, and our loving

Saviour guide her steps forever, is my prayer.

PREFACE.

I am a Catholic-Psychic, and believe in the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints (this is a fact to me for I have often seen my saints and heard them), the forgiveness of all sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. I write this little book to prove man an immortal being, to comfort all those that suffer. My saints have proven to me there is no death. I long to prove this to my dear readers, for it is a fact. May this little book always be a comfort and blessing to you. May all my dear readers have this same beautiful experience; all learn for themselves life is immortal, life is beautiful. Please earnestly investigate and find this fact out for yourselves—I did. If you will go into the silence every other night and pray, then be calm, very quiet, relax the mind and body, in a short time you will see or hear, or feel some of your loved ones, as I have seen and heard them. After you have heard these sweet heavenly voices, or have seen the dear faces of your loved ones, please tell the world these beautiful facts, as our sweet saint Jeanne d’Arc did; we can all write and teach facts now without being burned alive. “As freely as ye receive freely give.”

Dear readers, this little romance is founded on facts. All journeys to other stars are true. The names are fictitious. The gist of this story is all true. It is wicked to write a lie, even in a novel. This book is written to inspire more love for each other. May we all love one another more, comfort others as our Saviour and His angels have loved us. As you read this book please remember I love you all dearly. God rules and watches over you; He sends your loved ones to comfort and protect you. Please try to always bear this in mind, and may you always be happy and contented. If you wish to develope your souls, and keep in harmony with God, you must keep sweet, cheerful, prayerful, and love one another. Love, Divine love, is the secret of salvation. So pray for love, peace and happiness.

THE AUTHOR.

CHAPTER I.

’Tis heaven alone that is given away;

’Tis only God may be had for the asking.

—Lowell.

It was a lovely twilight evening at Lytton Springs, India. These famous springs were very high up in the Araville hills; Mandavee was the nearest city, situated on a small island in the Arabian sea. The great red sun was slowly sinking as the bells were ringing the Angelus from an ancient Hindoo temple. The sacred chimes pealed forth melodiously, the sweet sounds echoing forth the harmony of those bells. Inside of this ancient temple sweet incense was burning on a beautiful golden altar. A dark, handsome prince and his family were praying around this sacred altar. Here they would often see beautiful visions of angels and their loved ones who had died in this same faith years ago. This faith was a strange, mysterious, mythical religion, handed down from the ancient Indians. It was a mixture of Catholicism and Hindooism. The Prince and his family were highly educated and great musicians; they were all great Psychics, and often spent hours in this old temple praying. They lived in constant communion with their saints, who constantly watched over them and protected them. At the other side of this altar a strange veiled princess was silently praying. After sunset they all left the temple with bowed heads. They went to their summer homes in the hills. Sita, the Prince’s only daughter, felt sorry for the lonely stranger and invited her to their lovely home in the mountains.

“May I ask the name of my lovely hostess?” asked the lonely stranger.

“My name is Sita, dear. My father is Prince Cresto. We spend our summers here in these lovely mountains. Won’t you please come home and spend the evening with us?”

“I, too, am a princess from Southern Egypt. My name is Princess Kezia. If you love me, just call me Kez for short.”

“I fell in love with you at first sight, Kez. Please come and dine with us this evening. Come just as you are!”

“I will, dear Sita, for the hotel seems so far away. Sita, what a dear, lovely home you have way up here in the hills.”

“Father and mother, this is Princess Kezia. Kez, this is my father, Prince Cresto, and my mother, Princess Mara; this other young gentleman is my brother Persus; he has just graduated at Delhi as M. D., and now has charge of a large sanitarium here at Lytton Springs. Kez, he is also a mental healer and many come just to get well mentally. He has great success in healing the body through the mind. He and my father have a large class at the sanitarium just to develope the soul.”

“Doctor,” said Princess Kezia, “I would love to join your class. I came to these hills just to develope the soul.”

“Princess Kezia,” said the doctor, “we have a small class to meet here in our library tonight—some are here now. I will let you sit here in this big easy chair close to my own, so you will not be afraid.”

In a few minutes the large library was filled with lovely, refined, highly educated people. The library was lighted up with many candles, held in lovely gold candlesticks. These lovely gold ornaments were handed down from one generation to the other.

These dear friends formed a circle with their chairs. They held each other’s hands, and sang and prayed, then all were silent for a few minutes. Suddenly there were many strange lights, the lights looked like stars; some had many colors. One light near the doctor and I was a soft blue, another red, another yellow. The blue light came close to me and grew larger and larger. I saw in this wonderful light a lovely angel, all in white. By this time my fear had left me. I looked up and asked her name.

“My name is Hope, dear Kezia, I have been with you for years. Always loving and protecting you. It was I that influenced your mind to come here, just so your band of angels could develope you. Kezia, dear, are you willing that we should?”

“Yes, Hope, I am very anxious.”

“In order to learn we must study hard, and get in perfect harmony with our Father, who is all mind. We get into harmony by work, by prayer, and doing His Divine will. Prayer without works is in vain. Great love to others brings great reward. My dear, keep very busy and cheerful. Take better care of your health; illness, melancholy, and idleness is the cause of most crime, sorrow and suicide. All rich should hire more help, study more, encourage universal farming—farming is a beautiful art. A lovely home on a perfect little farm is heaven on earth. Kezia, dear child, I must let others talk now. Try to remember every word that is taught in class by these dear angels.”

Another bright angel of light spoke next. He was a tall gentleman, over six foot, wearing long flowing robes.

“Dear friends, all honest work is beautiful and elevating. We should encourage and uplift all work. In Venus, where I live, farming is the most popular art; a farmer is just as good as his banker, he should be treated so by all classes. All farmers should be highly educated, and go into the very best society. In all higher planets, farmers are the aristocrats; they are all true Christians and live up to the Golden Rule. In seeking real happiness we must first realize we are all one universal family; all part of God, all made in the image of God. We are all Divine, as long as we keep in harmony with Our Father. We must say, ‘Thy will be done,’ before we are His children. We can’t live without Him. It is getting late and you all need sleep. We will repeat the Lord’s prayer and retire.”

Princess Mara put her arms around Kezia and invited her to stay all night. “Kez, you may sleep with my daughter, so you will not get nervous.”

Sita and I slept soundly until sunrise.

CHAPTER II.

All God’s angels will say, “Well done!”

Whenever thy mortal race is run.

White and forgiven,

Thou’lt enter heaven

And pass, unchallenged, the Golden Gate,

Where welcoming spirits watch and wait

To hail thy coming with sweet accord

To the Holy City of God the Lord.

The next morning I heard these words sung by the family in the library downstairs. I heard Prince Cresto’s rich tenor above the rest. They kept on singing in perfect harmony as I went down stairs. The doctor met me in the big hall and invited me in to family prayers at sunrise. After this sacred service was over, I said good bye to my new friends and walked quickly to my room at the hotel. I promised Dr. Persus to go back the next evening to another class.

I spent most of that day roaming those lovely Araville hills, and praying in the old temple.

Twilight found me again at the home of Princess Mara. This lovely mother was very tall and dark, also having dark brown hair. As I entered the door she held out both slender hands to welcome me. Prince Cresto and she invited me to stay with them as their guest that summer. After studying the matter over I consented. Sita called us all to supper. I was surprised at this simple repast; dates, nuts and grape juice was all that was served. This was served on a lovely hardwood table inlaid with pearls and white ivory. A lovely large butterfly was carved in the center of this expensive old table; the butterfly was made of pure gold and silver, all filigreed in this beautiful hardwood. The eyes of this wonderful golden butterfly were two bright red rubies. My surprise and delight was great happiness to me.

“Doctor, what a beautiful and wonderful butterfly!”

“Yes, Princess Kezia, we had it inlaid there, for it is an emblem of immortality.”

“We only eat a light supper, so we can develope our souls. We could not see clairvoyantly if we ate too much. We only eat two meals a day, morning and evening. Instead of eating at noon we rest and pray, as they did of old.”

After supper was over the doctor offered me his arm and we all went to class again. It was about the same as the night before; only there was more music, and the angels sang with us, and their sweet voices were so perfect that for a moment I thought I was in heaven. O! such music there among the flowers and trees, by the hillside! Their sweet voices sang in harmony with the beautiful pale, golden moonlight. No sunlight was ever so beautiful as this to me! After the music had ceased we were all silent again. Prince Cresto’s guardian angel spoke tonight. His name was Eno, and he came from Neptune. Eno was over six feet in height; he had large, soulful blue eyes, and light brown hair. His hair was heavy and wavy and seemed about two inches in length; it was parted on the left side, just as he used to wear it in earth-life.

“My dear brothers and sisters, I was the poor priest that laid the corner stone to your temple,” he said. “I was killed in a war—religious war—against the Jews. We never think of war now, we know it is a sin to even think a wrong. We just love one another and are perfectly happy. In Neptune we teach all how to be happy. Our first duty there is to love one another and be happy. We have great, broad and massive temples there to worship the Lord and His Holy Angels in. On Sabbath we all pray and sing the same as you do here. There all practice just what they preach. In Neptune our sermons and prayers are very short and our songs very long. The hymns at first would remind you of a grand opera, only a great deal nicer. All their splendid sweet voices have been trained for years and years before they can sing in those wonderful temples. Even in Neptune we find talent is only the result of hard work. All learn to sing there sooner or later.

“In all the country towns there are many smaller temples where all sing lovely. It is at the capitol where these glorious songs are heard. All can go to hear them if they wish; church music is always free to all. Our church doors are never closed. It is selfish to close them. In many of the other stars we teach God is immortal and independent without us. God can destroy all that He has created, and live on forever and ever without us. Hence we should be grateful, prayerful, humble, and Christlike, and always happy in serving God. We should place great value on our physical bodies, for it is the temple of our souls. If our bodies are perfect, it is easy to get in perfect harmony with our Creator. Life should be all ecstacy! Life is beautiful on earth or any other planet. I enjoy life with all my soul—we all should.

“What a divine privilege of having the sweet pleasure of loving all humanity as our dear Saviour did. I know He loves us now more than ever. How beautiful to know He still loves us. As we love our Father He loves us. You and I know there is no death. I know I was once your priest; now I am your servant from another star. I only come back to help and serve. I will give you a few plans to lay up treasures in heaven, and give you greater happiness here. It is more beautiful to adopt children instead of dogs, cats, and monkeys. They can hunt their living in the woods, our dear little ones are helpless. Each little orphan has hundreds of good intelligent souls from heaven to guide it. Angels protect you a thousand fold as soon as you adopt a helpless child. Our Saviour said, ‘Feed my sheep, if one little lamb is an outcast or lost on the rugged hillside, let the other ninety and nine run quickly to save it.’ Here we fly quickly to save a lost soul. It is Christlike and generous to adopt a lame or blind child. Love is all there is in life. Universal love and education will make heaven on earth the same as it does in other stars. You need more schools. Your churches and halls should be used for free schools, day and night, and only used for religious services Saturday and Sunday. All should have a chance to be highly educated. I would not have been killed if the soldiers at that time had been highly educated; they enjoyed killing me by inches with their cruel swords. I thought death would never come. Lovely, intelligent angels took me home to peace and happiness. I never have suffered since and never will, for now I live in a land of immortal love and sunshine. I beg you earnestly to teach and preach love. All your parks should be used for kindergartens and rest. Let all children rest more, and study more, and swim more. Good night.”

