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margin-left: 46%;} + hr.l4 {width: 12%; margin-left: 44%;} + .pagenum {display: none;} + table {max-width: 100%; margin-left: 1em;} + .lsoff {margin-left: 0;} + .centered {margin-left: 5%; display: block;} + .rght {padding-left: 2em;} + .tnote {background-color: #eeeeee;} + .covernote {visibility: visible; display: block; background-color: #eeeeee;} +} + + h1.pg {font-size: 190%; + line-height: 100%; + margin-top: 0em; + font-weight: bold; } + h4.pg { font-weight: bold; } + hr.full { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44625 ***</div> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, True Ghost Stories, by Hereward Carrington</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/American Libraries. See + <a href="https://archive.org/details/trueghoststories00carr"> + https://archive.org/details/trueghoststories00carr</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<div class="covernote"> +<p>Note: The cover of this book was created by the transcriber and is placed +in the public domain. A more detailed transcriber’s note can be +found at the end of this book.</p> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + +<h1>True Ghost Stories</h1> + +<p class="tp1">BY<br /> + +<span class="auth">HEREWARD CARRINGTON</span></p> + +<p class="tp1"><i>Author of “The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism,” “The Coming<br /> +Science,” “Death: its Causes and Phenomena,”<br /> +“Death Deferred,” etc.</i></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/logo.png" width="25" height="23" alt="Logo" /> +</div> + +<p class="tp1">NEW YORK<br /> +<span class="f14">THE J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY</span><br /> +57 ROSE STREET<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="l1" /> + + +<p class="tp2"> +Copyright, 1915, by<br /> +J. S. OGILVIE PUBLISHING COMPANY<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="l1" /> + + +<p class="tp3"> +<i>To</i><br /> +MY DEAR FRIENDS<br /> +<span class="f12">THE MARSHALLS</span><br /> +</p> + +<hr class="l1" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> + + +<h2 class="bg"><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h2> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Contents"> +<tr> + <td class="col1">BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#PUBLISHERS_NOTE">7</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">PREFACE</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#PREFACE">9</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">CHAPTER I</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">What is a Ghost?</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">13</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Terror of the Dark</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_TERROR_OF_THE_DARK">14</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">What is a Ghost?</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#WHAT_IS_A_GHOST">18</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Historic Investigations</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HISTORIC_INVESTIGATIONS">20</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Death Coincidences</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#DEATH_COINCIDENCES">21</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Are They Due to Chance?</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#ARE_THEY_DUE_TO_CHANCE">24</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Explanation</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_EXPLANATION">26</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Experimental Apparitions</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#EXPERIMENTAL_APPARITIONS">27</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Telepathic Hallucinations</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#TELEPATHIC_HALLUCINATIONS">32</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Ghosts Which Move Material Objects</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#GHOSTS_WHICH_MOVE_MATERIAL_OBJECTS">37</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Photographs of Ghosts</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#PHOTOGRAPHS_OF_GHOSTS">38</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The “Double” and the Spiritual Body</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_DOUBLE_AND_THE_SPIRITUAL_BODY">40</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">What Happens at the Moment of Death</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#WHAT_HAPPENS_AT_THE_MOMENT_OF_DEATH">43</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">How the Soul May Leave the Body</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HOW_THE_SOUL_MAY_LEAVE_THE_BODY">47</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Theories of Haunted Houses</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THEORIES_OF_HAUNTED_HOUSES">51</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Ghosts of Animals, etc.</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_GHOSTS_OF_ANIMALS_ETC">53</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Clothes of Ghosts</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_CLOTHES_OF_GHOSTS">55</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Telepathy from the Dead</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#TELEPATHY_FROM_THE_DEAD">57</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Psychic Atmosphere</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_PSYCHIC_ATMOSPHERE">59</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Forms Created by Will</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#FORMS_CREATED_BY_WILL">60</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Physical Manifestations</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#PHYSICAL_MANIFESTATIONS">62</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Can Haunted Houses be “Cured”?</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CAN_HAUNTED_HOUSES_BE_CURED">63</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">CHAPTER II</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Phantasms of the Dead—I</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">65</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">A Russian Ghost</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#A_RUSSIAN_GHOST">65</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Grasped by a Spirit Hand</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#GRASPED_BY_A_SPIRIT_HAND">71</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">“I Am Shot!”</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#I_AM_SHOT">74</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">“Heave the Lead!”</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HEAVE_THE_LEAD">75</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Rescue at Sea</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_RESCUE_AT_SEA">78</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">How Ghosts Influence Us</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HOW_GHOSTS_INFLUENCE_US">86</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">How a Ghost Warned the King</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HOW_A_GHOST_WARNED_THE_KING">90</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Stains of Blood</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_STAINS_OF_BLOOD">93</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Face to Face</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#FACE_TO_FACE">96</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">“Julia, Darling!”</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#JULIA_DARLING">98</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Cut Across the Cheek</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_CUT_ACROSS_THE_CHEEK">99</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Invisible Hand</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_INVISIBLE_HAND">100</a><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Apparition of the Radiant Boy</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_RADIANT_BOY">104</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Fisher’s Ghost</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#FISHERS_GHOST">106</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Harriet Hosmer’s Vision</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HARRIET_HOSMERS_VISION">109</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Apparition of the Murdered Boy</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_MURDERED_BOY">112</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Ghost in Yellow Calico</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_GHOST_IN_YELLOW_CALICO">116</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">CHAPTER III</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">More Phantasms of the Dead—II</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">120</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Compacts to Appear after Death</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#COMPACTS_TO_APPEAR_AFTER_DEATH">120</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Lord Brougham’s Vision</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#LORD_BROUGHAMS_VISION">122</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Tyrone Ghost</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_TYRONE_GHOST">125</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Dead or Alive!</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#DEAD_OR_ALIVE">128</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Scratch on the Cheek</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_SCRATCH_ON_THE_CHEEK">135</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">A Ghost in Hampton Court</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#A_GHOST_IN_HAMPTON_COURT">139</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Half-Past One O’clock</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#HALF-PAST_ONE_OCLOCK">147</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">My Own True Ghost Story</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#MY_OWN_TRUE_GHOST_STORY">155</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">CHAPTER IV</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Haunted Houses</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">163</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Record of a Haunted House</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_RECORD_OF_A_HAUNTED_HOUSE">165</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Proofs of Immateriality</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#PROOFS_OF_IMMATERIALITY">168</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Conduct of Animals in the House</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CONDUCT_OF_ANIMALS_IN_THE_HOUSE">169</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">B—— House</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#B_HOUSE">170</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Willington Mill</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#WILLINGTON_MILL">174</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Great Amherst Mystery</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_GREAT_AMHERST_MYSTERY">176</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Brook House</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#BROOK_HOUSE">186</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">CHAPTER V</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Ghost Stories of a More Dramatic Nature</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">194</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Disease-Phantoms</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#DISEASE_PHANTOMS">194</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Tale of a Mummy</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_TALE_OF_THE_MUMMY">198</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Face Slapped by a Ghost</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#FACE_SLAPPED_BY_A_GHOST">204</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Alone with a Ghost in Church</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#ALONE_WITH_A_GHOST_IN_A_CHURCH">207</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">A Haunted House in France</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_FRANCE">210</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">A Haunted House in Georgia</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_GEORGIA">213</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Shaken by a Ghost</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#SHAKEN_BY_A_GHOST">220</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The House and the Brain</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#THE_HOUSE_AND_THE_BRAIN">221</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">APPENDIX A</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Historical Ghosts</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#APPENDIX_A">230</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">APPENDIX B</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">The Phantom Armies Seen in France</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#APPENDIX_B">236</a></td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col3" colspan="2">APPENDIX C</td> +</tr><tr> + <td class="col1">Bibliography</td> + <td class="col2"><a href="#APPENDIX_C">245</a></td> +</tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="l1" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> + +<div class="f9"> +<h2 class="bg"><a name="PUBLISHERS_NOTE" id="PUBLISHERS_NOTE"></a>PUBLISHER’S NOTE.</h2> + + +<p>HEREWARD CARRINGTON, author of “True Ghost Stories,” +is well known in this country, and in Europe, as a +prominent scientific writer on psychical and occult subjects. +He has been a member of both the English and +American Societies of Psychical Research for more than +15 years; has written over a dozen books on the subject—a +number of which has been translated into foreign languages +(such as Japanese and Arabic), and he has lectured +in London, Paris, Rome, Venice, Milan, Genoa, Turin, etc.—before +scientific organizations. His writings are well +known, and have earned him a high place in psychical circles. +He’s a late member of the Council of the American +Scientific Society, of the American Geographical Society, +and of the American Health League. He collaborated in +the “American Encyclopædia,” “The Standard Dictionary,” +etc. His experience in the investigation of psychical mysteries +is unrivalled. He has travelled all over the country +investigating “cases,” spending nights in “haunted houses,” +and accounts of his investigations have appeared in the +Reports of the various Psychical Societies, and also in his +own publications.</p> + +<p>In “True Ghost Stories,” Mr. Carrington presents a number +of startling cases of this character; but they are not +the ordinary “ghost stories”—based on pure fiction, and +having no foundation in reality. Here we have a well-arranged +collection of incidents, all thoroughly investigated +and vouched for, and the testimony obtained first-hand and +corroborated by others. The chapter on “Haunted Houses” +is particularly striking. The first chapter deals with the +interesting question, “What is a Ghost?” and attempts to +answer this question in the light of the latest scientific +theories which have been advanced to explain these supernatural +happenings and visitants. It is a book of absorbing +interest, and cannot fail to grip and hold the attention +of every reader—no matter whether he be a student of +these questions, or one merely in search of hair-raising +anecdotes and stories. He will find them here a-plenty!