O. Henry was being crowded by others who thought that they should be given a chance to express themselves, and once or twice the writing stopped until things quieted down. On this occasion Mumm broke in with; “Henry is giving too many orders.”
On being told in a forceful way what we thought of his interference, he said, “My word! That was a hot shot! I won’t butt in again:” — and he didn’t.
Later, when we asked O. Henry whether others were present, he said, “They are hanging around, but not butting in”
As we got better acquainted, there was more conversation of a personal nature before the story for the day was started.
To the question whether before he “crossed over” he had had any real Truth, he said:
“No, my teaching was hell and damnation.”
We, of course, were curious to know how he discovered us. His answer was in line with what we had been taught — that each person appears as a light, shining with increasing brilliancy as one learns the Truth and lives it. He said:
“Letting your light so shine led me here — I desired to tell what I felt and knew, and sought an avenue; your beacon beckoned me, and your teacher bade me enter”
Once when we mentioned a financial pressure he said:
“That’s the only hell there is on earth — that and lack of love which sends one to rum shops.”
After another break in our work with the stories, we were welcomed with:
“It has been a long time since we have talked. I wish you joy”
To our usual question “who is with us?” came the answer:
“I was called Henry .”
A glimpse into conditions on the “other side” was given when we asked O. Henry whether he had found a friend of whose “passing over” we had told him.
“No,” he replied; “I have not found him. He must be resting, and we make it a point never to disturb, for the rest periods are of the most importance and hasten growth. I shall watch for him when he makes his mansion.”
“What do you mean by that?” we asked.
“In the beginning of life here we make little progress — unless knowledge of the Truth has been ours before coming over. That is why it is so necessary to learn before leaving the Earth Sphere. Without that one must wander aimlessly or rest and gaze at things of the past — and our associates are other unfortunates who have had closed ears before leaving.
“When one has reviewed a certain number of lives — or generally a sequence of events — then comes a tender friend who points out advantageous work and study, and which, if followed, always means the beginning of progress and growth. It is only after that has been made use of that we begin our mansion or abiding place.
“Keep it always in your mind, the foundation stones are Knowledge, Wisdom, Power — and then it is built by the thought and desire of Aspiration, Beauty and Love.
“I want to impress upon you and all mankind the necessity of ‘Knowingr/ and, what is more to the point. ‘Believing.’
“If you will lend me your pencil, most generous person, I may be able to say all I want. Now it seems as if I never would be able to get rid of it all “If you would publish a magazine it would be a ‘hummer.’ The trouble is, there is no periodical which has any one back of it zvho KNOWS. They all prattle and the almighty dollar is the main thing. Truth would bring them faster than anything if they would only believe it. Let’s zvork it out! It would be great! Now to work, if you don’t mind.
“In a sunny nook by a babbling brook I have built my mansion.”
O. Henry was very enthusiastic over the idea of a magazine. Referring to it again, he said, “Call it the Sphinx.” Get at it at once. Have it contain only tales which teach, and Wisdom.”
Once when he talked on until late in the evening, and we became tired, he said, when the lateness of the hour was mentioned:
“It is all the same here; I forget. My impatience is still that stumbling block. With many thanks — good night”
One rainy day we were ready earlier than usual and O. Henry was evidently in exceptionally good humor, greeting us with:
“Well, this is a surprise! It’s bully!”
“Kind of nice in here. We do not feel the rain, but we like sunshine better.”
One story we received was not up to the O. Henry standard, and we did not hesitate to say so. Our views must have been rather more forcefully expressed than we realized, for he said:
. . “I have read and had many criticisms of my stories before, but they never came as hard or as fast as this one. Wipe it out”
With that he redictated the last half of the story, changing it completely and to the satisfaction of all.
With his next story we were particularly pleased, and on our saying so, he said:
I thank you and am glad you really like it. Have to watch my P’s and Q’s now or I will lose my publisher. It is great to be compelled to do one’s best. It means the continuation of aspiration. Lying Spirits do not aspire. Having publishers who will accept nothing but the truth and only the best one is capable of is a bit of a novelty. Pity there are not more of them for material, as well as spiritual fiction. You might get Hoover to add that plan for conservation of paper and ink. If we over here had more publishers like you there would be more truth spread broadcast. The trouble is most of the offices accept anything, just so it has a name attached.
“What’s in a name? — Nothing “What’s in a Truth? — Everything.”
Unless the Spirit moving the indicator on the board is an advanced soul, having great power, he usually draws from the persons he is working through. This O. Henry was at times forced to do, and so we understood, when one day, instead of starting a story he said:
“Your teacher says you hesitate to tell when you are tired. Better to have a perfect pen for tzvo lines, than none at all for tzventy. Tell me the moment you become fatigued. There is time for the lot. If you are depleted through my coming, it will be curtailed, if not stopped, and that would be too dreadful! Much better a half a loaf at a time than none at all. Please tell me. Your teacher thinks you have sufficient without what I am dictating, but feels that it is worth while providing you are not in any way injured by the work. I so want to have the opportunity. Do, kind person, tell me and let us go slower. Last night I chattered; no reason for it at all, except the pleasure of doing it, and you were tired, the teacher says, before I began”
We agreed to be more careful, and O. Henry said:
“That’s a bargain “ In speaking of the many plots crowding his mind and which he wanted to express, he said:
“Riches are a burden at times. I wish to rid myself of them. Quick returns will follow. With much material off my mind I shall be able to develop much, more worth while. Hurry! Life takes up so many hours.”
Before starting a series of stories