CHAPTER III.

“Some god hath cast me forth upon this land,

And O, what land? So thick is the sea mist.”

The next morning Princess Kezia was up before sunrise. She dressed quickly so she would have time to pray all alone in the dear old temple before the others were up. On the way up the hill she accidentally met the doctor going in the same direction.

“Princess Kezia, I was just going to the temple to pray also.”

“Doctor, how did you know I was going there?”

“I can read your thoughts, Kezia. Could you guess what my prayer could be?”

“No, Doctor, I am sorry that I am unable to read your thoughts.”

“Come, and I will tell you on the way. I was going to pray that you would be my wife, all my very own, forever. Do you love me well enough to marry me within a month? I could not stand to have you leave me now. My darling, I loved you the first time I ever saw your sweet face. Dear, you are different from others, so fair and light. You are all love and sunshine. Most girls I know are dark and all alike, you are different. Have I the power to make you happy, dear? Will you marry me soon? I want to own you as quickly as possible. Answer me please?”

“Doctor, I love you dearly. It is so strange I loved you too the first time I ever saw you. I have been afraid some one would guess my secret. For fear some one would read my very heart I was going to pack up and leave for my home in Southern Egypt. My poor old parents live in Pibeseth, an old city of Bastel. My folks live a few miles from the city on a dear, lovely little farm, all fenced in. My mother is small and dark, and was, when a girl, very beautiful. My mother was a beautiful dark Indian princess. My father was a tall, light complexioned, Egyptian king. I look like my father.”

“Yes, dear, but you haven’t given me my answer yet?”

“Doctor, we will be married as soon as you say. So I will do all in my power to make you happy.”

As they stepped inside of the church, he held her passionately to his heart. As they walked to the altar he kissed her a thousand times at least. They both bowed their heads in silent prayer and gratitude for such perfect love and happiness. In looking up they saw Hope (Kezia’s lovely angel), holding out her little white arms, blessing them.

“Now, dear Kezia, do you see why we brought you here? God has made you for each other. You are both one. After death you will meet again never to be parted.”

The Doctor took off a beautiful ring from his little finger and gave it to the Princess.

“Sweetheart, this ring my mother gave me when I graduated at Delhi. You may call it your engagement ring, if you will?”

Hope kissed the ring and kissed her brow as the Doctor placed it on her finger.

“O! what joy, what heaven, to be kissed by an angel like Hope; and to be always loved by such a gentleman as the Doctor. Hope, dear, your sweet lips feel just like a real mortal. Why not?”

“I am more real than you are. I am more alive than you are, as I am in perfect health and I am immortal. I ask you both to continue praying in the temple for a few hours without any food. Tonight we want to take you to Rome, Paris, and Monte Carlo. If you don’t eat much your soul can travel at will after you are well developed. I will guide you on the way and teach your soul how much missionary work is yet to be done on earth. Good bye, dear children, you will see me again tonight. If you can’t see me you will know that I am with you.”

After prayers the Doctor took Kezia home, and announced their engagement to his folks. They all received her with open arms as one of their very own.

“O, Kezia, I am so glad you are my very own sister now. I always wanted a sister to boss, and do as I pleased with, and you just fill the bill.”

That night all the household retired to rest peacefully. That night two hearts were overflowing with love and happiness.

Kezia took Sita in her arms and kissed her fondly. The two lovely girls went to sleep with a new sweet smile on their pretty young faces.

Soon Kezia’s soul seemed to be free, floating away in space. We visited the Pope of Rome first. He was on his knees talking to his saints in sweet love and harmony. We soon knew that he saw all of us clairvoyantly. Part of His Holy saints joined with us. We soon saw the bright lights of gay Paris below us. Down, down, we went into the very heart of the city. The first sounds that reached our ears were the prayers of the poor and broken hearted. We saw the old and young begging in the streets at midnight. They begged from those that were dressed in the latest fashion. I never saw such lovely clothes, and so many bright colors in the moonlight. Those clad in rags had more light in their souls than the rich that would now and then toss them a copper, just to make a display in the eyes of their mistresses. Many poor, cold, hungry, suffering creatures had no beds to get a moment’s rest on. Many were never inside of a real home. The misery was awful! When we could not stand it any longer we went to Florence, Italy; there the suffering seemed about the same. Here we found great wealth and great poverty and suffering. Wherever we find great wealth we found great poverty. Hope said our love for all souls prevents great poverty in other worlds. Our great schools of industry prevents poverty. We are taught to give the laborer all he earns; each has all he can earn, all are paid in checks and no money is ever used.

We soon went to Monte Carlo. We saw many men and women gamble for money, as they smoked around the tables. We could see they were money mad. Many lost great fortunes that night; many won. We noticed one short, dark, little woman they called Lena, win every cent a light, tall blonde had; they called him Alo Lamar. He offered her his hand and smiled. We could read his thoughts and knew the reason. She invited him to her room a few blocks away. He began to make love to her for her money only. She coaxed him to write a short note to his mistress, Ada, telling her he had left her forever. Soon they were both sound asleep, drunk. As we watched them, our souls could read their thoughts, which were awful. We could see very little light around them; this proves their souls were undeveloped. The man called Alo Lamar soon awoke, staggered a moment, then reached under the woman’s pillow and took all her money and jewels, went over to the table and took up the carving knife and killed her! He covered her up, and with a cruel smile washed his hands and surveyed himself in the glass. There were no stains of blood on his clothes. He smiled, locked the door and went out into the darkness. We saw angels near him recording every act he did; we also saw fiends grabbing Lena’s dark soul and dragging her down, down! Alo Lamar walked back to the banks of Monte Carlo. He began playing cards madly. He lost every cent he had stolen from his wicked mistress. He reached over the table, took up a revolver and blew out his brains; blew his very soul into eternity, all because he lost money. We all felt the shock from the awful shot! We saw his dark soul go down, down! His astral form was much smaller now. Again we saw awful wicked fiends drag him down to Purgatory. His mind was absolutely insane now, and would be for years to come. If any one shoots their minds away it ruins the soul. This is a scientific fact, the Doctor said.

“Please let’s go home,” I cried, “I can’t stand to see any more crimes.”

Our angels at once took us up, up, on electric spiral waves; up we went into the pure fresh air, up into the lovely soft moonlight, away from all darkness and crime.

“O! how lovely to float in space like this. O! Hope, my sweet saint, can the dear angels in Mars, Neptune, Venus, Saturn and Jupiter float in such wild ecstacy as we do?”

At this question they all laughed, their merry voices of silver filled the air.

“What is the matter, Doctor?”

“Just look back of you and see!”

I looked back, and saw two lovely angels, male and female, holding me up by a long, strong, silk sash that I had not noticed until now. They smiled and said: “We have carried you all the way.”

In all the higher planets they soon learn to float alone, as it takes some people a long time to learn to swim, it takes some angels a long time to learn to float. It was about dawn the next day when our angels left us at our own home. I woke Sita up and told her all I had seen.

“Kez, my darling, how strange! I had the very same sad experience.”

After Sita and I had combed each other’s hair we went down to breakfast. What a lovely sight met our eyes! The table was loaded with lovely fruit and beautiful flowers. A beautiful venetian gold filigree vase of lovely dark red roses was placed in front of the Doctor, and he took one of the perfect red buds and pinned it in my hair.

“This beautiful morning is the dawning of a perfect love for us, dear. After breakfast we will go for a long walk.”

We had many kinds of fruit and nuts, and instead of grape juice, we drank a cup of warm new milk. We saw the boy milk the cow at our door steps as we began to eat breakfast; we knew the milk was pure.

Everything tasted delicious. The longing for bread, cake and meat had gradually left me. I had to give up my old habits of eating candy and hot bread in order to see clairvoyantly.

Doctor and I were soon walking alone in the mountains together, talking over our future life.

CHAPTER IV.

“Kezia, my darling, we will sit here under this old juniper tree. Dearest, I want to tell of my experience last night. My soul left the body and traveled away; far away, down into darkness. I was taken to the underworld in the very depths of Purgatory. Darling Kezia, there is no everlasting Hell, but this place was about the same. I talked with a lost soul, his name was Alo Lamar. I read the electric aura around his head, and saw he had just killed a wicked, low, heartless, negro woman, called Lena Williams. Alo left his sick wife, Odal Lamar, in Rome, starving; later he became a robber and bought and sold pure young girls, some of their names I could read in his aura—his aura was black. Lena and Alo Lamar had sold a poor girl called Minnie. Others named Ada, Bertha, Fannie, Maud, and two named Georgia and Josephine, both were insane now.”

“O! Persus darling, I dreamed I saw him kill Lena and then himself at Monte Carlo. My vision was awful!”

“Kezia, my poor little dove, your words prove all I saw was a fact. I saw him judged by the severe courts of the underworld. The Priest who read his sentence wore long black sombre robes. This priest spoke in a subdued, but deep, cold, stern undertone, his word was law there.

“‘Alo Lamar, you and this low, Lena Williams, will be insane here for over one hundred years. Every day will seem a thousand years. After the time expires you may both work your way out of here by degrees! No soul shall ever be permitted to love or help you two fiends in any way; during this time neither you or that wicked woman shall ever see one ray of light. Come, black insane fiends, and obsess these cruel souls for one hundred years and more! Dark spirits take these two low fools! Cast them down into prison; bind them down with thorns and snakes!’ I saw Lena and Alo Lamar severely punished for selling the souls of sweet, pure young girls.

“O, woman! woman! when to ill thy mind is bent,

All hell contains no fouler fiend.”

“Alo Lamar and Lena had ruined the happiness of good women for years. Why shouldn’t they suffer all they caused others to suffer? Kezia dearest, it is only justice! They must reap as they have sown. Kezia, my love, forgive me. You are pale and trembling like a leaf. We will talk of our wedding day, then you will be happy again.”

“My darling Persus, next Sunday we will be married.”

“My sweet Kezia, will you wear my mother’s wedding veil? My mother asked me if you would honor her by wearing it. Will you, sweetheart?”

“My own darling Persus, I would love to wear it.”

“Love, soon as we are married, we will work together for good, dear Kezia, my pet, we are so happy together now, that we will devote all our lives in making others happy. We will prove our gratitude to God, by working for Him. I love Him for He has joined our hearts together in perfect love and immortal happiness! It is a pleasure to serve Him with you by my side. May God help us to love others more; the world craves it. Above all things we need now is universal love. Sincere brotherly love.

“The soul that loves, forever sings,

And feels as light as though it had wings;

The heart that trusts, forever prays,

A well of peace within it springs.