</p> +</div> + +<hr class="l1" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a><br /><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + + +<h2 class="bg"><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a>PREFACE</h2> + + +<p>The following little book endeavors to bring +together a number of “ghost stories” of the more +startling and dramatic type,—but stories, nevertheless, +which seem to be well authenticated; and +which have been obtained, in most instances, at +first hand, from the original witnesses; and +often contain corroborative testimony from +others who also experienced the ghostly phenomena. +Some of these incidents, indeed, rise +to the dignity of scientific evidence; others are +less well authenticated cases,—but interesting +for all that. These have been grouped in various +Chapters, according to their evidential value. +Chapters <abbr title="2">II.</abbr> and <abbr title="3">III.</abbr> contain well-evidenced +cases, some of which have been taken from the +<cite>Proceedings</cite> and <cite>Journals</cite> of the Society for +Psychical Research (S. P. R.), or from <cite>Phantasms +of the Living</cite>, or from other scientific +books, in which narratives of this character receive +serious consideration. Chapter V., on the +contrary, contains a number of incidents which,—striking +and dramatic as they are,—cannot be +included in the two earlier Chapters, as presenting +real evidence of Ghosts; but are published +rather as startling and interesting ghost <em>stories</em>.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +Chapter IV., devoted to “Haunted Houses,” contains +brief accounts of the most famous Haunted +Houses, and of the phenomena which have been +witnessed within them. Appendix A gives a list +of a few of the important “Historical Ghosts,” +Appendix B describes the “Phantom Armies” +lately seen by the Allied troops in France—while +Appendix C lists a number of books of +Ghost Stories which the interested reader may +care to peruse. A short Glossary, at the beginning +of the book, explains the meaning of certain +terms used,—which are not, perhaps, ordinarily +met with in books of this character.</p> + +<p>In the Introductory Chapter, I have endeavored +to explain, very briefly, the nature and +character of Ghosts; what they <em>are</em>; and the +various scientific theories which have been +brought forward, of late years, to explain +Ghosts. I hope that this may prove of interest +to the reader; in case it does not do so, he is +invited to “skip” directly to Chapter II., which +begins our account of “True Ghost Stories.”</p> + +<p>I wish to express my thanks in this place to +the Council of the English S. P. R. for special +permission to quote and to summarize several +striking cases here reproduced; also to Miss +Estelle Stead, for permission to utilize several +cases previously printed at length in Mr. Wm. T. +Stead’s collections of Ghost Stories. <span class="rght">H. C.</span></p> + +<hr class="l1" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> + + +<h2 class="bg"><a name="GLOSSARY_OF_TERMS_USED" id="GLOSSARY_OF_TERMS_USED"></a>GLOSSARY OF TERMS USED</h2> + + +<p><span class="smcap">Agent</span>—The person who, in thought-transference +experiments, endeavors to impress his +thoughts upon the “percipient” or “receiver.”</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Death-Coincidence</span>—A case in which an apparition +or other ghostly phenomenon has taken +place, at the moment of the death of the person +represented by the phantom.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Ghost</span>—An apparition, a phantom. Some contend +that all ghosts are “subjective” or purely +mental (hallucinations); others that some +ghosts are “objective”—that is, space-occupying +entities, which exist apart from the seer, who +sees them. These points will be found fully discussed +in this book.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Hallucination</span>—A mental experience, in +which a phantom is seen, a voice heard, etc., +when there is no real external cause for this seeing +or hearing. Hallucinations are more complete +than mere “illusions.”</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Pact</span>—An agreement, entered into before +death, between two persons, that, whichever one +dies first, shall appear to the other one. These +are here called “Pact Cases.” [A Pact may also +mean an agreement between a necromancer of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +some spirit-intelligence, as in Magic; but the +word is not used in that sense in this book.]</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Percipient</span>—The receiver of the telepathic or +other message. The one who experiences the +phenomenon.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Phantasm</span>—A phantom; an apparition; a +“ghost.” The word is more inclusive than any +of the words suggested; and is used by preference, +by most psychic students.</p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Telepathy</span>—Mind-reading; thought-transference.</p> + +<hr class="l1" /> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p> + + +<p class="ttl">TRUE GHOST STORIES</p> + +<hr class="l2" /> + +<h2 class="fst"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2> + + +<h3>WHAT IS A GHOST?</h3> + +<p>Ghosts have been believed in by every nation, +at every time and at every stage of the world’s +evolution. No matter where we may go, we find +them stalking through the pages of history;<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> and +even in our own cynical and materialistic age, +we not only find “ghosts” still; but the evidence +for their existence is stronger than ever! It is +nonsense to say that “no sensible person believes +in ghosts,” because many thousands of +them <em>do</em>. Why do they believe? Would they believe +if they had no cause to do so?</p> + +<p>The “terror of the dark,” which we all have +more or less, from which every child suffers (how +intensely!) during its early years—a terror +which is, to a certain extent, shared by animals +and even insects—does all this signify nothing? +Those who have looked into this question thoroughly, +believe that there is, in every truth, a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> +terrible reality justifying this instinctive fear; +that evil and horrible things lurk about us in the +still, weird hours of the night; that there are +truly “powers and principalities” with which +we often toy, without knowing or realizing the +frightful dangers which result from this tampering +with the unseen world. Yes; there is a true +“tyranny of the dark.” Phenomena and ghostly +manifestations take place in darkness which +would never occur in light; and which cease +when a light is struck. All ghostly phenomena +are associated with darkness, and the “wee small +hours of the night.”</p> + +<p>All this is exemplified in the following interesting +narrative, which I may entitle:</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_TERROR_OF_THE_DARK" id="THE_TERROR_OF_THE_DARK"></a>THE TERROR OF THE DARK</h3> + +<p>“All my life I have been afraid of the dark,” +said an acquaintance to me the other day, when +we were discussing psychical matters. “I know +that it is childish,” he continued, “and I ought +to have outgrown it years ago; but, as a matter +of fact, I haven’t. After all, isn’t there some +reason for the fears that we all feel, more or less, +at that time? Doesn’t the Bible speak of ‘the +terrors of the Dark;’ and are not all animals, +and even insects, afraid of the dark—so much so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> +that you cannot induce them to enter a dark +place if they can help it? Light not only enables +you to see what is around you; but it acts in a +certain positive manner over ‘the powers of +darkness,’ whatever they are, and prevents their +operation. All spirit mediums will tell you +that materialization and manifestations of that +character cannot take place in the light; it prevents +their occurrence. So, after all, as I said, +isn’t there some reasonable ground for one’s fear +at such times?”</p> + +<p>I said nothing; but gazed into the fire. After +all, were not his arguments somewhat impressive?</p> + +<p>“But,” continued my friend, “it is not altogether +because of these speculative reasons that +I fear the dark; it is because of a terrible experience +I once had, and which has left me terror-struck, +ever since, whenever I am left without +light even for an instant. I will tell you the +story, and let you judge for yourself.</p> + +<p>“It was several years ago; in an old house we +rented at that time, and from which we removed +soon after the event I am about to relate. I was +afraid of the dark, even then, and always left a +night-light burning by the side of my bed when +I went to sleep. One night I woke up, feeling +the springs of the bed on which I was lying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> +vibrate in a peculiar manner, impossible to describe.</p> + +<p>“Looking up, I saw, standing by the side of +my bed, a young man, dressed in rags, having a +face ghastly white, and showing every indication +of dissipation. He was regarding me intently.</p> + +<p>“I shall never forget the shock I received on +beholding that figure; not only because of the +unexpected appearance; but because of the fact +that I could perceive the opposite wall and furniture +<em>through</em> the body. I knew at once that I beheld +a spirit; and my blood ran cold at the +thought. What I had dreaded all my life was at +last fulfilled!</p> + +<p>“My next thought was ‘I am so glad the night-light +is burning. What should I do if I were in +darkness?’ As though the form read my +thoughts, and was intent on torturing me to the +limit of endurance, it leaned over, and the next +instant had snuffed the candle! The phantom +and I were alone in the black darkness!</p> + +<p>“Words cannot describe my feelings at that instant. +The blood froze in my veins, and the +tongue clave to the roof of my mouth. I tried to +speak, but could not. I only held out one hand +as if to ward off the awful presence by pressing +it away.</p> + +<p>“The next instant I felt the bed-clothes gently<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> +turned down on the further side of the bed, and +partly pulled off me. The springs of the bed +were depressed, and I knew that the fearsome +visitor was crawling into bed! It would lie +down by my side; perhaps touch me; perhaps—who +could tell? The agony of mind I experienced +in those few moments I shall never forget! +My only wonder is that my reason did not give +way!</p> + +<p>“Then a curious thing happened. Even in the +state of mind, as I was then, I could perceive +that the bed was gradually rising up again into +its normal position. The weight upon it was +growing less and less. Finally, it was again +level, and I felt the bed clothes carefully replaced +over me. The phantom had withdrawn!</p> + +<p>“For hours I lay awake, not daring to move. +After what seemed a century, the first faint +shafts of light fell across the room, betokening +the welcome morn. Finally glorious day broke. +Glorious light! Hateful darkness! Cannot you +see why I hate it so?”</p> + +<p>But, fortunately, this evil and horrible side of +ghost-land is not universal.</p> + +<p>Ghosts do not always present themselves as so +formidable and gruesome! Some of them prove +helpful; others seem to wish to right a wrong; +some even seem to have a sense of humor! So<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +there are all sorts of ghosts, just as there are all +sorts of people; and the variety is just as great +in the one case as in the other.</p> + + +<h3><a name="WHAT_IS_A_GHOST" id="WHAT_IS_A_GHOST"></a>WHAT IS A GHOST?</h3> + +<p>But, after all, what <em>is</em> a ghost? What do we +mean by this? Where do ghosts live, and how? +What do they do with themselves? How do they +manifest? Why do they return? These are +some of the questions which the average man +asks himself—unless he totally disbelieves in +them.</p> + +<p>Most men, it is true, disbelieve in ghosts—unless +they have had some experience to convince +them to the contrary. Yet, after all, why should +they? As Mr. W. T. Stead once remarked:</p> + +<p>“Real Ghost Stories! How can there be real +ghost stories when there are no real ghosts?</p> + +<p>“But are there no real ghosts? You may not +have seen one, but it does not follow that therefore +they do not exist. How many of us have +seen the microbe that kills? There are at least +as many persons who testify that they have seen +apparitions as there are men of science who have +examined the microbe. You and I, who have +seen neither, must perforce take the testimony +of others. The evidence for the microbe may be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +conclusive, the evidence as to apparitions may be +worthless; but in both cases it is a case of testimony, +not of personal experience.”</p> + +<p>The average conception of a Ghost is probably +somewhat as follows: That it is a thin, tall figure, +wrapped in a sheet, walking about the +house, clanking chains behind it, and scaring out +of his wits anyone who sees it. According to +this view, a ghost would be as material and substantial +a thing as a buzz-saw or a lap-dog, and +exists just as fully “in space.” Such, however, is +not the conception of the ghost which modern +science entertains. Many investigators who have +examined this question closely have come to the +conclusion that ghosts <em>do</em> actually exist; but +when we come to the more troublesome question: +<em>What are they?</em> we are met at once with difficulties +and disagreements. The recent scientific +theories and explanations of the subject are complex +and subtle; and necessitate a certain preliminary +knowledge on the part of the student in +order for him to understand them. I shall explain +as briefly and clearly as possible exactly +what these theories are. For the moment, I +wish to speak, first of all, of the history of +psychic investigation; and particularly that portion +of it which deals with apparitions or “ghost +hunting.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="HISTORIC_INVESTIGATIONS" id="HISTORIC_INVESTIGATIONS"></a>HISTORIC INVESTIGATIONS</h3> + +<p>Here and there, serious investigators have always +existed. In the sixteenth century Dr. +Glanvil pursued this study with great genius +and patience; Dr. Johnson also was a firm believer +in the reality of “ghosts”; Sir Walter +Scott and others of his time were investigators, +the famous Dr. Perrier wrote a treatise on apparitions, +and similar investigations have been +continued up to the present day. The first organized +and systematic attempt to solve the +problem, and to find out exactly <em>what ghosts are</em>, +however, was made by the Society for Psychical +Research (S. P. R.) in 1882. Practically all the +investigations which have been carried on since +then have led to important results.