Part 51

And she took the notes and put them into shape for me, but when she sent the report to me the back of one of the sheets was just full of one sentence written over and over again. She didn't know she'd included that sheet, of course.

It was so curious I asked her about it.

She looked a little queer and said that when she wasn't thinking of anything in particular, but just sitting before her typewriter and not working, she always wrote that sentence.

"It just comes into my head," she said, "and I write it."

"An occult force guides your fingers?" I asked.

"Yes, ma'am, that's it," she said.

Over and over and over again she had written, "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party."

And here is the eerie part of it -- it almost frightened me when I got it out of her! -- her father had been some sort of politician; a district leader, or something like that. And he was dead, and she had had to go to work.

But he was trying to deliver a message through her!

Isn't Psychical Research simply wonderful!

Not that I'd care to go in for any vulgar thing such as tin trumpets, you know, but -- --

Well, there's the Astral Body. That hasn't been vulgarized at all, if you get what I mean. Really, the Best People have them.

ENVOY

HERMIONE, THE DEATHLESS

She will not die! -- in Brainstorm Slum Fake, Nut and Freak Psychologist Eternally shall buzz and hum, And Spook and Swami keep their tryst with Thinkers in a Mental Mist. You threaten her with Night and Sorrow? Out of the Silences, I wist, More Little Groups will rise tomorrow!

The lips of Patter ne'er are dumb, The Futile Mills shall grind their grist Of sand from now till Kingdom Come; The Winds of Bunk are never whist. You scowl and shake an honest fist -- You threaten her with Night and Sorrow? Go slay one Pseudo-Scientist, More Little Groups will rise tomorrow!

With Fudge to feed the Hungry Bum She plays the Girl Philanthropist -- Each pinchbeck, boy Millenium She swings, a Bangle, at her wrist -- Blithe Parrot and Pert Egoist, You threaten her with Night and Sorrow? Hermiones will aye persist! More Little Groups will rise tomorrow!

She, whom Prince Platitude has kissed, You threaten her with Night and Sorrow? Slay her by thousands, friend -- but list: More Little Groups will rise tomorrow!

(I)

Table of typist's changes:

Original Table of Contents was in large and small caps. Typist converted to upper and lower case.

p3 Original "Anaemic" has letters "ae" printed as a single letter. Changed to "anemic"

p31 "is comprised" changed to "it comprised".

p37 "blase" with grave accent mark over "e" changed to "blase'" with single mark following the "e".

p39 Accent mark removed from second "e" in "eugenie".

p65 Circumflex removed from first "e" in "fete".

p69 Dieresis removed from "e" in "stael".

p70 Dieresis removed from second "o" in "cooperate".