Come good or ill,

Whatever today, tomorrow brings,

It is His will.

“Kezia, my own darling, promise me that you will be brave, if we are ever parted, will you little sweetheart?” We Indians are taught from childhood never to fear death. ‘Death is better than one’s birth. If we are true, good, sincere Catholics.’ Remember, pet, our love will live beyond the grave. Love is life. ‘God is love.’ Love is all there is in life, little girl.”

“Persus, darling, how lovely and perfect the world is to us. If we should be parted now, it would kill me. Doctor, I love you fondly. I worship you madly.”

“My own Kezia, little sweetheart, I love you more than you do me; I will always adore you with all my heart and soul. Long before I saw you, I often dreamed you were my wife, my only love, some times we were picking beautiful flowers on the hillside; sometimes I would see you in a lovely home playing with my children. My only love, will all those dear dreams ever come true? Pet, I know in Heaven these dreams will all come true, if our prayers are not answered here, God will answer them just over there. My little dove, I will love you through all eternity. I worship you, Kezia! My life, my love, my one idol! My only happiness. Sweetheart, I wish every one was as rich and happy as we are now, dear.”

CHAPTER V.

“The king then asked, as yet the camp he viewed,

What prince is that, with giant strength endued;

Whose brawny shoulders, and whose swelling chest,

And lofty stature, far exceed the rest.”

The king of Rajpootana, was a tall, broad shouldered, ugly Indian. He was black as night, and had heavy, short, straight, black hair; his eyes were black and piercing. Any one would fear him as soon as they looked into those wicked, fiery eyes. He had eyes of a demon, his face was large, broad and brutal. He seemed to be a great, strong, powerful animal without a soul. This wicked king owned a great palace in the northern part of the Araville mountains. He ruled over a large tribe of fighting Indians, who did just as their king commanded. One of his favorite spies told him of a rich prince who owned a large gold mine, the richest he ever saw. The king was wild with delight and gave his spy a new sword, and many lovely jewels. King Pootana soon armed his tribe, then moved south to capture this rich mine. The king accumulated all his wealth by stealing from other kings. The drums were beating weirdly, as the dusky tribe moved stealthily down the mountain side, hiding safely now and then in the deep, thick, dark, dense forest which was the home of many kinds of poisonous reptiles. The wicked spy led his king’s tribe safely up the hillside until they came in sight of the old dome on the temple, then they crawled on their hands and knees for miles for fear of being detected. They crawled safely among the trees up to Lytton Springs. Here they rested awhile in the forest.

Higher up in the mountains a Hindoo ceremony was being performed by Terah, the high priest. Two young priests who graduated at Delhi the same time the Doctor did, assisted in the ceremony. One had a temple at Ellora, the other at Loodiana, two large cities in India. The old temple was decorated with gorgeous tropical flowers. The altar was one massive bank of red and white roses. The bride and her maids carried large bouquets of lillies of the valley. Kezia wore long white silk robes, the sash embroidered with lillies of the valley. She wore Princess Mara’s wedding veil, also a long string of large pink pearls that Prince Cresto gave her at the ceremony. A slave carried a large casket of precious jewels for the bride. The guests were all of high caste. All were merry, congratulating the bride and kissing her. The gentlemen were throwing lovely buds and flowers at the happy couple. The high priest, Terah, is telling of his secret marriage when he was a young priest in Nizagapatum, a lovely city on the Bay of Bengal:

“My dear old high priest saw in a vision that Sizuna was my soul mate, that God had made us for each other. This ancient seer told me I would find her in the province of Bengal, a mile south of the capital of Calcutta. He described her, told me her name, age and all about her people. I went to the place and found it just as he foretold. All was just as he prophesied. Our King opposed the wedding, so we were married secretly. We went to a small isle at the mouth of the Ganges. There were four lovely little islands here. I took charge of a temple on the one called Sundeep; the names of the other three were Hattiah, Dakhin, and Shaboz. I was the happiest priest in the world. We loved and served the people day and night, never growing tired in doing good. We gave all our wealth to the poor in Calcutta and to our temple. She named our dear old temple, ‘The Temple of the Soul.’ And it was in every sense of the word. You, my dear children, could not believe the wonderful things that happened there in our circle. In that lovely temple we had three large golden symbols inlaid in our marble altar—the cross, triangle and circle; the circle representing God, the Universal Soul. India is the birthplace of all religions—the Eden—the conjugal circle of soul. The soul is everything to a true Hindoo. Some priests in India almost starve in order to develope the soul.

“One dark night Sizuna and I were praying in our lovely little home near the temple, which was surrounded on all sides with grapes, fruit, lovely birds and flowers, and was near the temple, when at midnight we heard an awful cry in the darkness, ‘The waters! The waters!’ A great cyclone arose and rolled the sea over those four lovely isles, and a population of 340,000 to 350,000 people were drowned, only those being saved who had climbed to the tops of the highest trees. Did you ever hear of such an awful cyclone? I pray God you may never see what we saw that awful black night of sorrow. For hours I held Sizuna on the housetop. I kissed her cold, pale lips and soon saw she was dead. Cold and fear had killed her while she lay in my arms. I gave up, broken hearted, and sank in the waters. When I came to the top again, two tall, lovely angels with light around their beautiful heads held me firmly out of the waters. They floated me gently and lovingly to a tall tree. There I clung until the waters receded into the sea. Every day since that sad night my twin soul, Sizuna has been with me. I see her and hear her talk the same as she did before the flood. I have always been true to this one sweet soul—my only love—I never can love another.”

After the sad story Prince Cresto and Princess Mara moved slowly up the isle and shook hands and shed tears of sympathy over his sad fate. Terah asked them to dry their eyes and be happy, for he could see his bride with them now just as lovely, young and happy as our beautiful Kezia was this moment. The Prince and stately Mara moved down to the door, and all the guests started for home, where a great feast was all ready for them. Prince Cresto saw a tribe of enemies below. He closed the massive doors and kept the great crowd inside.

“My poor brothers and sisters, keep close to me as you can, for a wicked tribe is here to kill us. I have a secret gold mine near here that in some unknown way they have discovered. That casket of jewels with the others we all have in our possession, will hire us a ship at Mandavee. Rich Jews own many big ships there and will do anything for money. I will direct you to a secret door in the rear where we all can escape.”

They all followed the prince to the door. The Doctor dashed away from his folks to save the poor patients. Kezia ran after him, crying, saying, “I will die with you! I would rather die than ever be parted from you.”

Pootana’s spy saw him and drew his bright new sword on the Doctor. The Doctor quickly caught his wrist and broke his arm in the struggle. Then ran the blade through the wicked black heart of the Indian.

“Come quickly, Kezia dear, we must get to the Springs at once. Darling child, why didn’t you fly with father and mother, where you would be safe from all danger? My wife, my love, forgive me for not going with you while I could escape. I see it is wicked King Pootana and his fierce tribe, who worship the goddess Kali, otherwise known as Devi or Durga, the Hindu goddess of destruction, and consort of Siva.”

Persus took the spy’s new sword and ran to the head of the army, he and his men killing one-third of the enemy’s men. Devi whispered to Pootana to kill Persus and steal Kezia. King Pootana saw the lovely bride in the distance and sent his men to capture her. She was caught and carried to their king, fainting as they took her. Persus fought like mad. Pootana’s men outnumbered his ten to one. Pootana took lovely Kezia for his own bride. This cruel, ugly, black Indian held the fair Egyptian bride in his arms, then told Persus he had won a sweet, handsome, white bride as well as his father’s gold. Persus was permitted to kiss Kezia good-bye. As the young husband held his bride in his arms, he quickly reached for his dagger—he always carried one,—and plunged it in Kezia’s soft white breast. She fell forward and died in her husband’s arms without a pain—there was a wonderful poison on the dagger that killed instantly. Doctor Persus had discovered this strange poison in a flower of the forest. The king reached for the dagger—not knowing it was poisoned—and the Doctor thrust it through his heart, the black king died at his feet. The revengeful black god Siva and his Hindu goddess Kali now influenced the minds of the rest of the king’s tribe to take the Doctor prisoner. The men obeyed Siva, also carried all the gold and jewels they could find in his home away. Later the tribe marched with Persus to Mandavee. The men gave the Prince of Mandavee part of the gold and jewels to put our poor Doctor in a narrow cell half filled with dirty water from the Arabian sea,—this was against the laws of India, all men had a right to protect their family and property. Our poor, good, innocent Doctor was taken a prisoner on his own land trying to protect his wife. Our forlorn Doctor was cold, ill and hungry; slaves would abuse him shamefully when he would ask for food and water. Later Terah, the priest, came to the prison; he had walked all the way disguised as a slave. They cast him in the same cell, or little dungeon, and then told the poor Hindu to starve to death with his master, not knowing he was a priest of high caste. Terah took from his breast a bag of dates and nuts and bottle of wine. Persus ate and drank a little, and handed it back to the dear, kind priest.

“Persus, child, my guardian angel showed me clairvoyantly I would soon be with my twin-soul. I will tell you the vision as I, an old man, saw it. As I lingered a moment by the altar of roses, I saw my own long lost bride in all her pure white robes, her lovely flowers and long white lace veil, standing by my side, with her beautiful pink and white arms full of pure fragrant lillies. My bride pictured me on a bier near the altar. She scattered all her sweet flowers on my shrouded, then held up a wonderful jeweled crown over a pure gold cross; then again showed me clairvoyantly, a big sheet of black samite on which was written in white letters showing plainly on the black, ‘Go quickly to Mandavee!’ The letters vanished, then I saw, on the black sheet, yourself, on the right hand of you I saw your Kezia in her bridal robes beckoning me to come to you. I saw my own wife put her arms around your bride and smile. I knew at once they were together on the astral plane. Doctor, did she die peacefully?”

“Yes, dear father, I killed her without a pain. The Bloody Black King took her for his own. I implored to just let me kiss her good bye. To my surprise he did. I killed them both rather than see her live a life of shame and constant misery. I could not live and know that she would be his slave, then in her old age be killed by inches.”

“You did right to kill them both; for God made man to protect woman, if it is just—in your case it was, it was just!

“Persus, my child, I came here eagerly to save your life. In three days I will die, for it is my time to go. I heard a voice tell me so. They told me the same again and again. I know it is true. As soon as I am dead your band will put you in a deep trance. They will think we are both dead and put us in one big bag, then throw us together into the Arabian sea. You may have my cross and gold. Your angels will take you out of this trance while in the sea; an old fisherman by the seashore will take you to his home, if you make the sign of the cross; then press his hand three times, firmly.”