</p> + +<p>Soon after the above mentioned Society was +founded, and material began to be collected, it +was found that many cases had to do with haunted +houses, many with apparitions, but the greater +number of them hinged around the one point—the +coincidence of apparitions with the death +of the persons represented. An apparition of a +certain person would be seen in London, let us +say; and some hours later a telegram would arrive, +conveying the news that this person had +just been killed. When the time was compared,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +it was found to agree exactly; the hour of the +death and that of the apparition tallying to the +minute.</p> + +<p>Chance, you say? Perhaps so. <em>One</em> case of +this character might be explained in such manner; +but could <em>fifty</em>? Could a <em>hundred</em>? It became +a question of statistics—of figures; these +alone can answer our question.</p> + +<p>Before considering these, however, let us give +a few examples of cases of “death-coincidences,” +so that the reader may see the character of the +evidence presented. He may then appreciate the +value of a great mass of such evidence, when published +<i lang="la" xml:lang="la">in extenso</i>.</p> + + +<h3><a name="DEATH_COINCIDENCES" id="DEATH_COINCIDENCES"></a>DEATH-COINCIDENCES</h3> + +<p>The first case we take is from M. Flammarion’s +book, <cite>The Unknown</cite> (p. 108), and is as +follows:</p> + +<p>“My mother ... who lived in Burgundy, +heard one Tuesday, between nine and ten o’clock, +the door of the bedroom open and close violently. +At the same time, she heard herself called twice—‘Lucie, +Lucie!’ The following Tuesday, she +heard that her uncle Clementin, who had always +had a great affection for her, had died that Tuesday +morning, precisely between nine and ten +o’clock....”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span></p> + +<p>In the following instance, the notification is in +visual, instead of auditory form, and is taken +from the <cite>Proceedings</cite>, S. P. R., Vol. X., pp. 213-14:</p> + +<p>“About the 14th of September, 1882, my sister +and I felt worried and distressed by hearing the +‘death watch’; it lasted a whole day and night. +We got up earlier than usual the next morning, +about six o’clock, to finish some birthday presents +for our mother. As my sister and I were +working and talking together, I looked up, and +saw our young acquaintance standing in front +of me and looking at us. I turned to my sister; +she saw nothing. I looked again to where he +stood; he had vanished. We agreed not to tell +any one....</p> + +<p>“Some time afterwards we heard that our +young acquaintance had either committed suicide +or had been killed; he was found dead in the +woods, twenty-four hours after landing. On +looking back to my diary, I found that the +marks I made in it corresponded to the date of +his death.”</p> + +<p>The following case is reported in Podmore’s +<cite>Apparitions and Thought Transference</cite>, p. 265:</p> + +<p>“The first Thursday of April, 1881, while sitting +at tea with my back to the window, and +talking with my wife in the usual way, I plainly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +heard a rap at the window, and, looking round, I +said to my wife, ‘Why, there’s my grandmother,’ +and went to the door, but could not see anyone; +and still feeling sure it was my grandmother, +and, knowing that, though eighty-three years of +age, she was very active and fond of a joke, I +went round the house, but could not see anyone. +My wife did not hear it. On the following +Saturday, I had news that my grandmother +died in Yorkshire about half an hour before the +time I heard the rapping. The last time I saw +her alive I promised, if well, I would attend +her funeral; that was some two years before. I +was in good health and had no trouble; age, +twenty-six years. I did not know that my grandmother +was ill.</p> + +<p class="right"> +“<span class="smcap">Rev. Matthew Frost.</span>”<br /> +</p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>Mrs. Frost writes:</p> + +<p>“I beg to certify that I perfectly remember all +the circumstances my husband has named, but I +heard and saw nothing myself.”</p> + +<p>The following case is from <cite>Phantasms of the +Living</cite>, Vol. II., p. 50:</p> + +<p>“On February 26th, 1850, I was awake, for I +was to go to my sister-in-law, and visiting was +then an event for me. About two o’clock in the +morning my brother walked into our room (my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> +sister’s) and stood beside my bed. I called to +her, ‘Here is ——.’ He was at the time quartered +at Paisley, and a mail-car from Belfast +passed about that hour not more than a mile +from our village.... He looked down +on us most lovingly, and kindly, and waved his +hand, and he was gone! I recollect it all as if it +were only last night it occurred, and my feeling +of astonishment, not at his coming into the room +at all, but where he could have gone. At that +very hour he died.”</p> + +<p>Mr. Gurney writes:</p> + +<p>“We have confirmed the date of death in the +Army List, and find from a newspaper notice +that the death took place in the early morning, +and was extremely sudden.”</p> + +<p>Cases such as the above could be multiplied +into the hundreds; but it is not necessary. For +our present purposes, the above samples will at +least serve to show the character of these “death-coincidences,” +and how accurate and how numerous +they often are.</p> + + +<h3><a name="ARE_THEY_DUE_TO_CHANCE" id="ARE_THEY_DUE_TO_CHANCE"></a>ARE THEY DUE TO CHANCE?</h3> + +<p>The cases of “death-coincidences” came in so +thick and so fast that, some time after its foundation, +the Society for Psychical Research published<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> +an enormous book in two volumes, called +“Phantasms of the Living,” which contained +some 702 cases of this character. The possibility +of “chance coincidence” was very carefully +worked out; and it was ascertained that the +number of collected cases was many thousand +times more numerous than chance alone could +be supposed to account for. A “connection” of +some sort was thought to be proved.</p> + +<p>But objections at once began to be heard! “In +order to prove your point you must collect a +greater number of cases than this; you must get +more facts before we can consider your point +proved!”</p> + +<p>So the investigators again set to work, and +carried on a far more extensive investigation, in +several countries, covering a period of several +years. The results were the same. After collecting +some 30,000 cases, and calculating the number +of death-coincidences contained in this number, +it was again proved, and most conclusively, +that the number of coincidences was far more +numerous than could be accounted for by any +theory of chance. Professor Sidgwick’s Committee, +therefore, signed the following joint +statement, at the conclusion of their lengthy Report:</p> + +<p>“<em>Between deaths and apparitions of the dying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +person a connection exists which is not due to +chance alone. This we hold as a proved +fact....</em>”</p> + +<p>These are weighty words. They represent an +important forward step in our investigation of +these involved and complex questions. <em>Something</em> +takes place at death, which serves to unite, +in some sort of spiritual bond, the dying and the +still living relatives or friends. <em>What is</em> this +connection? In what may it be supposed to +consist?</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_EXPLANATION" id="THE_EXPLANATION"></a>THE EXPLANATION</h3> + +<p>For an explanation, we must begin by going +back to experimental thought-transference. We +know that it is possible, under certain conditions, +for one person to affect another, otherwise +than through the regular avenues of the five +senses. This “telepathic” action between mind +and mind is now pretty well known, and operates +more or less throughout life. By means of +this, it is occasionally possible for one person to +impress a scene or a picture upon the mind of +another, so that the other shall see before him, +as it were, in space, a vivid mental picture of the +scene in the other’s mind.</p> + +<p>This being so, it seems plausible to suppose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +that it might be possible to convey the impression +or picture of <em>one’s self</em> to another—since +this may be supposed to be the most precise and +best-known picture we have. Would it not be +possible to think of one’s own appearance so +intensely as to cause a mental representation of +it to appear before another person, distant some +miles away?</p> + +<p>Apparently this <em>has</em> been done, many times. +“Experimental apparitions” of this character +have frequently been <em>induced</em>; accounts of a few +of which will be found in this volume. The picture +is mental, in such a case; it is an imaginative +creation; it is a hallucination,—although +it was caused or created by another, distant +mind. It was, it is true, a hallucination; but as +it was induced by telepathy, we have for such +apparitions the name of “telepathic hallucinations.” +It is this theory of “telepathic hallucinations” +which is invoked to explain many of +these cases of death-coincidences, or apparitions +of the dying.</p> + + +<h3><a name="EXPERIMENTAL_APPARITIONS" id="EXPERIMENTAL_APPARITIONS"></a>EXPERIMENTAL APPARITIONS</h3> + +<p>The following types of “experimental apparitions” +are good examples of the ability to induce +a phantasmal form at a distance by “willing” to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +do so. As to the nature of this figure: there is +as yet no unanimity of opinion—some authorities +preferring to believe that such cases represent +merely an extension of the power of +thought-transference, known to us; others, on +the contrary, contending that such cases prove +the existence and travelling powers of the “astral” +or “spiritual body.” Of this, however, +more later.</p> + +<p>Here is a case of this nature, experienced by +the English investigator, the Rev. William +Stainton Moses, who corroborates the following +account, which is furnished by the agent:—</p> + +<p>“One evening I resolved to appear to Z., at +some miles’ distance. I did not inform him beforehand +of the intended experiment, but retired +to rest shortly before midnight, my thoughts intently +fixed on Z., with whose rooms and surroundings +I was quite unacquainted. I soon fell +asleep, and woke next morning unconscious of +anything having taken place. On seeing Z. a +few days afterwards, I inquired: ‘Did anything +happen at your rooms on Saturday night?’ +‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘a great deal happened. I had +been sitting over the fire with M., smoking and +chatting. About 12:30 he rose to leave, and I +let him out myself. I returned to the fire to finish +my pipe, when I saw you sitting in the chair<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +just vacated by him. I looked intently at you, +and then took up a newspaper to assure myself +that I was not dreaming; but on laying it down +I saw you still there. While I gazed, without +speaking, you faded away.’”</p> + +<p>In the case which follows, the initials only are +used; but the writer of the account was known +to the officers of the S. P. R., who vouched for +the general trustworthiness of the writer:</p> + +<p>“On a certain Sunday evening in November, +1881, having been reading of the great power +which the human will is capable of exercising, I +determined, with the whole force of my being, +that I would be present in spirit in the front +bedroom of the second floor of a house situated +at 22 Hogarth Road, Kensington, in which room +slept two young ladies of my acquaintance,—namely, +Miss L. S. V. and Miss E. C. V., aged +respectively twenty-five and eleven years. I was +living at the time at 23 Kildare Gardens, at a +distance of about three miles from Hogarth +Road, and I had not mentioned in any way my +intention of trying this experiment to either of +the above ladies, for the simple reason that it +was only on retiring to rest upon this Sunday +night that I made up my mind to do so. The +time at which I determined to be there was one +o’clock in the morning; and I had a strong intention<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> +of making my presence perceptible. On +the following Thursday I went to see the ladies +in question, and, in the course of my conversation +(without any allusion to the subject on my +part), the elder one told me that on the previous +Saturday night she had been much terrified by +perceiving me standing by her bedside, and that +she screamed when the apparition advanced towards +her, and awoke her little sister, who also +saw me.</p> + +<p>“I asked her if she was awake at the time, and +she replied most decidedly in the affirmative; +and, upon my inquiring the time of the occurrence, +she replied, ‘About one o’clock in the +morning.’</p> + +<p>“This lady at my request wrote down a statement +of the event, and signed it....”</p> + +<p>Mr. Gurney (one of the authors of <cite>Phantasms +of the Living</cite>) became deeply interested in these +experiments, and requested Mr. B. to notify him +in advance on the next occasion when he proposed +to make his presence known in this +strange manner. Accordingly, March 22d, 1884, +he received the following letter:</p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>“Dear Mr. Gurney:—I am going to try the +experiment to-night of making my presence perceptible +at 44 Morland Square, at 12 P. M. I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> +will let you know the result in a few days. +Yours very sincerely, <span class="rght">“S. H. B.”</span></p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>The next letter, which was written on April +3, contained the following statement, prepared +by the recipient, Miss L. S. Verity:</p> + +<p>“On Saturday night, March 22, 1884, at about +midnight, I had a distinct impression that Mr. +S. H. B. was present in my room, and I distinctly +saw him, being quite awake. He came +toward me and stroked my hair. I voluntarily +gave him this information when he called to see +me on Wednesday, April 2, telling him the time +and the circumstances of the apparition without +any suggestion on his part. The appearance +in my room was most vivid and quite unmistakable.”</p> + +<p>Miss A. S. Verity also furnishes this corroborative +statement:</p> + +<p>“I remember my sister telling me that she had +seen S. H. B. and that he touched her hair, before +he came to see us on April 2.”</p> + +<p>The agent’s statement of the affair is as follows:</p> + +<p>“On Saturday, March 22, I determined to +make my presence perceptible to Miss V. at 44 +Morland Square, Notting Hill, at twelve midnight; +and as I had previously arranged with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +Mr. Gurney that I should post him a letter of +the evening on which I tried my next experiment +(stating the time and other particulars) I sent +him a note to acquaint him with the above facts. +About ten days afterwards I called upon Miss +V., and she voluntarily told me that on March +22, at twelve o’clock, midnight, she had seen me +so vividly in her room (whilst wide awake) +that her nerves had been much shaken, and she +had been obliged to send for a doctor in the +morning.”</p> + +<p>These cases will at least prove the possibility +of such a thing as “experimental apparitions,” +and, explain them as we may, they are, at all +events, most interesting and significant. They +prove the reality of “telepathic phantasms”—of +apparitions produced in another by the power +of mind. This is, at least, the modern conception +of the facts.