The Doctor waited three days and every hour was heaven to them both; they learned so much together. Our dear old seer died just the hour he said he would. Persus got his money, dagger and clothes. Then a little later he heard footsteps in the hall and at the same time felt himself sinking into a trance. He found the old fisherman by the seashore Persus went home with him. Many weary days he spent with the good old seaman recovering from the sickness of the dungeon. Then he went back to the noble Prince of Mandavee and proved his innocence. The good prince of Mandavee took his tribe up the hills of Araville. Persus recaptured his father’s rich mineral possession and gave the prince half of all he had. The Doctor became a famous author, and died a priest in the very temple where he was married. Many hundred years have passed and still his books are read all over the world. The story of Persus has taught the world that many innocent souls have been cast into prison for the sake of their money, then shamefully abused. It is a terrible, cowardly crime to abuse a person deprived of their liberty. If we wrong or abuse others, God will punish us severely later. How beautiful it is to treat humanity lovingly and tenderly at all times. Prince Cresto, with his wife and daughter, met the remainder of his own tribe that escaped from Lytton Springs. The Black King had killed most of Prince Cresto’s men. After experiencing great difficulties we managed to get to Mandavee, then hired a big ship and set out to sea. That night the ship sailed slowly—sailed away from all that was dear to them. They left sunny old India with broken hearts. Their lives would never be safe there after they discovered the gold mine. Big fish eat up the little ones on the hills of India; one king robs the other. There is no such thing as the equality of man there. After a long voyage they rested a few months at the Philippines. They formed classes and taught their religion. Most of the natives believed the same as they did. Later they bought the old ship from the cold-hearted Jew. One man owned as much of the boat as the other did; they were all one family and shared alike. Poor Princess Mara and Sita had charge of the casket, and all the valuable jewels, only half of the jewels had been sold. They left the Jew and his crew on the island and set sail again. The old ship seemed like home then for it was their very own. In a few weeks they came to a narrow neck of land,—that which joins the two Americas,—which was pierced by a narrow strait of water. The two massive rocks that towered above them on either side as they passed through made them feel how infinite God was and how finite man. Scarcely had they passed through safely when a sound deafened them; a noise like a peal of thunder rent the air. The ship trembled like an aspen leaf from prow to stern. They looked back. The mighty rocks had clashed together and filled the strait of water with rocks and gravel. They bowed their heads and thanked God for His love and protection. They sailed on to the Gulf of Mexico and entered the harbor of New Orleans. It was so low there, they left and sailed up the Mississippi river, then up the Escawtawpa. Here they sailed into a raft of logs; the old boat was wrecked, every person sank in an awful storm, excepting two young slaves of the tribe. They have handed this story down from one tribe to another—from father to son to this day.

CHAPTER VI.

“And God will make divinely real

The highest forms of their ideal.”—Chapin.

Ruth was a lovely, tall, dark-eyed, Southern girl. Her family and most intimate friends called her Dolly. She had heavy, light brown, long, curly hair, that hung below her waist in six perfect curls. Doll was very slender and graceful, her mouth a perfect cupid’s bow, her head well poised, and small. Her most charming feature was her large, wonderful, soft brown eyes. Everyone loved those lovely eyes. The soul seemed to express her thoughts, and yearnings through those eyes. Ruth was a lovely Christian and inherited her mother’s sweet, cheerful, sunny disposition. She also was an exquisite violinist, and could paint, sketch and cook. Our heroine is just sweet sixteen. Ruth is sitting by a big window watching an awful southern storm rising from the Gulf of Mexico. She and her young companion, Cathy de Bathe had been dear friends and schoolmates. The girls were now visiting Ruth’s grand parents in Mississippi. It had been raining for days in Escawtawpa,—a small country town on the Escawtawpa river. The Indians and darkies called this strange river haunted; this is a fact too. Every night weird music came from the river bed. The ghostly musicians had chosen the large hollow reeds for their musical instruments. It sounded as if they were practicing the scales on a golden, magical, flute. This weird music would often end at sunrise in a low, sad funeral dirge. People came from all over the world and hired darkies to row them out at night to hear and investigate these strange magical sounds. The music became more weird and much louder about midnight. Ruth and Cathy often wondered if the river was truly haunted.

One calm, beautiful night, while she was sleeping soundly, Ruth dreamed her soul was transported to another world. She dreamed this beautiful world was Mars. It was a world of love and romance instead of war. The dream seemed real as life. At first she was surprised to find herself carried as if by magic so quickly and safely through space to this lovely new world,—it seemed like a lover’s paradise. This strange new world was the world of the soul. Ruth wondered how she came there. As she looked around she saw a tall, dark, handsome young stranger, who spoke, smiled, and bowed to poor little surprised Ruth. He was very courteous and gently told her that once, he was an ancient Indian prince. He said an old Indian living near her grandfather’s home would tell her the same truth, and this would prove that all he said was true, and no dream at all. “Remember, Ruth, many dreams are true and real—soul facts. A wicked Black King drove us away from India many years ago and captured my son with his lovely bride, and took all our wealth except a few jewels. Mara was then my princess yet did not belong to me, and is now happy with her twin soul. They are now wealthy and live in Neptune. We made a mistake then, as many do now in marrying the person not intended for us. In India we taught the immortality of the soul. This wicked and powerful King Pootana did not believe in the Communion of Saints or would not permit it to be taught, if he could help it. We taught one God, one love, one wife; he had many wives in those days. He killed good priests. His soul now suffers in Purgatory, and will for some time. My tribe and myself were drowned in a terrible storm on the river Escawtawpa.”

“O! Prince Cresto, an old negro we call Aunt Mary told grandma this same story. She said it was all true, but we all laughed at her. Is it a real fact?”

“Yes, child. I can remember the storm, and the rain pouring down on us, how terrible it seems now. The old raft sank slowly down, down, to our death. On that very spot where our ship sank these magical reeds grew. In love and immortal sympathy and pity they sway, they sing their sad doleful hymns. These musical sounds are the sobs and groans of a great tribe mourning for their Prince and loved ones.”

“I have often dreamed of you, Prince Cresto, and now I see you face to face. Are you truly alive?”

“Yes, I am a real live man; asking you if you would like to visit some of the scenes and wonderful sights in Mars, would you, Ruth?”

“I would love to!”

Cresto (they have no titles in Mars) sent a mental wireless message, and soon a boy came with a lovely little airship called “The Golden Butterfly.”

“Oh! how lovely! We are sailing far above the Martians,” Ruth cried. The air was pure and bracing, the ride very exhilarating. They descended slowly—for Ruth was afraid to descend; the lovely little airship alighted in a public park. Many little children were playing here. She saw lovers strolling down the walks in perfect peace and happiness. There were lovely beds of flowers everywhere. They soon came to a beautiful blue lake. On this lake they saw pretty, tiny boats with large white swans, beautifully carved, in front. These little boats, at a distance, looked like graceful, white swans; couples that row in these boats seemed to be lovers.

“O! Cresto, what perfect little love-boats!”

“Ruth, the couples in the boats are soul-mates, they have been married for years, and will always be lovers.”

The longer they had lived together the more devoted they seemed. Many were swimming; all seemed very fond of the water. Cresto took her to the immense bath house, hired suits; they went into the plunge first, then to the lake outside. No one called him Prince Cresto over there. No one can take a title or any money to another planet. They are all brothers and sisters, all one big family, all humble and Christlike, yet they seem to have plenty to live on. They are very busy and happy; they all play as much as they work, and study. Ruth could swim well and gracefully on earth, so it did not take her long to swim there.

“Ruth, when we learn to swim or dance well on earth, we can do the same on any planet. If we can learn to sing and become great musicians on earth we never forget it. We begin here just where we left off on earth. We never go backward, but forward—unless we are punished for some sin.”

“Cresto, I wish we could go and visit other places of amusement?”

They walked on and on, each spot seemed a garden of Eden. They often saw lovely angels—always two together.

“Ruth, these couples are spirit mates. I suppose they look strange to you, for they do not fight or get divorces here; they are contented and are industrious.”

Ruth soon learned that they carried on their daily conversation by thought transference. They also talk the same as we do and sing the same as we do when together, when parted they use thought transference—for husbands go to work there and wives attend to the home as on earth.

“If our loved ones visit another planet we can send them messages quickly, by thought transference. This can be done on earth or anywhere. Ruth, thought transference is only reading another’s thoughts and answering mentally.”

“Cresto, what a wonderful fairyland Mars is! I hear beautiful music everywhere, everyone singing in perfect love and harmony, their sweet, dear voices are soft, tender and melodious. Oh, I am in a magic world of love, music and beauty. Mars is a world of love and peace instead of war.”

“We think too much of our lives and sweethearts to ever go to war. War is a sin. All trouble could be settled by arbitration on earth. We only fight to protect dying souls on your planet. This is a mental fight to protect our loved ones from enemies. Ruth, my dear child, can you guess who I am? After seeing all you have just seen?”

“No, Cresto, I can not!”

“You are only a child, but so highly educated you can understand, you are my other half, my twin-soul, my very own. I have watched over you and protected you since your birth. Darling, I would not have been parted from you so long, if I had not married poor Princess Mara for her wealth and caste. I have suffered a thousandfold for my ignorance, selfishness, and sin. It is a sin to marry without love. All true marriages must be founded on love and honor. Love without honor and respect is only misery. Ruth, my darling child, do you trust me now?”

“Yes, I do Cresto dear, I love you, for you seem to be the soul of honor. You are my ideal of a gentleman. I never have had a lover in all my life. I don’t like the young men on earth. I do not know why.”

“You are only a child and are too young yet.”

“Cresto, I long to give up my life to good, instead of accepting the attentions of admirers as other young women do. I don’t care for society, it is only wasting my time away.”

“Please make me one promise, in answering this question, I know you will not break your word. Which will you choose: Society and idleness, or doing good and hard study? Please do not let me influence you, do as you please. There is no sin in going into the social life if you do not wrong any one.”

“I choose to do good. I long to develop my mind and help others.”

“Dear, if that is your choice, we will begin our good work now. My darling doll if you will fast and pray for a few days I will take you to Purgatory. I only take you so you can prevent others from going there. Just so you can save lost souls. I take you only to show you how cruel, wicked, heartless, souls suffer. My dear, pray sincerely and try to fast until I see you again. There are no children in Purgatory, love. I will protect you and keep you close to my side. Many saints will go with us,—for it is not safe to go alone. Darling, if you see the underworld as it is, you will be better able to do good and prevent others from going there. First, my pet, promise to forgive me for taking your pure, sweet soul to such a place? O! you don’t answer me? I will keep you here in Mars until you do, love.”

“Yes, I forgive, I want to go. It will be a wonderful new lesson for me to go. I can hardly wait for the time to come. Please take me now.”

“No, dear, you must fast and pray first. I will get angels to protect us. I must make everything safe for our visit there. Please light all your candles after I take you home. Pray, go into the silence; later I will return for you.”

CHAPTER VII.

“Then star nor sun shall waken,

Nor any change of light;

Nor sound of waters shaken

Nor any sound or sight.

Nor wintry leaves or vernal

Nor days nor things diurnal;

Only the sleep eternal

In an eternal night.”

Ruth had fasted for three days. All she drank was a cup of warm milk twice a day—and drank this very slowly. The third night after saying her prayers she fell into a sound sleep. It was darkest midnight when Cresto, with many of his friends, came to protect Ruth. All were dressed in disguise—in long black robes. Ruth gradually felt her soul gently and silently carried away in space to the underworld.

“Cresto, dear, were you ever in this awful, dismal, dark, place before?”

“Yes, dear, all souls from earth are taken here at death and judged. I was here a few days until I was judged for every act I ever did. No soul can escape this court. Darling girl, when you are taken here, I will come with you. I beg you to live such a perfect Christian life that our dear judges will not keep you long. Some stay thousands of years in this one place, others, only a few days. Christ descended and remained here two days Himself. He was perfect. The third day Our Lord ascended up to Heaven. He rose in great power and glory. Dear Ruth, if you follow in His footsteps, you need not fear to go where He has been. Jesus has surveyed the narrow road that leads to the gates of Heaven. He is the one who will light the way for us. Here our Lord and His hosts of angels, judge the living and the dead. Christ and His own followers have been judged here, so that they may be just to the wicked. He obeys and keeps all laws that He commands us to keep. This is Divine justice to all. Praise His Holy name. He is most Divine! We are one universal family and every soul is treated alike. We all get our reward here, whether it is good or evil. Hades is surrounded on all sides by awful, grim, ghastly, rivers of woe. Millions upon millions of firm, silent boatmen carry the dead here to be judged. They row you safely and silently to the great wide gates of Sheol, these cold stone gates are broad and high. Justice alone holds the keys. Souls at death cannot fly—they gradually learn to later. Those living here are all earth-bound. Sin has weakened their souls to such an extent that they cannot fly, and have not life enough to try. Constant sin is slow death to the soul. Here life has death for a neighbor. The great gates of Purgatory are daily and nightly thronged with millions and millions of angel guests. Just as the earthly prison should be thronged to see that justice rules! It is our business to see that no innocent soul stays in prison on earth. No one should be cast into prison on circumstantial evidence; this is an awful crime. The prisons on earth should be as good and just as the ones are in Purgatory, but they are not. You can change the laws and make them so in time if the people of earth all work hard. To understand Heaven and Hades we must study the last two chapters in the Bible. Read Revelations 22:15. Study all of Revelations.”

They walked on deeper into the woods of lonely darkness. It was misty. The angry dark gray clouds above them would not admit a ray of sunlight. We saw great monsters among the cold gray rocks; in the wide crevices were huge, long, green serpents, with mad, fiery red eyes. These snakes were the companions of low men and women, of drunkards, gluttons, and former prostitutes. Snakes and all ugly animals have ugly thoughts. They are on a low mental plane.

“Ruth, dear, your sweet disposition, your constant prayers, have made your face beautiful. Some of these poor, ill, low, ugly, fallen women tried to console themselves with ugly dogs and cats on earth. There were no babies, or children in Hades to pet, and as these poor, half clad, half starved women would try to pet these dogs, they would growl and snarl and bite them. All animals were cross; there was no love or harmony there.”

“Cresto, why are these hungry dogs and snakes with these poor, sad, ugly men and women?”

“Dear, like seeks like; love attracts love; enemies that hate each other most, must live together. The wonderful power of gravitation draws them together. Look well, dear, and remember the result of hate. It is as strong to attract as love is. All animals have souls and thoughts the same as we have, only they are undeveloped. Men and women having the same thoughts as animals and snakes are attracted to each other; here is another lesson on the law of gravitation. It develops the soul more to adopt children instead of dogs or cats. The soul of a child is Divine. Every one must live in the soul world or live in this underworld to suffer with dangerous animals in Purgatory, until developed out of this state. It takes intelligence, strength and energy to get out of Purgatory. Science proves this. You see, dear, how easy it is to get here? How hard to get out?”

As they went deeper and deeper into the lonely forest they saw a large, filthy, dead sea covered over with green slime. The odor from this stagnant water made them all ill.

“The only fish here is the ugly octopus. These poor, weary, tired men and women catch them and cook them on the rocks and eat them.”

They did not see any fruit in the forest. These folks were too angry and lazy to cultivate the ground or make the most of their punishment. All they wanted was revenge and an excuse to get out of work. They all seemed to be cowards and indolent. The awful rivers and lakes were green and slimy. The air was cold, misty and damp all the time. No stars or moon mingled in the dark gray clouds above. There were no flowers or birds or lovers here. The land was full of muddy green swamps. They saw them bare-footed, walking in the mud up to their knees. Some took on each other’s conditions; all looked mean, blue, cross and ugly; they would fight, groan, swear and curse one another. We could not find any real love there. It was all cruel hate. Angels often came down when they were fighting to part them. Then some would cling to their robes and hold on like mad men. An electric shock from these high angels’ minds would throw them onto the ground again. O! the power of mind or soul! Every time they would hurt or abuse another, they were forced to stay another day in Purgatory. Men or women who had tortured or helped in any way to torture any prisoner or helpless child or insane person, or any one in their power on earth, were tortured seven-fold there; their innocent victims were permitted to come here and torture them. This is a just law and is followed out to the letter in the underworld. One cannot escape justice any more than they can escape life. We all live on and on whether we go to Heaven or Hades.

“Ruth, here is another proof that the wicked are punished just as the Bible teaches. Here in this underworld the souls of the wicked groan and moan and are tormented day and night. Here the awful blackness seemed touched and blended with green and blue fire, the air was poisoned with awful furies. Ugly long, yellow and black, fiery-eyed, serpents are everywhere driving the inhabitants here and there, ‘there was no rest for the wicked.’”

The serpents were even climbing the trees. The trees all looked dead, old and withered. All the men and women seemed lost; not one could find their loved ones. All were parted! All lonely! Their only companions were those they hated most. Many had been in this awful place for years and years. Many would stay years longer, because they had made slaves of lovely young girls. These poor, helpless girls had gone on to Heaven, and the men that ruined them were still suffering here. They suffered more than their former victims ever did. Ruth was so glad to see these men suffering. Young girls have a right to honor and sacred love and homes. These men and women that once sold sweet, lovely young girls for money, prayed for death; but there is no death in Hades! It was awful to see these souls live on and on to suffer and groan from remorse of conscience. There would be no justice without this great mighty underworld court, or Purgatory. The sins and crimes of darkness, of all the universe, are concentrated here. This is a terrible and dismal region of darkness, misery, despair and sorrow! Hades is a place in space down in the opposite direction from Heaven. It is God’s mighty Court of Justice. There is no money or bail given there. You cannot bribe the Judge or jury. Their souls are laid bare! Their hearts and very thoughts are judged. All their past acts are recorded. Justice reigns supreme. Every act and thought is pictured in space. Every sound ascends and is recorded by our angels. Science is a perfect photographer. All acts and thoughts are retained on the lens of the mind.

“Cresto, is that why these men and women seem so insane?”

“Yes, dear, their minds are all darkness from sin and ignorance.”

“Cresto, please take me home out into the fresh air, I cannot stand their awful looks and misery.”

“Come, we will go at once. I should have taken you back sooner.”

“O! what happiness to fly from darkest Purgatory, out into God’s lovely star light. To soar like a free bird in the sweet, pure fresh air. What a contrast from that awful place!”

“Ruth, are you not glad you have chosen missionary work instead of idleness?”

“Yes, dear, from now on I shall be perfectly happy in doing good. I must commence my work at once. Now is the time. How lovely it is to float like this among the stars. Away in space! To float like a bird among the stars and clouds is perfect ecstacy! Each star looks like big, bright double balls of light; one was blue, one was white. Cresto, this is a heavenly sight!”

“My darling, I will hold you closer to my heart and fly on and on with you just to please you. My greatest happiness is in seeing you happy. All you need to do is to put your lovely head on my breast, and take long, deep breaths.”

“Darling, how grateful I am to you, Cresto, dear, to be able to float as the angels do with you, just for tonight. O! this lovely, perfect night. Cresto, I love you!”

CHAPTER VIII.

“All night she dreamed and wondered with the light

Her lover came—and then she understood

The purpose of her being. Life was good,

And all the world seemed bright

And nothing was, but right.”

—Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

The next morning, early at dawn, she saw this Indian prince clairvoyantly. At first she could not believe her eyes! She thought the trip to Mars and Purgatory only a dream.

“Cresto, are you a true, living soul? Was my awful dream last night all true?”

“Yes, poor child, your dream was all more than true. Our souls often travel together. It is a fact that our souls can travel, while our bodies sleep. Love, there is no limit to the soul’s flight. Our souls are made in the image of God. Doll, long ago I was once a real, live Indian prince. I came from another star to watch over you and protect you, dear. Dreams are often true. I have given you many facts in dreams. I will also develop you to a higher degree clairvoyantly. You hear me now, love, clairaudiently. True visions from the other world will often be revealed to you. Ruth, please remember all that I reveal to you in visions, dreams, or strong impressions will be real facts,—soul facts. I develop you to help you make poor, sorrowing humanity happy and teach you to help others to higher planes.”

“Cresto, why do you spend so much time with me?”

“Dear, I will always be with you. I am your twin-soul—your soul-mate. I am your other half. Darling child, without you there is no life or happiness. You are all my very own, my twin-soul. God has made us one. I love you with all my heart and life! I will often take your soul away in vision to visit and enjoy other planets. Souls from other stars will come to teach you and reveal beautiful facts to you. We will help you to keep busy, happy and content, dove. Ruth all things are dual—all souls dual. My darling, do you love me?”

“Yes, dear, I love you. I do not know why this new love is so strange to me, so different from anything I ever heard of or thought of. Cresto, am I the first mortal ever loved by a spirit? Is this a real fact or am I still dreaming? Please, dear, tell me?”

“Ruth, do you hear me?”

“Yes, I do?”

“Are you sure?”

“I am positive, Cresto.”

“Now, do you see me?”

“Yes, I see you.”

“My own darling little angel, kiss me.”

Ruth felt his warm kisses on her lovely red lips.

“Now, dear, if you hear me, and see me, and feel my kisses, don’t you know that I live?”

“I know now that it is true!”