</p> + + +<h3><a name="TELEPATHIC_HALLUCINATIONS" id="TELEPATHIC_HALLUCINATIONS"></a>TELEPATHIC HALLUCINATIONS</h3> + +<p>How may the theory be said to work? How +can a telepathic impulse from a distant mind +cause a picture to appear in space, as it were, +before the recipient? Here is the last word of +modern science in this direction; here is the +theory which has been advanced to explain puzzling +cases of this character.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> + +<p>When we look at and see an object, the sight-centers +of the brain are roused into activity; +unless they are so aroused, we see nothing, and +whenever they are so aroused, <em>no matter from +what cause</em>, we have the sensation of sight. We +<em>see</em>.</p> + +<p>But we get no further than this; we do not +reason about the thing seen, or analyze; or think +to ourselves, “this is a red apple; I like red apples,” +etc. No, we only see or perceive the object. +All the reasoning <em>about</em> the object takes +place in the higher thought-centres of the brain. +A diagram will, perhaps, help to make all this +clear.</p> + +<div class="figright"> +<img src="images/illo033.jpg" width="141" height="127" alt="Diagram" /> +</div> + +<p>When light-waves coming +from the eye, A, travel along +the optic nerves, and excite +into activity the sight-centers—at +B—we have the sensation +of sight, as before said. +Nerve currents then travel +<em>up</em> the nerves, going from B to C, and in these +higher centers, they are associated and analyzed, +and we then “reflect” upon the thing seen, etc. +This is the normal process of sight.</p> + +<p>Now, if the eye, or the optic nerves, or the +sight-centers themselves become diseased, we +still have the sensation of seeing, though there<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +is no material object there; we have ordinary +hallucinations of all kinds—delirium tremens, +etc. If the sight-centers are stimulated <em>as much</em> +as they would be by the incoming nerve stimuli +from the eye, we have “full-blown hallucinations.”</p> + +<p>Now, it is obvious that one method of stimulating +the sight-centers into activity is for a +nervous current to come <em>downwards</em>, along the +nerves running from C to B. It is probable +that something of this sort takes place when we +experience “memory pictures.” If you shut your +eyes and picture the face of some dear friend, +you will be able to see it before you more or +less clearly. The higher psychical centers of the +brain have excited the sight-centers into a certain +activity; and these have given us the sensation +of dim, inward sight. If the stimulus +were stronger, we should have cases of intense +“visualization”; such as the figures which occur +in the crystal ball, etc.—they being doubtless +produced in this manner.</p> + +<p>Although the “sluice-gates,” so to speak, running +from C to B are, therefore, always open +<em>slightly</em>; they are never open wide; it is not +natural for them to be so. But if, under any +great stress, thought or emotion, the downward +nervous current were as strong as that ordinarily<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +running from A to B; then we should +appear to see as clearly; the object would appear +just as solid and real and outstanding to +us as any other entity. We should experience +a “full-blown hallucination.”</p> + +<p>All this being so, it is almost natural to suppose +that <em>one</em> method by which these psychical +sluice-gates could be more widely opened would +be under the impact of <em>a telepathic impulse</em>. If +we assume that this in some manner arouses +into instantaneous and great activity the higher +psychical centers (C), these would very probably +communicate this impulse to B—downwards, +along the nerve-tracts connecting the two +(or to the hearing centers, when we should experience +an auditory hallucination, and hear our +name spoken, etc.). In this way we could account +for a telepathic hallucination, originating +in this manner; and it is surely to be supposed +that, at the moment of death, some peculiar +quickening of the mental and spiritual life +takes place—the peculiar flashes of memory by +those drowning, etc., seeming to show this.</p> + +<p>So, then, we arrive at a sort of explanation of +many of these cases of apparitions, occurring +at the moment of death; for we have shown +them to be “telepathic hallucinations.” This is +also the correct explanation, doubtless, for many<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +cases in which apparitions of the living have +been seen—in which a phantasm of a living +person has appeared to another, during sleep, or +in hypnotic trance, etc.</p> + +<p>But how about those ghosts which appear +some time after death? They, at least, cannot +be explained by any such theory. What has +been said by way of explanation of these cases?</p> + +<p>It will be remembered that telepathy is the +basis of the explanation thus far. Let us extend +this. We have only to suppose that the +spirit of man survives the shock of death, and +that it can continue to exert its powers and capacities +also. For, if a living mind can influence +the living by telepathy; why not a “dead” one? +Why should not the surviving spirit of man +continue to influence us, by telepathy? If they +could, we should still have cases of telepathic +hallucinations—induced from the mind of a discarnate, +not an incarnate, spirit. The “ghost” +might still be a telepathic hallucination. And +if several persons saw the figure at once, we +should, on this theory, have a case of collective +hallucination—in which one mind affected all +the rest equally and simultaneously.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="GHOSTS_WHICH_MOVE_MATERIAL_OBJECTS" id="GHOSTS_WHICH_MOVE_MATERIAL_OBJECTS"></a>GHOSTS WHICH MOVE MATERIAL OBJECTS</h3> + +<p>Such is the theory—rather far-fetched, it is +true; but certainly the most rational and common-sense +so far advanced to explain many of +the facts. It is probable, however, that this explanation +will not serve to explain <em>all</em> of them. +Thus, in those cases where the apparition moved +a material object, opened a door, etc., such a +theory would have to be abandoned, for the +simple reason that a mental concept, an hallucination, +cannot open doors and move objects! +There must be an outstanding, material entity +to effect this. There must be a real ghost. And +in those cases where the apparition has been +seen by several persons at once, or even photographed, +it seems more reasonable to suppose +that a material, space-occupying body was present +rather than to assume that the various witnesses +or the camera were hallucinated.</p> + +<p>In the following cases, for example, the apparition +performs a definite physical action—snuffs +a candle with its fingers, an action +which a pure hallucination could hardly be supposed +to perform. The account is by the Rev. +D. W. G. Gwynne, M.I., and is printed in <cite>Phantasms +of the Living</cite>, Vol. II., pp. 202-3. After<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> +telling of certain minor phenomena, he proceeds:</p> + +<p>“I now come to the mutual experience of +something that is as fresh in its impression as if +it were the occurrence of yesterday. During the +night I became aware of a draped figure passing +across the foot of the bed towards the fireplace. +I had the impression that the arm was raised, +pointing with the hand towards the mantlepiece, +on which a night-light was burning. Mrs. +Gwynne at this moment seized my arm, and the +light <em>was extinguished</em>. Notwithstanding, I distinctly +saw the figure returning towards the +door, and being under the impression that one +of our servants had found her way into the +room, I leaped out of bed to intercept the intruder, +but found, and saw, nothing....”</p> + +<p>[Mrs. Gwynne confirms the story, adding, “I +distinctly saw the hand of the phantom placed +over the night-light, which was at once extinguished.”]</p> + + +<h3><a name="PHOTOGRAPHS_OF_GHOSTS" id="PHOTOGRAPHS_OF_GHOSTS"></a>PHOTOGRAPHS OF GHOSTS</h3> + +<p>Again, it is claimed that ghosts have sometimes +been photographed, though very rarely. +In a number of cases, attempts have been made +to photograph ghosts seen in haunted-houses;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> +but, though the figures have been seen by all +present, the photographic plate has failed to record +any impression of the phantom. In other +cases, on the contrary, definite impressions <em>have</em> +been obtained; and, though there is doubtless +much fraud among professional mediums, who +claim to produce “spirit photographs,” there are +many cases on record in which no professional +medium was employed, and in which faces were +certainly seen upon the developed plate. Experiments +have also been made in photographing +the body at the moment of death; to see if any +impression could be made upon the plate—by +the soul, in its passage from the body; and, +though many of these have proved negative, Dr. +Baraduc, of Paris, has obtained a number of +photographs which have never been explained. +Again, numerous researches in the region of so-called +“thought photography” have given some +basis for the belief that thought may be, under +certain conditions, photographed—as for example, +in the experiments of Dr. Ochorowicz and +others. It may be said, therefore, that some +progress is being made in this direction by psychic +investigators (particularly by the French +observers, who are far ahead of the rest of the +world in these branches of psychic investigation), +and that, with increased sensitiveness of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> +film and plate, and greater perfection of lens +and camera, it is to be hoped that the time is not +far distant when it will be possible to photograph +the unseen just as we photograph living +persons.</p> + +<p>There are “ghosts,” therefore, which are hallucinations; +and there are ghosts which are genuine +phantasms—the “real article.” It becomes +a question, in each instance, of sifting the evidence; +finding out <em>which they are</em>. Yet, if there +are real, objective, outstanding ghosts, how can +we explain them? In what do they consist? In +short, we are back to our original question: +What are ghosts?</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_DOUBLE_AND_THE_SPIRITUAL_BODY" id="THE_DOUBLE_AND_THE_SPIRITUAL_BODY"></a>THE “DOUBLE,” AND THE SPIRITUAL BODY</h3> + +<p>Before we can answer this question satisfactorily, +we must consider one or two preliminary +questions. First of all, we must speak of the +“double”—the astral or spiritual or ethic body, +which resides in man, as well as his physical +body.<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>St. Paul constantly emphasized the fact that +man has a material body and a “spiritual body.” +This inner body is the exact shape of the physical<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +body—its counterpart, its double. In life, +under ordinary conditions, the two are inseparable; +but at death, the severance takes place and +man continues to live on in this etheric envelope. +This inner body has been studied very +carefully by students of the occult; and a good +deal is now known about it—its comings and +goings, its composition, and the method of its +departure at death. For our present purposes, +however, it is enough to say that such a body +exists, and that it is the vehicle man continues +to use and manipulate, after his death and his +departure from this plane.</p> + +<p>It so happens that, under certain peculiar +conditions, the inner body of man is capable of +being detached or separated from the physical +body. This usually occurs in trance, sleep, hypnotic +and mesmeric states, etc.; or may be performed +“experimentally,” by some who have cultivated +this power in themselves. When this +body goes on such “excursions”—leaving the +physical body practically dead, to all appearances—it +may be seen by those in its immediate +vicinity, just as a material body would be—if +they are sufficiently sensitive or receptive.</p> + +<p>The following interesting case, (recorded in +<cite>Phantasms of the Living</cite>, Vol. I, pp. 225-26) is +a good example of the apparent traveling of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +body to another place, and the perception of that +body by a second person, who happens to be +there. Two individuals, at all events, shared in +the experience, which is otherwise hard to account +for. The case is recorded by the Rev. P. H. +Newnham, and is as follows:</p> + +<p>“In March, 1854, I was up at Oxford, keeping +my last term, in lodgings. I was subject to violent +neuralgic headaches, which always culminated +in sleep. One evening, about 8 p.m., I had +an unusually violent one; when it became unendurable, +about 9 p.m., I went into my bedroom, +and flung myself, without undressing, on +the bed, and soon fell asleep.</p> + +<p>“I then had a singularly clear and vivid +dream, all the incidents of which are as clear in +my memory as ever. I dreamed that I was +stopping with the family of a lady who subsequently +became my wife. All the younger ones +had gone to bed, and I stopped chatting to the +father and mother, standing up by the fireplace. +Presently I bade them good-night, took my candle, +and went off to bed. On arriving in the +hall, I perceived that my fiancee had been detained +downstairs, and was only then near the +top of the staircase. I rushed upstairs, overtook +her on the top step, and passed my two +arms around her waist, under her arms, from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +behind. Although I was carrying my candle in +the left hand, when I ran upstairs, this did not, +in my dream, interfere with this gesture.</p> + +<p>“On this I woke, and the clock in the house +struck ten almost immediately afterwards.</p> + +<p>“So strong was the impression of the dream +that I wrote a detailed account of it the next +morning to my fiancee.</p> + +<p>“<em>Crossing</em> my letter, <em>not</em> in answer to it, I received +a letter from the lady in question: ‘Were +you thinking about me very specially last night, +just about ten o’clock? For, as I was going upstairs +to bed, I distinctly heard your footsteps +on the stairs, and felt you put your arms round +my waist.’”</p> + +<p>[Mrs. Newnham wrote a confirmation of this +account, which was also published.]</p> + + +<h3><a name="WHAT_HAPPENS_AT_THE_MOMENT_OF_DEATH" id="WHAT_HAPPENS_AT_THE_MOMENT_OF_DEATH"></a>WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH</h3> + +<p>In all these cases, of course, the psychic body +of the subject returns and re-animates the physical +body; for if it did not do so, death would +take place. When death does actually take +place, this is what occurs; and psychics and +clairvoyants assert that they are able to see and +follow this process perfectly; and many of them +have described exactly what takes place at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +moment of death. The following description, +for example, given by Andrew Jackson Davis, is +taken from his <cite>Death, and the After Life</cite>, pp. +15-16, and is as follows:</p> + +<p>“Suppose the person is now dying. It is to +be a rapid death. The feet first grow cold. The +clairvoyant sees over the head what may be +called a magnetic halo—an etherial emanation, +in appearance golden, and throbbing as though +conscious. The body is now cold up to the knees +and elbows, and the emanation has ascended +higher in the air. The legs are cold to the hips +and the arms to the shoulders; and the emanation, +though it has not risen higher in the room, +is more expanded. The death-coldness steals +over the breast and round on either side, and the +emanation has attained a higher position nearer +the ceiling. The person has ceased to breathe, +the pulse is still, and the emanation is elongated +and fashioned in the outline of a human form. +Beneath, it is connected with the brain. The +head of the person is internally throbbing—a +slow, deep throb—not painful but like the beat +of the sea. Hence the thinking faculties are +rational, while nearly every part of the person is +dead. Owing to the brain’s momentum, I have +seen a dying person, even at the last feeble pulsebeat, +rouse impulsively and rise up in bed to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> +converse with a friend, but the next instant he +was gone—his brain being the last to yield up +the life principle.