“Doll, you are all my very own. You are the complement of my self-love. Dearest, there is no individual spirit, male or female, exists without its one eternal complement. The law of attraction will sooner or later bring them together. Our souls have always been brought together. According to science we were once two tiny flames of light. You were a dim, tiny, soft, white light. I was the stronger and brighter one. We could not be parted then. Your soul was then effeminate, my own always masculine. Dearest child, you will always be a lady, I a gentleman—man through eternity. We had no bodies then, we were all soul, dear. Just two little lights, imprisoned with a tiny globe of light, floating in a circle near the lovely, bright Pleiades. So the dear angels could watch over us and protect our souls. They have protected us ever since and always will, dear. Some day, darling, we will protect others. There is lots of work to do in our Master’s vineyard. We will love to work together; all angels do. In Heaven and all other stars where true soul-mates are united in holy marriage, they are called angels. In Mars we almost always see the two together. Sweetheart, our souls were living and shining in space together for centuries. All others are the same. God loves us more than we love Him. Our souls are very dear and can never, never be lost—that is an impossibility. We are one with Our Father in Heaven. Love, He has made us one for our immortal happiness. Our souls crave and constantly pray for eternal loving companionship. You are mine, for you and I, dear, were in embryo in a globe of light, blended in harmony, and kept together by magnetism for our own protection; until the angels were sure our souls were perfect and would be immortal. Our immortality is very expensive, let us prize it and be grateful, prayerful and always happy. After our souls become very sensitive, strong, and highly magnetized, we are carried to earth and become human for the first time. All the rest of the time, our souls have been taking on immortality, and gradually growing. God created us, then magnetized us, in the beginning so we could find each other, and be united now. I have found you again, love, by the law of attraction. Dear, I will explain more clearly that angels send these sacred little twin-souls encased in globes of light to your earth by electricity on waves of ether through the heavens, down, down, safely to earth to live in mortal forms in order that we may obtain experience and knowledge. You are my immortal wife, my only love from this day on. Your dear guardian angel left you in America and me in India. Dear, angels sent the stork from door to door with you; mothers were all too busy to keep you long, they did not know your value. Your mother longed and prayed for a child just like you. She has loved you and kept you close to her loving heart for sixteen years. Dear, I can see a light around your sweet, pretty head. Our minds or souls are still light. If mortals could only see the light. Many can see it clairvoyantly. Good night.”

CHAPTER IX.

A year has passed away. Ruth has not heard from Cresto, or even dreamed of him. All this time she has been doing all the good she could with her pen and dear old violin. Cathy de Bathe had gone to California to study music. Aunt Mary had just brought Ruth a letter from Cathy.

“Here, honey, is a fat letter from youah sweetheart, Miss Ruth.”

“Thank you, Aunt Mary.”

“My Own Darling Ruth:

I was so glad to get your last letter. I am very sorry you do not have any more visions. I do. I keep it a secret, for my husband and his folks are all Adventists and do not believe as you and I do.

Forgive me, dear, for not telling you of my marriage before. I married for love and money; all California girls do. We are not so sweet and good as you are. My young husband is tall and handsome, with brown eyes, light curly hair, and weighs over two hundred pounds. You see, my dear, he is a dainty little California boy. His name is Addison MacRay. Addison gave me a lovely, modern bungalow. We have a smooth, velvety lawn in front. A great variety of hanging ferns on our large stone front porch; around this porch are many kinds of lovely roses, violets, ferns and other plants. There are two broad stone steps; on either side of the steps are massive square pillars on each of which is a drooping tropical plant. There is a great, large oak door, with four pretty, small windows. We have a long living room, with a sturdy old mission fireplace. Addison bought beautiful furniture for every room. There is a large dining room, and a cute little breakfast room. Our room is a dream—all in blue and white. Off from our little breakfast room is a large, sunny aviary filled with canary birds that sing all day long. My husband bought the birds in Paris. We have fruit, flowers and vegetables growing the year round back of our home. We gather fruit and flowers every day. We have imported chickens, doves and horses. We drive in the country every day. Please come and visit us for a few months. I want you to enjoy our new home. Ruth, come and see it for yourself, I haven’t time to tell you how beautiful it is. My dear, I have a few friends that come to our home twice a week, just to investigate the immortality of the soul. The name of our class is ‘The Divinity Club.’ I have two new angels in my band, Asa and Ione. Asa said he used to weigh two hundred pounds; now he only weighs seventy-five pounds. Now he and Ione have a lovely home in Mars. His twin-soul, Ione, is sweet and just as pretty and young as you are, Dolly dear. They both worship each other and look alike; only Asa is much taller. Ione told me a man on Mars would be eighty-three times stronger than a man on earth. And she said there was plenty of water from the wonderful canals to supply every one. The red planet, Mars, is very interesting to me. Do you know much about it? Please tell me all you know about it, will you, dear?

Lovingly,

CATHY MACRAY.

P. S.—Please write soon, love.”

Addison and Cathy MacRay were the happiest couple in California, they were going to visit friends on Catalina Island.

“Darling Addison, I hate to leave our new bungalow even to visit our best friends.”

At San Pedro they found passageway on the boat Cabrillo. The water was calm and brilliantly blue. They enjoyed watching the silvery flying fish on the way. Their friends were at the pier to meet them, Artemus Dawson, the inventor, Lemanuel Schwarze, Flora Thurston and her daughter and son were in the party, Ana Marie Thurston was pretty, lively and full of fun. Mr. Dawson drove slowly up the steep hill to his quaint little home. All were tired and retired early. All of the guests were up early the next morning and ready to view the submarine gardens. Mr. Dawson owned a wonderful glass bottom boat—his own invention. Artemus used electricity as motive power. By touching a key the boat shot forward through the foam, producing strains of music.

They looked down through the glass and saw every variety of fish—even gold fish. It was a fairyland of beauty, and we wondered if these fish had intelligence. These gardens are wonderful. They enjoyed their beds of stone and lovely green, lacy blankets of soft, fluffy moss. Long, hanging ferns grew from their castles of rock. God has made a beautiful world for the fish to live in. The fish enjoy their wonderful homes. They obey the laws of Nature, hence they still live in the garden of Eden. The ugly fish were not jealous of the beautiful gold fish. They seemed to enjoy each other’s society and live in harmony. How could they fight in such beautiful gardens? They enjoyed viewing these lovely gardens of the sea until nearly sun down. By the time they reached home they were all tired out.

Ana Marie Thurston was a sweet, cheerful little blonde. She resembled her father, who was killed for the money he possessed when she was a small child. Albert Thurston was a psychic before he was killed. Ana Marie had a beautiful sister, who died in New Orleans at the age of fourteen. Eva Thurston was dark, tall and beautiful. Eva and her father developed Ana Marie until she was a wonderful psychic. Mrs. Thurston and Ana Marie were broken hearted when Eva died.

Her friends began to plead with little Ana Marie to go into a trance, or see clairvoyantly for them. “My father and Eva tell me I can go into a trance and then I must retire.”

All wrote down everything she said. Ana Marie was controlled by her sweet, pretty sister Eva. “I am Eva, and my little sister will not remember a word I say, so please tell her all I say?”

“Eva, dear, we will write every word and show her the notes.”

“Thank you. Please tell my little sister that my father and I love her and mamma more than ever. My father and I live in Mars now. I died a true Catholic. The first angel I saw was my father and his sweet companion. Mamma in a few years you and sister will get married and be happy. Mamma, please don’t cry so; it hurts us and ruins your own health. We are with you the same as ever, and are not dead at all.

“Mr. Dawson, your mother, Mary Dawson, is here and sends you all her love.

“Mrs. Schwarze, your son George is here. He says he is in a fine school at Lastriste, a large city in Mars. He loves his school and companions.

“Dear Cathy, I see many angels, with bright lights, around you and your husband. Eno, Cresto, Daisy, Asa and Ione are here. Daisy is a lovely blonde, with very large blue eyes; she has charge of many circles in California. Daisy is bright and cheerful, and does a great deal of good in the world. She lives with her grandparents in a lovely home in Mars. This home is a wonderful mansion, all stone, and furnished elegantly. She is a wonderful little artist. Her home is filled with beautiful paintings that she has produced by herself. She inspires many slightly talented people on earth to paint wonderfully. Daisy used to visit Cathy often. Once she gave Cathy a lovely pearl ring. Cathy saw this lovely ring, clairvoyantly.”

“I do not know how to thank you for that beautiful ring, now, Daisy dear, please keep it for me until I go over there.”

“I will, dear Cathy. Cresto wants to talk to you now.”

“Cathy, it will pay you to go home in a month. Pack your trunk again and visit your friend, Ruth. In a few months she will be killed by fear or lightning, in a terrible storm. The child needs you there, later you will need her; then she and I will come back and protect and help you. Can she go, Addison?”

“She may go as soon as we get home. I must go and look after my mines, anyway.”

“Addison, you will find a rich gold mine, one mile east of the one you own now. Keep that mine all for your own. I give that to you for your kindness to Ruth.”

“O, Cresto, I thank you with all my heart! I promise to go to Ruth as soon as you want me to.”

“Enjoy your visit here first.”

As Daisy loved painting, Ione loved poetry. The poetess began in stately verse,

“I have fed upon manna from heaven above;

Have tasted the fruit of a wonderful love;

I have looked on a land where the sun ever beams,

And talked with the angels in mystical dreams;

And though some visions may die in their birth,

They still leave the trail of their glory on earth.”

Ione read us other poems she had composed. Daisy asked if any of the clairvoyants could tell the color of their new dresses? Cathy could see that Daisy wore a pale blue silk, with fine lace trimming; Ione a light yellow silk, trimmed in heavy, rich lace. Both wore rich jewels and golden sandals. The maidens from Mars were beautiful, and had long heavy golden hair. They wore lace undergarments of almost cobweb-like delicacy, so very fine that it cannot be pictured or imagined. Long white opera cloaks swept from their dresses. Their snowy, soft white veils looked like floating clouds in the sunshine. Daisy wore daisies in her golden hair and at her waist. She was a perfect saint and did all the good she could on earth. We all adored her. Daisy said there are no hats in Mars, to make the hair come out; they never wear or make corsets or high heels. There are no shoes there. They dress beautifully, with long robes, jewels, crowns, laces and sandals. They do not wear stockings. There are no fat, ill men or women there. They only eat one meal a day, and have not time to grow stout. Cresto now told Addison MacRay all his past. Addison was converted that night. He saw many bright lights.

“Now that I have told you facts about your past, I will tell you some facts about Mars: Mars is a land of beauty—a land of love and sunshine, and music and flowers. We have two softly lighted moons, and many large, bright stars. We have no dark nights, our nights are only soft twilights. Our planet appears red from the earth, for we have more sunlight, more moonlight and electricity. We have our seasons the same as you have, but our days are longer than yours. Many of our flowers and vegetables are red in color. Our wonderful electric lights appear red from your world—they are all colors.

“I weighed over two hundred pounds on earth, now I weigh seventy-five. We do not need any superfluous fat here. We must be very light and intelligent in order to fly. We float in the clouds and swim in real water; dance, laugh, ride, talk, and sing in the same manner as you do. As a soul advances from star to star, each one has a grand surprise awaiting them. I was surprised and happy to find out I could learn to float after my resurrection, and to know God has made an immortal companion for each one of us. Think of such infinite love! Adam and Eve were soul-mates. I soon found out here there was no eternal Hell. Some of the places in Purgatory are as terror-striking. After death, if one has lived a life of sin or idleness, he is cast into prison in Purgatory and bound and chained down for years away from all his loved ones. No one is kept in prison after death unless that person deserves to suffer.

“Many of my old friends are now living happy with their twin-souls in Venus, Mars and other stars. I love to hear them tell me of their homes and work. Gentlemen in other planets never wear beards, as it takes their mental strength; but they can send their double—a picture only—and appear with beards the same as in earth life. We have about one thousand wonderful canals, and over one thousand oases with little farms on them. Our great canals all have wonderful, large stone gates about every one thousand miles, so we can control the water. After harvest is over we let the water go back to the poles. The snow in winter keeps the beds of the canals pure. In this way we can live in Mars over one thousand years before we are transferred to a higher star. We must take good care of our health. We pray and keep in harmony with Our Creator’s Divine mind as near as possible. Our minds rule our physical condition. ‘As one thinketh, so is he.’ We are eighty-three times stronger than our loved ones on earth. Our atmosphere is pure and bracing and adapted entirely to our use. It is hard work for us to breathe on your earth. Eva has gone home to rest, while others take her place. All the conditions must be perfect for us to converse with you. Earth-bound spirits can talk longer, but they do not often give truths. It is a fact, we have all the water we need. We have all the wealth and land we can use. We do not use money, but give checks which amounts to the same thing. Every person gets full wages for their work. There are no peculiar vegetables or men on Mars, as has been stated in your papers. No immense eye grows to watch over us. God rules all worlds with His mind and with the help of His Holy angels. There is nothing crazy or odd where God rules. All insanity, all strange vegetables and trees, etc., are in Purgatory, or on earth. Awful things happen where ignorant souls disobey Our Lord and sin. Good night.”

CHAPTER X.

“I heard one night a whisper

Of an angel, sweet and fair,

Of a glorious, beautiful treasure,

Of a lovely child of care.

She was mine, so the angels told me,

I knew it over there;

I heard it once in evening

So gentle and so rare.”

—Frank Burke.

Addison and Cathy were at home, having just returned from their trip, when both heard this song in the air close to them.

“Cathy, dear, I hear the song, but I do not see the singer.”

“I saw Cresto singing near us.”

“Addison that is a song I composed for Ruth. Cathy, please do not wear black at her grave, or mourn for her; she will be so happy with me. Please try to remember this little verse:

“There’s no destroying death frost here,

To nip the hope buds ere they bloom;

The bridal tour is through the spheres;

Eternity the honeymoon.”

Addison, you will be too busy to get lonely while Cathy is gone. Your new mine will keep you very busy, and in time will make you a very rich man.”

“I will give one-half of all I have to my Cathy to do as she pleases with.”

“You will both put the money in a good cause.”

A week later Ruth was holding Cathy in her arms. “O! Cathy, do you love me so much as to leave your husband and lovely new bungalow, just to visit me, dear?”

“Yes, Doll, I love you just that much, and a thousandfold more. Ruth, dear, let’s spend a month in talking and laughing our heads off? I have been so busy the rest and fun will do me good.”

“Cathy, I wish I could tell you how happy your visit has made me.”

“You dear little sweetheart, I love you!”

“My sweet Cathy!”

“Here is a letter, honey, for Mrs. Cathy MacRay.”

“O! thank you, Aunty Mary.”

“Ruth it is from my husband. I will read it to you, dear.”

“Please do if it is a love letter.”

“My Dear Cathy, my own darling wife:

I was very anxious to find out if Cresto knew about that mine. So after I kissed you good bye I took the next train out to hunt up the mine. I found it just where he said I would. I find the mine very rich. All he said is true. Finding this mine is a wonderful test for me. Please have a good time and enjoy your old friends. I will send you five hundred dollars to enjoy with Ruth. So go where you please and be happy. I am very busy now. I will write more next time. Please write soon. With love and a thousand kisses,

Your husband,

ADDISON.”

“Ruth, isn’t he a darling to send me so much money without my ever asking for a cent? We will spend this money together, my sweet Doll. Tomorrow we will go to New Orleans and buy some pretty dresses and get some new books. I am so tired I must go to sleep now.”

Ruth was only partly asleep when she heard this song in her room. Ione had taught the sweet song to Cathy and she was now singing it softly. The sweet tune was more beautiful than the words. She never had heard such wonderful music:

“I sat anticipating, yet awed, with that instinct alert,

Dreading but longing for I knew not what;

While he with the still swiftness, that bespeaks the All stirred within,

Glided beside me;

And with tender arms around and about me, like the will o’ the wisp,

He drew me closely to his loving breast;

And he kissed me, and he kissed me,

In that gentle way,

Till the magic thrills, one after another

Opened wide all the closed up avenues of my soul.

And in a delirium of ecstatic joy,

My being heaved and heaved like the billows of an ocean roused from its rest,

As if the elements had loosened their festive whirlwinds in a game of life and death;

O love! O joy! Immortal bliss!

This was a kiss, a kiss!

That stirred the nerve fluids till they seemed like ruby wine aflame in my veins,

And he grew so tender and loving, that it was as if an abyss had swallowed us up in its mystic fold;

The hazardous past was forgotten,

Faded away from the hallowed now;

The present enough, O love’s tremulous ecstacy!

Life was veiled in a rosy mist of enchanted bliss.

O glory of glories!

The fairies had transported us to their love paradise center, uniting our souls with a kiss! A kiss!”

Ione sang and prayed with the young girls until they fell asleep. Ione was a perfect saint.

Cresto came again to Ruth that night in her dreams. I, Ruth, felt myself being lifted up gently. I saw dear Cathy there below me sleeping soundly. I wanted to take her with me. Cresto said she was not developed enough to go this time. I reached out my arms to take her anyway. Suddenly I was forced rapidly up, up, into terrible space again. Soon I saw the light again. Cresto asked me if I would like to go with him and see some of the beautiful homes and see more of the canals?

“Yes, I would love to go.”

“Doll, you may tell Cathy all about your visit, dear tomorrow, she is not strong enough to be away so long.”

We stopped on one of the farms in Mars. I saw a lovely swimming pool, a big, fine home, and many beautiful flowers in the front yard. Lovely fruits and nuts, and vegetables in the back. Some of the tops of the vegetables and many of the flowers were red. All the farms we saw looked perfect. I soon saw that honest scientific farming was fashionable in Mars.

“O Cresto, dear, our own Luther Burbank will be in his glory as soon as he comes here.”

“Dear, there are many Burbanks in other worlds, and many Edisons, too. The pure, cool, fresh air feels so refreshing and invigorating. Doll, the mountains used to be very high here but for years the Martians have cut the tops off to fill up the hollow places.”

“Our mountains are valuable cultivated hills now. There are only a few high peaks left. The grass on the hills looked lighter than ours. All flowers are more beautiful here and have more colors. Lovely birds sing sweetly early and late. O! Cresto, look at those lovely bright rainbows in the distance!”

“Darling, you see the lights of a beautiful city called Lastriste, it looks from here as if it were many beautiful rainbows—the rainbows looked as if they had a thousand different colors.”

I saw new shades of blue, green, violet and red, all mingled in one grand, glorious glimmering light. It is all lighted by wonderful electric lights. In this large city there are lovely flowers and trees around the temples and each home. No two houses are close together, even in the large cities.

“Ruth, my darling girl, the sun rises in beauty here and sets in more grandeur and glory than you have just witnessed. Our sunlight is bright and more vivacious than on earth. Our nights seem like twilight. Our darkest midnight in summer is only a soft calm, gentle, subtle, twilight. Our clouds float very high; we see each beautiful design distinctly. Science and our many trees cause the rain to come periodically. We have summer and winter, seed time and harvest, the same as you do. We live a simple life here. We love one another and help each other all we can. All those who own farms here are educated; they study agriculture, and gradually work their way to wealth and happiness. A farmer here is loved in the same manner as a banker or king on earth, only more.

“Our temples, our schools are free. We are happy. We have no slaves. Work is an honor here. Most commerce is carried on by means of these wonderful connecting canals—many great minds have worked on these perfect canals for years. These canals are the direct causes of our great wealth. The rich could control the waters of the earth the same as we do, in time. The money used for war alone would do it. Our big airships, our boats, our cars, are all propelled by electrical energy. Our airships carry from ten to one hundred people at once. All airships can sail very high or low. Many airships are made just for two,—just for lovers. I will order a little airship for two now, mentally. Darling, you see I do not need to hunt up a telephone. All Martians carry their own telephones in their heads. Long distance doesn’t cost us a cent. There are about ten beautiful live salty oceans here. Remember, dear, there is a natural law in all spiritual worlds. All water and land here is now under perfect control. Now, babe, I will show you from our airship the mighty net work of our vast great canals running from pole to pole, from north to south. Near the center of Mars they also run from east to west to irrigate little farms. High gates control these canals. Our Martians are wonderful engineers. These great gates are raised by wonderful machinery and operated by electricity. Doll, our public schools are still more wonderful and more numerous than the canals. Why not? We are a little higher than the earth; a little nearer Heaven. Dear, we are traveling at the rate of 186,280 miles a second, about as fast as wireless telegraphy. We are floating in space on electric waves and can travel as fast as thought. Earth-bound souls cannot travel at all beyond the first plane; they are wicked and have wasted their energy in sin and idleness. Come, Doll, my sweet child, and put your pretty, soft arms around my neck and kiss me, and I will show you the lovely sacred temple where our own future marriage ceremony will be performed as soon as you come home to me. Without law there is no happiness.”

“O Cresto, I wish I could always stay here in your arms.”

“Some day you can, pet. Your future happiness is very sacred to me, love. Here is the temple.”

“O! darling, is it a real true church? What perfect Christians you must be to build such a lovely high temple to worship in?”

“Darling child, there is no temple in any star, no matter how beautiful or rich that temple may be, is perfect enough to worship God in. Doll, next to my Father I love you—my own love, Doll! I hold the perfect mating of two souls.

“Through blended love, to be the sum of bliss;

Long as Eternity rolls.

“My lovely child, my own Ruth, I will take you to my mother’s home and introduce you to her; her name is Helios, my father’s name is Rupert; my mother is a sweet little blonde. I am the perfect picture of my father. She is keeping a few jewels I have bought for you, pet. The others you may select for yourself when you come.”

We soon came to a lovely, large country home, with beautiful flowers and a lawn. The side porch was covered with large black grapes. On the back porch hung dark red grapes, among yellow and white roses. On the left is a driveway, on the right is a small lake, a bath house, and a large swimming pool. We found Helios feeding the graceful pet swans and ducks on the lake. She was a pretty, dainty little woman, who led us into the house to her private rooms. Helios took out a small casket from her large cedar chest, and handed it to Cresto. He showed her a lovely diamond engagement ring,—the stone was perfect; a rope of large pearls with a brilliant ruby pendant. Cresto wound the pearls around Ruth’s small, white neck several times; a marvelous little watch, inlaid with emeralds and diamonds, Cresto’s picture was engraved inside, the watch hung on a delicate, long gold chain; there were all kinds of perfect rings, a handsome ruby bracelet, two big butterfly ruby pins, a beautiful yellow amber colored diamond necklace; at last a stately, pure gold crown inlaid with pink pearls and diamonds.

“Doll, I will place the tiara on your lovely head soon as you are my bride.”