</p> + +<p>“The golden emanation, which extends up +midway to the ceiling, is connected to the brain +by a very fine life-thread. Now the body of the +emanation ascends. Then appears something +white and shining, like a human head; next, in +a very few moments, a faint outline of the face +divine, then the fair neck and beautiful shoulders; +then, in rapid succession, come all parts of +the new body down to the feet—a bright, shining +image, a little smaller than its physical body, but +a perfect prototype or reproduction in all except +its disfigurements. The fine life-thread continues +attached to the old brain. The next thing is +the withdrawal of the electric principle. When +this thread snaps the spiritual body is free, and +prepared to accompany its guardians to the +Summer-Land. Yes, there is a spiritual body; it +is sown in dishonor and raised in brightness.”</p> + +<p>It is doubtless this spiritual body which is the +true cause of many apparitions—of many ghost +stories. It is this body which is seen by the seer +or percipient in many a ghost story; it is this +body which moves objects and touches the individual +who sees the ghost. This body is detached +at death, as we have seen, and afterwards<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> +is free to rove at its own free will. Apparitions +of the dead might thus be accounted for; while +all those cases of apparitions of the dying which +are with difficulty explained as due to pure telepathy +might also thus find their explanation. +The spiritual body, freed at that moment, would +manifest its presence to the distant percipient as +it did after death. So far so good, but how +about apparitions of the living? How explain +those cases in which the apparition of a living +person has been seen, when the spiritual body +is supposedly safely attached to the physical +body?</p> + +<p>Many of them are doubtless cases of telepathy; +but in those cases which seem to demand +the presence of a body of some sort, we may suppose +that the spiritual body may become detached, +at times, under certain peculiar conditions, +from the material body which it inhabits +and animates, and can then manifest independently +at a distance. The following cases are illustrative, +apparently, of this fact; showing us +that the “etheric body” can manifest on occasion +at will at a distance from the physical +body.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="HOW_THE_SOUL_MAY_LEAVE_THE_BODY" id="HOW_THE_SOUL_MAY_LEAVE_THE_BODY"></a>HOW THE SOUL MAY LEAVE THE BODY</h3> + +<p>“... I put out the light and returned, but +no sooner had I done this than ... I could +feel a creeping sensation moving up my legs. I +got up and lit the gas and went back to bed; +with pillows arranged in such a way as to make +me comfortable. In a comparatively short time, +all circulation ceased in my legs, and they were +as cold as those of the dead. The creeping sensation +began in the lower part of the body, and +that also became cold.... There was no sensation +of pain or even of physical discomfort. I +would pinch my legs with my thumb and finger, +and there was no feeling or no indication of +blood whatever. I might as well have pinched a +piece of rubber so far as the sensation produced +was concerned. As the movement continued upward, +all at once there came a flashing of lights +in my eyes and a ringing in my ears, and it +seemed for an instant as though I had become +unconscious. When I came out of this state, I +seemed to be walking in the air. No words can +describe the exhilaration and freedom that I experienced. +At no time in my life had my mind +been so clear and so free. Just then I thought +of a friend who was more than a thousand miles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +distant. Then I seemed to be traveling with +great rapidity through the atmosphere about me. +Everything was light and yet it was not the light +of the day or the sun, but, I might say, a peculiar +light of its own, such as I have never +known. It could not have been a minute after +that I thought of my friends, before I was conscious +of standing in a room where the gas-jets +were turned up, and my friend was standing +with his back toward me, but, suddenly turning +and seeing me, said: ‘What in the world are +you doing here? I thought you were in Florida’—and +he started to come toward me. While I +heard the words distinctly, I was unable to answer. +An instant later I was gone; and the +consciousness of the memorable things that +transpired that memorable night has never been +forgotten. I seemed to leave the earth, and +everything pertaining to it, and enter a condition +of life of which it is absolutely impossible +to give here any thought I had concerning it, +because there was no correspondence to anything +I had ever seen or heard or known of in +any way. The wonder and the joy of it was unspeakable; +and I can readily understand now +what Paul meant when he said ‘I knew a man, +whether in the body or out of it I know not, +who was caught up to the third heaven, and saw<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +things which it is not possible (lawful) to utter.’</p> + +<p>“In this latter experience there was neither +consciousness of time nor of space; in fact, it +can be described more as a consciousness of elastic +feeling than anything else. It came to me +after a time that I could <em>stay</em> there if I so desired, +but with that thought came also the consciousness +of the friends on earth and the duties +there required of me. The desire to stay was +intense, but in my mind I clearly reasoned over +it—whether I should gratify my desire or return +to my work on earth. Four times my +thought and reason told me that my duties required +me to return, but I was so dissatisfied +with each conclusion that I finally said: ‘Now +I will think and reason this matter out once +more, and whatever conclusion I reach I will +abide by.’ I reached the same conclusion, and +had not much more than reached it when I became +conscious of being in a room and looking +down on a body propped up in bed, which I recognized +as my own! I cannot tell what strange +feelings came over me. This body, to all intents +and purposes, looked to be dead. There +was no indication of life about it, and yet here +I was apart from the body, with my mind perfectly +clear and alert, and the consciousness of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> +another body to which matter of any kind offered +no resistance.</p> + +<p>“After what might have been a minute or +two, looking at the body, I began to try and +control it, and in a very short time all sense of +separation from the physical body ceased, and I +was only conscious of a directed effort toward +its use. After what seemed to be quite a long +time, I was able to move, got up from the bed, +dressed myself, and went down to breakfast....</p> + +<p>“I may add that the friend referred to as having +been seen by me that night was also distinctly +conscious of my presence and made the +exclamation mentioned. We both wrote the +next day, relating the experience of the night, +and the letters corroborating the incident +crossed in the post.”</p> + +<p>Such strange doings certainly tend to prove +that the human spirit can leave its body and +rove abroad, at times; and if this is the case, it +shows us that our body is far more detachable +than we usually suppose; and hence that it can +probably continue to exist after the death of +the physical body, when it is detached altogether. +Once this is proved, all objection to +the reality and existence of “objective” ghosts +will have been done away with.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="THEORIES_OF_HAUNTED_HOUSES" id="THEORIES_OF_HAUNTED_HOUSES"></a>THEORIES OF HAUNTED HOUSES</h3> + +<p>If we grant that certain houses may be +“haunted,” in the sense that they may be the +centers of influences and forces as yet unseen +and unknown, the question is: How explain +such cases? What hypotheses can we advance +to explain cases of haunted houses, which will +recognize the reality of the phantom witnessed +therein, and attempt to explain them as rationally +as possible? Four main theories have been +advanced by way of explanation, which I shall +briefly outline.</p> + +<p>(1). There is the theory that the figures seen +in houses of this nature are genuine, outstanding +entities—real beings, which are just as real, +though less solid and tangible, as any of the +living inhabitants of the house. This is, of +course, the popular conception of the ghosts seen +in haunted houses, and it must be admitted that +such a theory covers and explains the facts more +completely and fully than any other. There +are also many facts telling in its favor. For +instance, when two persons see a figure from +different angles or viewpoints; and one describes +it in profile, while the other describes it as presenting +a full face likeness; and if this is the +angle in each case from which a real figure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +would naturally be seen, this surely seems to +indicate that a solid form of some sort was +present.</p> + +<p>Again, when three or four or more people see +a figure at the same time, it is surely a strain +upon our credulity to believe that a number of +persons were similarly “hallucinated” at precisely +the same time and in the same manner; +and easier to believe that they all saw a figure +at the same time, though in differing degrees of +vividness and detail.</p> + +<p>Thirdly, we have the evidence from photography. +In some instances, these figures have been +photographed; and though there is doubtless +much fraud in this connection, there is evidence +that, in certain cases, genuine photographs of +this nature have been taken. This is discussed +elsewhere in this volume, however.</p> + +<p>Fourthly, we have the behavior of animals, in +haunted houses. They often appear to see figures +visible or invisible to others present at the +time—bark at them, rub against them, stare at +them, act as though terrified at what they see, +etc. This will be noticed in many of the stories; +and can be explained only with difficulty if we +are to believe that the figures seen are merely +hallucinations.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_GHOSTS_OF_ANIMALS_ETC" id="THE_GHOSTS_OF_ANIMALS_ETC"></a>THE GHOSTS OF ANIMALS, ETC.</h3> + +<p>I have elsewhere spoken of the apparent ability +of animals to see phantasmal forms and figures. +The reverse of this is also true. Ghosts +of animals have been seen—spectral dogs, cats, +horses as well as human beings. These apparitions +are very perplexing, and raise the question +of the immortality of animals—a very vexed +question, which has given rise to much discussion. +Mr. H. Rider Haggard records the case +of his own dog, whose apparition he saw at the +very moment that the dog was killed by an express +train some miles away. Did the animal +succeed in affecting his master by telepathy? If +not, why the coincidence? I myself have recorded +a case in which a (real) cat spat at a +phantom dog, seen independently by a clairvoyant, +who had described it a few moments before +to a group of spectators. Such cases are very +interesting. They tend to prove that dogs, cats, +horses and other animals also survive death—a +conclusion which is certainly the most humane +and logical to many minds.</p> + +<p>In addition to these animal apparitions, there +are also grotesque, horrible, monstrous and undefinable +ghosts. One or two cases of this character +are described in this book. Sometimes the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +“seer” sees something awful, but cannot describe +in words what it is. Many of the phantoms +of the imaginative type are of this character. +Again, there are grave-yard ghosts; banshees, +gnomes, elementals, pixies, fairies, brownies, +nature-spirits, hobgoblins, sylphs, salamanders, +dragons, vampires, wraiths, corpse-candles, +and many other awful beings which have been +described from time to time in the past. We +need not consider these in a book of this character, +however. But, to return to our argument +for the objective reality of “ghosts.”</p> + +<p>Fifthly, we have those cases in which the apparition +has produced a physical effect in the +material world—snuffed a light, opened a door, +pulled back the bed-curtains, etc. A hallucinatory +figure could not do this. It has been suggested +that all this is only a part of the hallucination, +but when the thing is found to have been +moved in reality, we must explain this somehow; +for otherwise how did it change its place?</p> + +<p>Sixthly, we have cases in which the same apparition +has been seen by several separate and +independent persons in the same room or house, +and afterwards they have recognized the features +of this person in a photograph shown them—the +photograph of the person supposed to haunt +that particular house. If we were to believe<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +that a simple hallucination caused the figure, +how account for this identification? Surely the +theory is far-fetched!</p> + +<p>For all these reasons, therefore, and others it +would be possible to mention, there is much to +be said in favor of this theory of haunted houses; +the theory which says that the figures seen are +real, semi-material entities.</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_CLOTHES_OF_GHOSTS" id="THE_CLOTHES_OF_GHOSTS"></a>THE CLOTHES OF GHOSTS</h3> + +<p>(2). The second view, opposed to that mentioned +above, is this: Someone living in a house +has experienced a hallucination, and then seen +the same thing over and over again, by reason of +auto-suggestion; or, if he moves away, and another +tenant takes the house in turn, the +thoughts of this second tenant are influenced, +through thought-transference, by the first tenant, +who broods and thinks over his experiences +in the “haunted house,” wonders whether the +people now living in it are experiencing phenomena, +etc. In this way, the minds of those living +in the house are constantly influenced by +thought-transference by living minds; and hallucinatory +figures are produced in them, just as +the picture of a playing card is induced in experimental +thought-transference.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> + +<p>There are two things to be said in favor of +such a theory. In the first place, we have the +analogy which telepathic experiments give us, +in which certain visual images are undoubtedly +transmitted from one mind to another; and it +is natural to assume that an extension of this +same process might account for many of the +phantasmal forms seen in haunted houses, as +explained elsewhere.</p> + +<p>In the second place, we immediately surmount +the difficulty presented by the ghost’s <em>clothes</em>. +This is a stumbling-block to many investigators. +However much we might believe that an etheric +or astral or spiritual body might continue to +persist after death, it is hard to believe that the +clothes of the person who died also had “spiritual +counterparts,” and returned with him, to +visit the earth and the scenes of former joys and +miseries! We seldom read of a ghost without +clothes; nude ghosts are not the fashion! Yet +if we cannot believe this, how are we to explain +this difficulty—and the fact that ghosts wear +ghostly garments?</p> + +<p>If the ghost were a hallucination, we could +understand all this easily enough. The clothes +were imaginary, just as the figure was; they +formed part of the mental image, just like the +figures seen in dreams, etc. This, therefore, is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> +one very strong point in favor of this hypothesis; +but if the ghost is a real, outstanding entity, +how account for his clothes?</p> + +<p>Several tentative explanations have been +forthcoming. In the first place, it has been suggested +that all ghosts are in reality partial “materializations” +and that it is possible for a spirit +to materialize and form drapery as well as solid +flesh and bone. Both are a sort of condensation +of matter, in varying degrees.</p> + +<p>Again, it has been suggested that a spirit has +the power to create objects by the power of will; +by merely thinking and willing to do so. In this +way, man would be a real creator, in a miniature +scale, and certain analogies could be found +for this in the material world. The returning +spirit would desire to return clothed; and this +very desire would create the fitting garb. Other +theories have been advanced, but the above are +the simplest and most intelligible, and are all +we need consider at present.</p> + +<p>All these difficulties, however, tell against the +substantiality of ghosts; and in favor of this second +theory of haunted houses.</p> + + +<h3><a name="TELEPATHY_FROM_THE_DEAD" id="TELEPATHY_FROM_THE_DEAD"></a>TELEPATHY FROM THE DEAD</h3> + +<p>(3). The third theory which has been advanced, +is an extension of the second. Thought-transference<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> +is still the agency invoked to explain +the facts—but from the minds of dead, +and not living persons. That is, assuming telepathy +to be true, and possible between living +minds; and assuming that individual consciousness +survives the change called death; we can +readily imagine that those who have “passed +over” might affect and influence the living by +thought-transference also, just as they did in +life. On this theory, therefore, the ghost would +still represent a hallucination; a mental or imaginary +figure, and it would still be induced by +telepathy from a distant mind; but that mind +would be that of a so-called dead person. After +death, we might suppose, this person would be +thinking or dreaming over the past events; the +scenes of his joys and sorrows; and these dreams +would tend to influence the minds of those still +living, and cause them to see the figures seen. +The figures, on this theory, would be hallucinatory, +but they would have a real, objective basis +and starting-point for all that; and, as such, +would represent the continued existence and activity +on the part of the dead.</p> + +<p>Against this ingenious theory may be urged +all those arguments which have been cited in +favor of the materiality of apparitions.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_PSYCHIC_ATMOSPHERE" id="THE_PSYCHIC_ATMOSPHERE"></a>THE PSYCHIC ATMOSPHERE</h3> + +<p>(4). A fourth theory is that which says that +some <em>subtle psychic atmosphere</em> is present in +certain houses; and that this “atmosphere” affects +and influences all who live within them, +just as their physical atmosphere would, only in +a different manner and degree. Everyone has +doubtless experienced this atmosphere in certain +houses, if they are at all sensitive. They +either “like” a house or “dislike” it—for no apparent +reason. Some houses rest and refresh +you; others irritate you, etc. This theory contends +that every living human being is constantly +giving off a peculiar vital emanation or +aura or effluence; and that this charges-up or +impregnates the material objects in his immediate +neighborhood, which soak it up like a +sponge, and retain it after being removed from +its presence. It is because of this fact that articles +presented to trance mediums often recall +the person to whom they belonged; it is because +of this that “psychometry” is possible—that is, +the ability of some persons to give the past history +of an object by merely handling it; and it +is because of this that certain houses become so +charged with this magnetic aura, or whatever it +may be, that they remain “charged” for some<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +time; and, in discharging, create psychic disturbances +and impressions which are seen or experienced +as phantasmal appearances.</p> + +<p>The chief objection to this theory is that it is +difficult to see how this general and impersonal +“charging” process can create definite and clear-cut +forms, possessing all the appearances of +reality. Doubtless each theory contains much +truth; and haunted houses represent, in many +cases, a combination of <em>all</em> these causes, working +together and combining into one complex and +unfortunately ill-understood whole. It is the +duty of the future to disentangle this maze, as +best it can; and explain the various factors +which go to make up a haunted house of this +character.</p> + + +<h3><a name="FORMS_CREATED_BY_WILL" id="FORMS_CREATED_BY_WILL"></a>FORMS CREATED BY WILL</h3> + +<p>(5). Besides these theories, another might be +suggested, which has never so far been advanced, +so far as I am aware. It is that the +phantasmal forms seen in haunted houses are +real substantial <em>creations</em>, manufactured by the +thoughts or will of the discarnate spirit, who +fashions it out of “such stuff as dreams are +made of.” It has been said that “thoughts are +things,” and many believe that this is literally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +true. Certain it is that a limited number of peculiarly +constructed persons can produce phenomena +which seem to be solid creations of the +will. So, if thought could ever be proved to +be really creative; if it could not only <em>formulate</em> +but <em>objectify</em> and <em>project into space</em> images and +forms, we should have here a rational explanation +of many ghosts, as well as of their behavior. +And just here a few words as to this latter may +not be out of place.</p> + +<p>It has often been objected that ghosts cannot +be realities; they cannot be real spirits, for +the reason that they act in such a senseless +manner. They seldom speak or reply, when +spoken to. They seldom have any definite purpose. +In short, they betray no intelligence. +This being so, they must be hallucinations and +not the realities they claim to be!</p> + +<p>The answer to this objection is found in the +following consideration. Even granting all this +to be true, many believing in ghosts do not for +an instant contend that such ghosts represent +the actual person the figure symbolises. It is a +mere projection; a shell; a form created by the +discarnate spirit, a resemblance, a phantasm. +The central consciousness which animated and +still animates that person is not <em>in</em> the ghostly +form, but elsewhere. The phantasm represents,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> +merely, a sort of impersonal wraith, and, as +such, cannot be expected to possess intelligence +or human characteristics. None are present +within it. It is a very different thing from the +real person it represents. The insipid and unintelligent +behavior of ghosts, therefore, is only +what we should expect. This fact is no argument +against their reality, when rightly understood +and interpreted.</p> + + +<h3><a name="PHYSICAL_MANIFESTATIONS" id="PHYSICAL_MANIFESTATIONS"></a>PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS</h3> + +<p>In addition to haunted houses of this type, +there are others, which must be referred to very +briefly. Thus, in some cases, no figures have +been seen, but remarkable sounds have been +heard—sounds which have never been accounted +for. Bangs, knocks, monotonous reading aloud, +whispering, footsteps, etc., are some of the noises +and sounds which have been heard in this way, +and their origin often remains a mystery. It +would take too long to discuss the various explanatory +theories which have been advanced by +psychic students to account for these sounds.</p> + +<p>In other types of haunted houses, physical +manifestations take place, though nothing unusual +is either seen or heard. Thus, in one case +recorded by Lombroso (<cite>After Death: What?</cite>)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +numbers of bottles were broken one after the +other, for no apparent cause, when he was actually +looking at them. In still other cases, furniture +has been upset, crockery broken, doorbells +rung, etc., by no visible agency. John Wesley +was persecuted in this manner for several +years; and the reason was never discovered. +Such cases are technically known as “poltergeists,” +and may be found in abundance in the +“history of the supernatural.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="CAN_HAUNTED_HOUSES_BE_CURED" id="CAN_HAUNTED_HOUSES_BE_CURED"></a>CAN HAUNTED HOUSES BE “CURED”?</h3> + +<p>One question of considerable interest remains. +It is this: Can so-called Haunted +Houses be <em>cured</em>? Many of those who live in +houses of this character would like to have these +influences removed; but are unable to rid themselves +of them. Can this be done?</p> + +<p>In some cases, this has doubtless been accomplished; +while in others it has failed. We know +too little as yet to lay down any arbitrary laws +or rules which may be followed with safety in +cases of this character. Sometimes one method +succeeds, while another fails. I have known of +cases where “exorcism” worked a complete cure; +of others in which it failed miserably. I have +known of cases in which suggestion, rightly applied,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +rid the house of its ghost; in other instances, +no result was produced by similar methods! +In a few instances mediums and psychics +have been able to assist; in others their presence +only seemed to make matters worse. We +can but experiment and learn. Those who may +be more interested in this aspect of the question +will find it treated in Chapter <abbr title="15">XV.</abbr> of my book +“<cite>The Coming Science</cite>,” which is devoted to +“Haunted Houses and their Cure.”</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> See Appendix <a href="#APPENDIX_A">A</a>.</p> +</div></div> + +<div class="footnotes"><div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Theosophists distinguish between all these various bodies; +psychic students strive, for the most part, only to +prove the objective existence of any one of them.</p> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2> + + +<h3><a name="PHANTASMS_OF_THE_DEAD_I" id="PHANTASMS_OF_THE_DEAD_I"></a>PHANTASMS OF THE DEAD—I.</h3> + +<p>In the following Chapter, I shall give a number +of cases in which “Ghosts,” or “Phantasms +of the Dead,” as they are called, have appeared +to one or more persons at one time; sometimes +telling them something they did not know; +sometimes moving material objects in the room; +sometimes pulling the bed-clothes off, etc. +Nearly all these cases are well authenticated, +and have been narrated at first-hand. Many of +them have the corroborative testimony of several +other persons, who also saw the phantasmal +figure, or in some way shared in the experience. +I shall begin with—</p> + + +<h3><a name="A_RUSSIAN_GHOST" id="A_RUSSIAN_GHOST"></a>A RUSSIAN GHOST</h3> + +<p>The following story is vouched for by Mr. W. D. +Addison, of Riga, and sent by him to Mr. W. T. +Stead, who published it in <cite>Borderland</cite>:</p> + +<p>“It was in February, 1884, that the incidents +I am about to relate occurred to me, and the +story is well-known to my immediate friends.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Five weeks previously my wife had presented +me with our first baby, and our house being a +small one, I had to sleep on a bed made up in +the drawing room—a spacious but cozy apartment, +and the last place in which one would expect +ghosts to select for their wanderings.</p> + +<p>“On the night in question I retired to my +couch soon after ten, and fell asleep almost the +moment I was between the sheets.</p> + +<p>“Instead of sleeping as, I am thankful to say, +is my habit, straight through till morning, I +woke up after a short dreamless sleep with the +dim consciousness upon me that some one had +called me by name. I was just turning the idea +over in my mind when all doubts were solved by +my hearing my name pronounced in a faint +whisper, ‘Willy.’ Now the nurse who was in +attendance on the baby, and who slept in the +dressing room adjoining our bedroom, had been +ill for the past few days, and on the previous +evening my wife had come and asked me to assist +her with the baby. As soon, therefore, as +I heard this whisper, I turned round thinking, +‘Ah, it is the baby again.’</p> + +<p>“The room had three windows in it, the night +was moonless but starlit; there was snow on the +ground, and therefore, ‘snowlight,’ and the +blinds being up the room was by no means dark.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + +<p>“The first thing I noticed on turning round was +the figure of a woman close to the foot of the +bed, and whom (following the bent of my +thoughts) I supposed to be my wife. ‘What is +up?’ I asked, but the figure remained silent and +motionless, and my eyes being more accustomed +to the dimness, I noticed that it had a gray looking +shawl over its head and shoulders, and that +it was too short in stature to be my wife. I +gazed at it silently, wondering who it could be; +apparitions and ghosts were far from my +thoughts, and the mistiness of the outlines of +this silent figure did not strike me at the moment +as it did afterwards.</p> + +<p>“I again addressed it, this time in the language +of the country, ‘What do you want?’ +Again no answer. And now it occurred to me +that our servant girl sometimes walked in her +sleep, and that this was she. Behind the head +of my bed stood a small table, and I reached +round for the match-box which was on it, never +removing my eyes from the supposed somnambulist. +The match-box was now in my hands, +but just as I was taking out a match, the figure, +to my astonishment, seemed to rise up from the +floor, and move backwards toward the end window; +at the same time it faded rapidly and became +blurred with the gray light streaming in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> +at the window, and ’ere I could strike the match +it was gone. I lit the candle, jumped out of bed +and ran to the door: it was fastened! To the +left of the drawing room there was a boudoir, +separated only by a curtain, this room was +empty too, and the door likewise fastened.