Cresto took a heavily chased bottle and asked me to drink to our health, and wealth. It was a large, heavy quart-sized bottle. As soon as Cresto removed the crystal stopper it foamed like liquid air. It was full of electricity. It was sparkling and had the piquant taste of champagne.

“Babe, you will drink this as a tonic here instead of hot tea and coffee. Doll, my love, please drink some more of this new ambrosia. We have different kinds of ambrosia here, dear.”

“Cresto, I never tasted anything so delicious. We also have a liquid copperas that is used as a tonic. It takes a highly educated chemist to make these mineral beverages.”

The paper napkins were soft as silk—they burn all paper napkins and handkerchiefs when soiled. They only eat one small meal a day. The bread is slightly like our cakes in taste. It is airiated sweet bread, filled with ground nuts and dried fruit.

“Ruth, my pet, we eat all kinds of delicious fresh fruit and nuts. We drink milk and use lots of eggs. Sweetheart, you have been gone a long time. I must take you home.”

We began to float upward in space. O! it is heaven to soar so high.

“We use mind power to float. The more intelligent the spirit, the better they can soar,” said Cresto.

It was a strange new happiness to float in space with a man you respect and worship.

“It was long and long ago our love began;

It is something all unmeasured by Time’s span;

In an era and a spot, by the modern world forgot;

We were lovers, ere God named us Maid and Man.

Like the memory of music made by streams,

All the beauty of that other life seems,

But I always thought it so, and at last I know, I know.

We were lovers in the land of Silver Dreams.

O, the land of Silver Dreams all about us shines and gleams,

Where we loved before God fashioned night and day.

We were souls in eerie, minds made of light;

Our love wings could speed from height to height.

All was glory, love and light, light with out a night.”

Cresto sang these soul-stirring words to me while he was holding me in his strong arms and carrying me home.

CHAPTER XI.

Will those Visions come again

O, I long to soar back to Mars,

To live in a better land than ours;

To be loved by him always the same.

“O, Cathy, what a lovely, impulsive bride you are!”

The girls were deeply in love with each other. Ruth was reading to Cathy on the front porch, both being seated in a low-swinging hammock.

These dear, sweet companions had been laughing and talking over their new dresses, and reading all day. Cathy wore a dainty blue lawn; Ruth was dressed all in pure white—she felt happiest when dressed in white.

Suddenly the clouds turned black. An awful storm was brewing. The lightning came down in fiery forked tongues, and lighted up the awful darkness. The tall, graceful pines swayed and moaned. They bowed their haughty heads nearly to the earth. At times the whole country seemed on fire with brilliant phosphorescent lights. The storm blasts were furious in their battle with the pines of the forest. It would seem that the storm fiends were angry at the stability, solidity, and placidity of mother earth.

Ruth and Cathy had just finished reading Milton’s Paradise Lost. As they were seriously discussing this masterpiece, there was a sudden, terrific flash of lightning that blinded the girls a moment; it shocked Cathy, she was afraid and could not speak or move. She remembered now all Cresto told her on the island of Catalina. Half-stunned, she stared wildly about her, grasping the edge of the hammock for support. Slowly her head turned with ominous foreboding to a white heap on the porch. Poor Catherine’s bosom welled within her. The emotion seemed too great for human endurance. She sank forward on the body with a heartrending sob. She remained a helpless, convulsed heap on the dead. Fear alone had killed our delicate little Ruth, who had been suffering for days from heart trouble, unknown to all. Again the lightning flashed. Cathy saw in front of her as plain as a human, a tall, dark, handsome young gentleman, with lovely, flowing white robes, full of light, bend over Ruth’s lifeless form. Another bright flash of lightning and she distinctly saw the lovely Ruth all in gauzy, fluffy, shimmering, pure white, her robes full of light, too—by Cresto’s side, smiling.

“O! I never saw such dazzling, clinging, beautiful golden white robes on any one as Ruth now wore. She looked like a fairy bride, much smaller than she looked yesterday. I wondered if any angel in Heaven could dress more beautiful? It is worth a fortune just to see this wonderful sight! I am glad I came to see this resurrection of Ruth. I thank God for my clairvoyance now. O! how lovely to know there is no death! Cresto and his sweet mother wound a thin, long white silk veil around her head and shoulders. For a moment Cresto held her close to his heart. He kissed her tenderly and lovingly. Then the two smiled and waved their fairy hands good bye at me. For the first time I saw Ruth and Cresto were not alone. Cresto’s mother and many angels were leading the band. I saw them distinctly rise higher and higher, up, up, into the dark clouds. They floated away from life’s storms and the clouds and all darkness; away from cold death, to immortal life; away into God’s bright blue sunlight!”

As she watched the lovely golden white robes float away in the distance, Cathy raised her arms in prayer.

“O! my Divine Heavenly Father and His Holy Angels, Will Thou resurrect me to immortality? Will Thou protect me and those I love, and keep my soul pure? May I prove there is no death to others and serve Thee, My God, faithfully through all eternity? Amen.”

That lonely, dark, stormy night Cathy cried and sobbed for her lovely Ruth. O! how terrible to be all alone at the hour of death!

Cathy’s great sorrow was darker than the night. Absolutely exhausted from crying she fell asleep and dreamed she saw Ruth’s sylph-like form. She was dressed the same as she was that night of her glorious resurrection. Ruth, pale and trembling, stood gazing vacant-eyed, on the immensity of nature. As each stroke flashed, Cathy shrieked in terror. Ruth stood pale and motionless with head uplifted and nostrils dilated in the ecstacy of the moment, the light of heaven beamed across her soulful face. Her body became brilliantly illuminated, the pines could be dimly seen through her almost transparent figure. She lifted her fragile arms heavenward and slowly ascended, the glory shining around her.

A month later Cathy went home to her husband, to love, to comfort and to happiness. There is no happiness like a husband’s immortal love; perfect love never dies.

CHAPTER XII.

“’Tis told somewhere in Eastern story

That those who loved once blossomed as flowers

On the same stem, amid the glory

Of Eden’s green and fragrant bowers;

And that, though parted oft by fate

Yet when the glow of life is ended,

Each soul again shall find its mate,

And in one bloom again be blended.”

Addison MacRay was now a very rich man; he and Cathy are perfectly happy in their bungalow. They took charge of The Divinity Club and held three large circles every week. The members of The Divinity Club were all highly educated and refined. It had been a long, long time before she ever saw Cresto and Ruth. At the club that night Addison and Cathy were overjoyed and surprised at once more seeing Cresto and Ruth. The club soon learned to understand Cresto by thought transference.

“O Ruth, dear, why have you stayed away so long? My Doll!!”

“My darling, sweet Cathy, we came here often but could not make our presence known. You did not make the right conditions for us to show ourselves and talk. Your club is lovely and we are regular members. My dear child, if you keep the conditions like this we will come often and help you. Darling Cathy, after my glorious transmission, Cresto and I were married in a lovely temple on Mars. Cresto showed me the very temple once in a vision. He often took me to Mars on long pleasure trips before my transmission. In my visions I saw all things dimly, compared to all I see and know now. I see all the beautiful scenery more clearly now. Cathy, I wish you could see our lovely home in Mars, and all the lovely jewels Cresto and my friends gave me. I cannot begin to tell you how happy and busy I am. I often see my old school mates. We have so many dear friends we enjoy with all our hearts. We love more in Mars than you do on earth. In Mars we daily practice our Saviour’s words to ‘Love one another.’ My dear friends, love and work will bring wealth and heaven to all dear, precious souls on earth. Cathy dear, Cresto wants to tell you more about our marriage in Mars.”

“The great, tall, massive, and handsome temple was decorated in long white rosebuds, and pink and white primroses, their fragrance filled the temple. The pure white altar was banked with fragrant lillies, mingled with cool, delicate ferns. Little above the altar hung a large white cross of perfect tuberoses, interwoven with tiny white and gold candles; each little candle was lighted with many-colored lights. Hundreds of our old friends from India and America were there, singing around Eno, who was playing the immense pipe organ; their dear voices sounded as sweetly as those of the cherubims. The great organ was partly played by electricity. After the music the ceremony was performed by a Catholic priest.

“We sailed to our new home in white aluminum airships, decorated with white roses and golden butterflies, and long, narrow white ribbons hung down from the airships and floated gracefully in the bright sunlight. My beautiful little mother entertained us with music, dancing, and a perfect feast of fruit, nuts, cakes that looked like snowy ambrosia from heaven; sweet, sparkling nectar, made from the juice of red grapes filled the glasses. The long tables were richly decorated with rosebuds and light green ferns. Ruth wore her gold crown for the first time; she was dressed in her ascension robes and a long white, dainty bridal veil. The veil was pinned on her long, heavy curly hair with little diamond butterflies which Helios gave her. Ruth was a dream of beauty and looked about sixteen,—all are young after their transmission. Friends, our wedding ceremony was beautiful and very sacred. Our priest was a very high angel, he had once been a Pope of Rome, he was perfect.

“We had our marriage certificate framed just like your own. That day was a perfect golden day of love and sunshine. That day our souls were overflowing with joy. Such happiness and love is never experienced on earth. That beautiful day the birds sang sweeter melodies than ever, the heavens were brighter, hearts were lighter. Souls were dearer than ever to us, the music more melodious. We could feel the presence of our dear Saviour and His Holy Angels sweetly smiling down upon us. All hearts are linked together over there in one grand, strong immortal golden chain of eternal love. Perfect pure love is the most sublime emotion that man or angel ever experienced.

Saints pray for love, love, love,

To give us sunshine from above;

They hear our prayers with loving smiles,

Tenderly helping in all our trials,

Praying for us to love, love, love.

The stars are shining love, love, love,

Souls are pining for love, love, love;

Mind is linked to mind as one for all time,

Hearts beat in love-rhythm sublime

Singing love, love, love.

May we love, love, love,

As they do in stars above;

If we send an earnest prayer from the soul

To own our own, to love and to hold,

God will send us love, love, love.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Punctuation has been normalized. Variations in hyphenation have been retained as they were in the original publication.

The author's spelling has been maintained, except in the following cases:

Page

Original

As Corrected

2

MRS. CHARLES WILDER CLASS

MRS. CHARLES WILDER GLASS

8

the buterfly was made

the butterfly was made

8

wonderful buterfly

wonderful butterfly

17

My darling Pesus

My darling Persus

17

we will work to gether

we will work together

20

pricious jewels

precious jewels

24

loveingly and tenderly

lovingly and tenderly

28

to much

too much

39

Artimus used electricity

Artemus used electricity

40

wonderful phychic

wonderful psychic

45

love leter

love letter

47

more vivacous

more vivacious

59

napkins and handerchiefs

napkins and handkerchiefs

52

Divine eHavenly Father

Divine Heavenly Father

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Table of Contents

Ruth’s Marriage in Mars

DEDICATION.

PREFACE.

CHAPTER I.

CHAPTER II.

CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER IV.

CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER IX.

CHAPTER X.

CHAPTER XI.

CHAPTER XII.

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