</p> + +<p>“I rubbed my eyes. I was puzzled. It struck +me now for the first time that the figure was +hazy looking, also that my wife was the only +person who called me ‘Willy,’ and certainly the +only person who could give the word its English +pronunciation. I first searched both drawing +room and boudoir, and then, opening the +door, stepped into the passage, and went to my +wife’s door and listened. The baby was crying +and my wife was up, so I knocked and was admitted. +Knowing her to be strong minded and +not nervous, I quietly related my experience. +She expressed astonishment, and asked if I was +not afraid to return to my bed in the drawing +room. However, I was not, and after chatting +for a few moments went back to my quarters, +fastened the door, and getting into bed, thought +the whole matter over very quietly. I could +think of no explanation of the occurrence, and, +feeling sleepy, blew out the light and was soon +sound asleep again.</p> + +<p>“After a short but sound and dreamless slumber,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +I was again awakened, this time with my +face towards the middle window; and there, +close up against it, was the figure again, and +owing to its propinquity to the light, it appeared +to be a very dark object.</p> + +<p>“I at once reached out for the matches, but +in doing so upset the table, and down it went +with my candlestick, my watch, keys, etc., making +a terrific crash. As before, I had kept my +eyes fixed on the figure, and I now observed +that, whatever it was, it was advancing straight +towards me, and in another moment retreat to +the door would be cut off. It was not a comfortable +idea to cope with the unknown in the +dark, and in an instant I had seized the bed-clothes, +and grasping a corner of them in each +hand, and holding them up before me, I charged +straight at the figure. (I suppose I thought +that, by smothering the head of my supposed assailant, +I could best repel the coming attack.)</p> + +<p>“The next moment I had landed on my knees +on a sofa by the window with my arms on the +window-sill, and with the consciousness that ‘it’ +was now behind me—I having passed through it. +With a bound I faced round, and was immediately +immersed in a darkness impalpable to +the touch, but so dense that it seemed to be +weighing me down and squeezing me from all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +sides. I could not stir; the bed-clothes which I +had seized as described hung over my left arm, +the other was free, but seemed pressed down by +a benumbing weight. I essayed to cry for help, +but realized for the first time in my life what it +means for the ‘tongue to cleave to the roof of the +mouth’; my tongue seemed to have become dry +and to have swelled to a thickness of some +inches; it stuck to the roof of my mouth, and I +could not ejaculate a syllable. At last, after an +appalling struggle, I succeeded in uttering, and +I know that disjointed words, half prayer, half +execrations of fear, left my lips, then my mind +seemed to make one frantic effort, there seemed +to come a wrench like an electric shock and my +limbs were free; it was as tho’ I tore myself out +of something. In a few seconds I had reached +and opened the door and was in the passage, +listening to the hammerings of my heart-beats. +All fear was gone from me, but I felt as though +I had run miles for my life and that another +ten yards of it would have killed me.</p> + +<p>“I again went to the door of my wife’s room, +and, hearing that she was up with the baby, I +knocked and she opened. She is a witness to +the state I was in: the drops rolling down my +face, my hair was damp, and the beatings of +my heart were audible some paces off. I can<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +offer no explanations of what I saw, but as soon +as my story became known, the people who had +occupied the house previously told me that they +had once put a visitor in that same drawing +room, who had declared the room to be haunted +and had refused to stay in it....”</p> + + +<h3><a name="GRASPED_BY_A_SPIRIT_HAND" id="GRASPED_BY_A_SPIRIT_HAND"></a>GRASPED BY A SPIRIT HAND</h3> + +<p>The following account is vouched for by Major +C. G. MacGregor, Ireland, who writes as follows:</p> + +<p>“In the end of the year 1871 I went over +from Scotland to pay a short visit to a relative +living in a square on the north side of Dublin.</p> + +<p>“In January, 1872, the husband of my relative, +then in his eighty-fourth year, was seized +with paralysis, and, having no trained nurse, +the footman and I sat up with him for sixteen +nights during his recovery. On the seventeenth +night, at about 11:30 p.m., I said to the footman: +‘The master seems so well, and sleeping +soundly, I shall go to bed; and if he awakes +worse, or you require me, call me.’ I then retired +to my room, which was over the one occupied +by the invalid.</p> + +<p>“I went to bed and was soon asleep, when +some time afterwards I was awakened by a +slight push on the left shoulder. I was at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +time lying on my right side facing the door +(which was on the right side of my bed, and the +fireplace on the left). I started up and said: +‘Edward, is there anything wrong?’ I received +no answer, but immediately received another +push. I got annoyed and said, ‘Can you not +speak, man, and tell me if anything is wrong?’ +Still no answer; and I had a feeling that I was +going to get another push when I suddenly +turned around and caught (what I then +thought) a human hand, warm, soft and plump. +I said: ‘Who are you?’ but I got no answer. I +then tried to pull the person towards me, to endeavor +to find out who it was, but although I +am nearly thirteen stone, I could not move +whoever it was, but felt that I myself was likely +to be drawn from the bed. I then said, ‘I will +know who you are,’ and having the hand tight in +my hand, with my left I felt the wrist and arm—enclosed, +as it seemed to me, in a tight sleeve +of some winter material with a linen cuff; but +when I got to the elbow all trace of the arm +ceased! I was so astonished that I let the hand +go, and just then the house clock struck 2 a.m. +I then thought no one could possibly get to the +door without my catching them; but lo! the door +was fast shut as when I came to bed, and another +thought struck me—the fact that, when I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> +pulled the hand, I heard no one breathing, +though I myself was ‘puffed’ from the strength +I used!</p> + +<p>“Including the mistress of the house, there +were in all five females, and I am assured that +the hand belonged to no one of them. When I +related the adventure, the servants exclaimed, +‘Oh, it must be the master’s old aunt Betty,’—an +old lady who had lived for many years in the +upper part of the house, occupying two rooms, +and had died over fifty years ago, at a great +age. I afterwards learned that the <em>room</em> in +which I felt the hand had been considered +‘haunted,’ and many curious noises and peculiar +incidents had occurred there, such as the bed-clothes +being torn off. One lady got a slap in +the face from some invisible hand, and, when she +lighted her candle, she saw something opaque +fall, or jump off the bed. A general officer, a +brother of the lady, slept there two nights, but +preferred going to an hotel rather than remaining +a third! He never would say what he heard +or saw, but always asserted the room was ‘uncanny.’ +I slept for months in that room afterwards +and was never in the least disturbed. I +never knew what nervousness was in my life, +and only regret that my astonishment caused me +to let go the hand before finding out the purpose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +of the visit. Whether it was meant for a warning +or not, I may add that the old gentleman +lived three years and six months afterwards....”</p> + + +<h3><a name="I_AM_SHOT" id="I_AM_SHOT"></a>“I AM SHOT!”</h3> + +<p>The next case is well authenticated, and appeared +in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of the Society for +Psychical Research (S. P. R.):</p> + +<p>After some preliminary remarks, the writer +proceeds:</p> + +<p>“I awoke and saw standing by my bed, between +me and the chest of drawers, a figure, +which, in spite of the unwonted dress—unwonted, +at least, to me—and of a full, black +beard, I at once recognized as that of my old +brother officer. He had on the usual khaki coat, +worn by the officers on service in eastern climates.... +His face was pale, but his bright +black eyes shone as keenly as when, a year and +a half before, they had looked upon me as he +stood with one foot on the hansom, bidding me +<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">adieu</i>.</p> + +<p>“Fully impressed for the moment that we +were stationed together in Ireland or somewhere, +and thinking I was in my barrack-room, +I said, ‘Hello, P., am I late for parade?’ P. +looked at me steadily, and replied, ‘I’m shot!’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p> + +<p>“‘Shot!’ I exclaimed, ‘Good God, how and +where?’</p> + +<p>“‘Through the lungs,’ replied P.; and as he +spoke his right hand moved slowly up to his +breast, until the fingers rested over the right +lung.</p> + +<p>“‘What were you doing?’ I asked.</p> + +<p>“‘The General sent me forward,’ he answered; +and the right hand left the breast to move +slowly to the front, pointing over my head to +the window, and at the same moment the figure +melted away. I rubbed my eyes, to make sure +I was not dreaming, and sprang out of bed. It +was then 4.10 a.m. by the clock on my mantelpiece.</p> + +<p>“Two days later news was received that he +had been killed at Lang’s Neck between 11 and +12 o’clock on the night in question.”</p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>The following is a nautical story:</p> + + +<h3><a name="HEAVE_THE_LEAD" id="HEAVE_THE_LEAD"></a>HEAVE THE LEAD!</h3> + +<p>In the year 1664, Captain Thomas Rogers, +commander of a ship called the <i id="shipname">Society</i>, was +bound on a voyage from London to Virginia. +The vessel being sent light to Virginia, for a +loading of tobacco, carried little freight in her +outward hold.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p>“One day when they made an observation, the +mates and officers brought their books and cast +up their reckonings with the captain, to see +how near they were to the coast of America. +They all agreed that they were a <em>hundred +leagues</em> from the capes of Virginia. Upon these +customary reckonings, and heaving the lead, and +finding no ground at a hundred fathoms, they +set the watch, and the captain turned in.</p> + +<p>“The weather was fine; a moderate gale of +wind blew from the coast; so that the ship +might have run about twelve or thirteen leagues +in the night, after the captain was in his cabin.</p> + +<p>“He fell asleep, and slept very soundly for +about three hours, when he woke again, and lay +still till he heard his second mate turn out and +relieve the watch. He then called his first mate, +as he was going off watch, and asked him how +all things fared? The mate answered that all +was well, though the gale had freshened, and +they were running at a great rate; but it was a +fair wind, and a fair, clear night.</p> + +<p>“The captain then went to sleep again.</p> + +<p>“About an hour after, he dreamed that some +one had pulled him, and bade him turn out and +look abroad. He, however, lay still and went +to sleep again; but was suddenly re-awakened. +This occurred several times; and, though he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +knew not what was the reason, yet he found it +impossible to go to sleep any more. Still he +heard the vision say: ‘Turn out and look +abroad.’</p> + +<p>“The captain lay in this state of uneasiness +nearly two hours, until finally he felt compelled +to don his great coat and go on deck. All was +well; it was a fine, clear night.</p> + +<p>“The men saluted him; and the captain called +out: ‘How’s she heading?’</p> + +<p>“‘Southwest by south, sir,’ answered the +mate; ‘fair for the coast, and the wind east by +north.’</p> + +<p>“‘Very good,’ said the captain, and as he was +about to return to his cabin, <em>something</em> stood by +him, and said: ‘Heave the lead.’</p> + +<p>“Upon hearing this the captain said to the +second mate: ‘When did you heave the lead? +What water had you?’</p> + +<p>“‘About an hour ago, sir,’ replied the mate; +‘sixty fathom.’</p> + +<p>“‘Heave again,’ the captain commanded.</p> + +<p>“When the lead was cast they had ground at +eleven fathoms. This surprised them all; but +much more when, at the next cast, it came up +<em>seven</em> fathoms.</p> + +<p>“Upon this, the captain, in a fright, bid them +put the helm alee, and about ship, all hands ordered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +to back the sails, as is usual in such cases.</p> + +<p>“The proper orders being observed, the ship +‘stayed’ and came about; but before the sails +filled, she had but four-fathoms-and-a-half water +under her stern. As soon as she filled and +stood off, they had seven fathoms again, and at +the next cast eleven fathoms, and so on to +twenty fathoms. They then stood off to seaward +all the rest of the watch, to get into deep water, +till daybreak, when, being a clear morning, the +capes of Virginia were in fair view under their +stern, and but a few leagues distant. Had they +stood-on but one cable-length further, as they +were going, they would have been ashore, and +certainly lost their ship, if not their lives—all +through the erroneous reckonings of the previous +day. <em>Who</em> or <em>what</em> was it that waked the captain +and bade him save the ship? That he has +never been able to tell!”</p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>The incident which follows is somewhat similar—though +more dramatic—being also a nautical +story:</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_RESCUE_AT_SEA" id="THE_RESCUE_AT_SEA"></a>THE RESCUE AT SEA</h3> + +<p>The following famous narrative is taken from +Mr. Robert Dale Owen’s collection, printed in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +his <cite>Footfalls on the Boundary of Another +World</cite>, and <cite>The Debatable Land Between this +World and the Next</cite>. It is quite a famous case, +and is vouched for by Mr. Owen. It is as follows:</p> + +<p>“Mr. Robert Bruce, descended from some +branch of the Scottish family of the same name, +was born in humble circumstances about the +close of the eighteenth century at Torbay, in the +south of England, and there bred up to a seafaring +life. When about thirty years of age (in +the year 1828), he was first mate on board a +barque trading between Liverpool and St. +John’s, New Brunswick.</p> + +<p>“On one of her voyages, bound westward, being +then some five or six weeks out, and having +neared the eastern portion of the Banks of Newfoundland, +the captain and the mate had been +on deck at noon, taking an observation of the +sun; after which they both descended to calculate +their day’s work.</p> + +<p>“The cabin, a small one, was immediately at +the stern of the vessel, and the short stairway, +descending to it, ran athwart-ships. Immediately +opposite to this stairway, just beyond a +small, square landing, was the mate’s state +room; and from that landing there were two +doors, close to each other—the one opening aft<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +into the cabin, the other fronting the stairway +into the stateroom. The desk in the stateroom +was in the forward part of it, close to the door; +so that anyone sitting at it, and looking over his +shoulder, could see into the cabin.</p> + +<p>“The mate, absorbed in his calculation, which +did not result as he expected, varying considerably +from the ‘dead reckoning,’ had not noticed +the captain’s motions. When he had completed +his calculations, he cried out, without looking +round, ‘I make our latitude and longitude so-and-so. +Can that be right? How is yours, sir?’</p> + +<p>“Receiving no reply he repeated the question, +glancing over his shoulder and perceiving, as he +thought, the captain busy at his slate. Still no +answer! Thereupon he rose, and, as he fronted +the cabin door, the figure he had mistaken for +the captain raised his head and disclosed to the +astonished mate the features of an entire +stranger.</p> + +<p>“Bruce was no coward, but as he met that +fixed gaze, looking directly at him in grave silence, +and became assured that it was no one +whom he had ever seen before, it was too much +for him; and, instead of stopping to question +the seeming intruder, he rushed upon deck in +such evident alarm that it instantly attracted +the captain’s attention.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span></p> + +<p>“‘Why, Mr. Bruce,’ said the latter, ‘what in +the world is the matter with you?’</p> + +<p>“‘The matter, sir? Who is that at your +desk?’</p> + +<p>“‘No one that I know of.’</p> + +<p>“‘But there <em>is</em>, sir, there’s a stranger there.’</p> + +<p>“‘A stranger? Why, man, you must be +dreaming! You must have seen the steward +there, or the second mate. Who else would venture +down without orders?’</p> + +<p>“‘But, sir, he was sitting in your arm chair, +fronting the door, writing on your slate. Then +he looked up full in my face; and if ever I saw +a man plainly and distinctly in the world I saw +him.’</p> + +<p>“‘Him! Who?’</p> + +<p>“‘Heaven knows, sir; I don’t! I saw a man +and a man I have never seen in my life before.’</p> + +<p>“‘You must be going crazy, Mr. Bruce. A +stranger, and we nearly six weeks out!’</p> + +<p>“The captain descended the stairs, and the +mate followed him. Nobody in the cabin! They +examined the staterooms. Not a soul could be +found.</p> + +<p>“‘Well, Mr. Bruce,’ said the Captain, ‘did not +I tell you that you had been dreaming?’</p> + +<p>“‘It’s all very well to say so, sir; but if I +didn’t see that man writing on the slate may I +never see home and family again!’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> + +<p>“‘Ah! Writing on the slate. Then it should +be there still!’ And the captain took it up. ‘By +heaven,’ he exclaimed, ‘here’s something sure +enough! Is that your writing, Mr. Bruce?’</p> + +<p>“The mate took the slate; and there, in plain, +legible characters, stood the words: ‘Steer to +the Nor’-west.’</p> + +<p>“The captain sat down at his desk, the slate +before him, in deep thought. At last turning +the slate over, and pushing it toward Bruce, he +said: ‘Write down: “Steer to the nor’west.”’</p> + +<p>“The mate complied; and the captain, comparing +the two handwritings, said: ‘Mr. Bruce, +go and tell the second mate to come down here.’</p> + +<p>“He came, and at the captain’s request, he +also wrote the words. So did the steward. So +in succession did every man of the crew who +could write at all. But not one of the various +hands resembled, in any degree, the mysterious +writing.</p> + +<p>“When the crew retired, the captain sat deep +in thought. ‘Could anyone have been stowed +away?’ at last he said. ‘The ship must be +searched. Order up all hands.’</p> + +<p>“Every nook and corner of the vessel was +thoroughly searched; not a living soul was +found.</p> + +<p>“Accordingly, the captain decided to change<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +the vessel’s course according to the instructions +received. A look-out was posted; who shortly +reported an iceberg, and then, shortly after, a +vessel close to it.</p> + +<p>“As they approached, the captain’s glass disclosed +the fact that it was a dismantled ship, +apparently frozen to the ice.... It proved to +be a vessel from Quebec, bound for Liverpool, +with passengers on board. She had got entangled +in the ice, and finally frozen fast; and had +passed several weeks in a most critical situation. +She was stove, her decks swept; in fact, a mere +wreck; all her provisions and almost all her +water gone. Her crew and passengers had lost +all hope of being saved, and their gratitude at +the unexpected rescue was proportionately great.</p> + +<p>“As one of the men who had been brought +away in the third boat ascended the ship’s side, +the mate, catching a glimpse of his face, started +back in consternation. It was the very face he +had seen three or four hours before, looking up +at him from the captain’s desk! He communicated +this fact to the captain.</p> + +<p>“After the comfort of the passengers had been +seen to, the captain turned to the stranger, and +said to him: ‘I hope, sir, you will not think I +am trifling with you, but I would be much +obliged to you if you would write a few words<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +on this slate.’ And he handed him the slate, +with that side up on which the mysterious writing +was not.</p> + +<p>“‘I will do anything you ask,’ replied the +passenger, ‘but what shall I write?’</p> + +<p>“‘A few words are all I want. Suppose you +write: ‘Steer to the nor’-west.’</p> + +<p>“The passenger, evidently puzzled to make out +the motive of such a request, complied, however, +with a smile. The captain took up the slate and +examined it closely; then stepping aside so as to +conceal the slate from the passenger, he turned +it over and gave it to him the other side up.</p> + +<p>“‘You say that this is your handwriting?’ +said he.</p> + +<p>“‘I need not say so,’ replied the other, looking +at it, ‘for you saw me write it.’</p> + +<p>“‘And this?’ said the captain, turning the +slate over.</p> + +<p>“The man looked first at one writing, then at +the other, quite confounded. At last: ‘What is +the meaning of this?’ said he. ‘I only wrote <em>one</em> +of these. Who wrote the <em>other</em>?’</p> + +<p>“‘That’s more than I can tell you, sir. My +mate here says you wrote it, sitting at this desk, +at noon to-day!’</p> + +<p>“The captain of the wreck and the passenger +looked at each other, exchanging glances of intelligence<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +and surprise; then the former asked +the latter: ‘Did you dream that you wrote on +this slate?’</p> + +<p>“‘No, sir, not that I remember.’</p> + +<p>“‘You speak of dreaming,’ said the captain of +the barque. ‘What was this gentleman about +at noon to-day?’</p> + +<p>“‘Captain,’ rejoined the other, (the captain +of the wreck), ‘the whole thing is most mysterious +and extraordinary; and I had intended to +speak to you about it as soon as we got a little +quiet. This gentleman—pointing to the passenger—being +much exhausted, fell into a heavy +sleep, or what seemed such, some time before +noon. After an hour or more, he awoke, and +said to me: ‘Captain, we shall be relieved this +very day.’ When I asked him what reason he +had for saying so, he replied that he had +dreamed that he was on board a barque, and +that she was coming to our rescue. He described +her appearance and rig, and, to our utter +astonishment, when your vessel hove in sight, +she corresponded exactly to his description of +her! We had not put much faith in what he +said; yet still we hoped there might be something +in it, for drowning men, as you know, +catch at straws. As it turned out, I cannot +doubt that it was all arranged by some overruling +Providence.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>“‘There is not a doubt,’ replied the captain of +the barque, ‘that the writing on the slate, let +it come there as it may, saved all your lives. I +was steering at the time considerably south of +west, and I altered my course for the nor’-west, +and had a look-out aloft, to see what would come +of it. But you say,’ he added, turning to the +passenger, ‘that you did not dream of writing +on a slate?’</p> + +<p>“‘No, sir. I have no recollection whatever of +doing so. I got the impression that the barque +I saw in my dream was coming to rescue us; but +<em>how</em> that impression came I cannot tell. There +is another very strange thing about it,’ he added. +‘Everything here on board seems to be quite familiar; +yet I am very sure that I was never in +your vessel before. It is all a puzzle to me! +What did your mate see?’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon Mr. Bruce related to them all the +circumstances above detailed.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="HOW_GHOSTS_INFLUENCE_US" id="HOW_GHOSTS_INFLUENCE_US"></a>HOW GHOSTS INFLUENCE US</h3> + +<p>The following is a very interesting case, which +brings vividly before us the fact that ghosts often +draw power from those who witness their +manifestations—just as they draw vitality from +a materializing “medium,” during a seance. As<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +cases of this character are rare, the following is +of considerable value:</p> + +<p>“It was an afternoon, last autumn, about six +o’clock. I had returned from a stroll and was +sitting in my own apartment on Central Park +West, reading <cite>Vanity Fair</cite>. While turning over +its pages I became suddenly aware of a novel +and indescribable sensation. My chest and +breathing became inwardly oppressed by some +ponderous weight, while I became conscious of +some ‘presence’ behind me, exerting a powerful +influence on the forces within. On trying to turn +my head to see what it could be, I was powerless +to do so; neither could I lift a hand, or move +in any way. I was not a little alarmed, and began +immediately to reason. My mind was alive, +though physically I was unable to move a muscle. +It was as if the current of nerve force +within seemed forcibly drawn together and focussed +on a spot in front of me.</p> + +<p>“I gazed motionless, as though with something +intenser than ordinary eyesight, on what was no +longer vacant space. There an oval, misty light +was forming—elongatory, widening, yes, actually +developing into a human face and form. +Was this hallucination, or some vision of the unseen, +coming in so unexpected a fashion? Before +me had arisen a remarkable figure, never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +seen before in a picture or life—dark-skinned, +aged, with white beard, the expression intensely +earnest, the features small, the bald head finely +moulded, lofty over the forehead, the whole demeanor +instinct with solemn grace.</p> + +<p>“He was speaking to me in deep tones, as if in +urgent entreaty. What would I not give to hear +words from such a figure! But no effort availed +me to distinguish one articular sound. I tried +to speak, but could not. With desperate effort I +shook out the words, ‘Speak louder.’ The face +grew more intent, the voice louder and more emphatic. +Was there something amiss with my +own hearing, then, that I could distinguish no +word amid these deeply emphasized tones? +Slowly and deliberately the figure vanished—through +the same stages of indistinctness, back +to the globular lamplike whiteness, till it faded +to nothingness. Before it had quite faded away, +the face only of a woman arose, indistinct and +dim. The same emphatic hum, though in a subdued +note; the same paralysis of voice and muscle, +the same strange force, as it was overshadowing +me. With the disappearance of this second +and far less interesting figure, I recovered +my power of movement and arose.</p> + +<p>“My first impulse was to look around for the +origin of this strange force; my second to rush<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> +to the looking-glass to make sure of myself. +There could be no illusion. There I was, paler +than usual, the forehead bathed in perspiration. +I threw open the window. It was no dream. +There were the passing trolley cars below, clanging +up and down, while a crowd of noisy youngsters +were playing in the park across the way. +I sponged my face, and, greatly agitated, walked +hurriedly to and fro. If this is real, I thought, +it may recur. I would sit in the same position, +try to be calm, read a book, remain as still and +passive as I could, and see the result.</p> + +<p>“To my intense interest, and almost at once, +the strange sense of some power operating on +the nerve-forces within, followed by the same +loss of muscular power, the same wide-awakeness +of the reason, the same drawing out and +concentrating of the energies on that spot in +front, repeated itself—this time more deliberately, +leaving me freer to take mental notes of +what was happening. Again arose the noble, +earnest figure, gazing at me, the hands moving +in solemn accompaniment to the deep tones of +voice. The same effort, painful on my part, to +hear, with no result. The vision passed. Again +the woman’s face, insignificant and meaningless, +succeeded it as before. She spoke, but in less +emphatic tones. It flashed upon me that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +<em>would</em> hear. After a frantic effort, I caught +two words—‘Land,’ ‘America’—with positively +no clue to their meaning.</p> + +<p>“I was wide awake when the first apparition +appeared, and in a highly excited state of mind +on its re-appearance.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="HOW_A_GHOST_WARNED_THE_KING" id="HOW_A_GHOST_WARNED_THE_KING"></a>HOW A GHOST WARNED THE KING</h3> + +<p>Kings and queens are not exempt from visitations +of the supernatural; indeed, a large number +of royal dignitaries have seen “ghosts,” and +have been haunted by specters in as unpleasant +a manner as any ordinary mortal. Were we to +hunt through the pages of history, we should +find many of these—some of which it will doubtless +be of interest to give at some future time. +The following account is taken from the <cite>Annals +of the Kingdom of Scotland</cite>, and is told in queer +old English, with long ‘s’s,’ and so on, making it +very hard to read in the original! I interpret +it into modern English as best I can, maintaining +its form:</p> + +<p>“While James <abbr title="4">IV.</abbr> stayed at Linlithgow, to +gather up the scattered remains of his army, +which had been defeated by the Earl of Surrey, +at Flodden-field, he went into the Church of St. +Michael there to hear evening prayer. While<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +he was at his devotion, a remarkable figure of an +ancient man, with flowing amber-colored hair +hanging over his shoulders, his forehead high, +and inclining to baldness, his garments of a fine +blue color, somewhat long and girded together, +with a fine white cloth, of comely and very reverent +aspect, was seen inquiring for the king; +when his majesty being pointed out to him he +made his way through the crowd till he came to +him, and then, with a clown’s simplicity, leaning +over the cannon’s feet, he addressed him in the +following words: ‘Sir, I am sent hither to entreat +you to delay your intended expedition for +this time, and proceed no further; for if you do, +you will be unfortunate, and not prosper in your +enterprise, nor any of your followers. I am +further charged to warn you, not to follow the +acquaintance, company or counsel of women, as +you value your life, honour and estate.’</p> + +<p>“After giving him this admonition, he withdrew +himself back through the crowd and disappeared.</p> + +<p>“When service was ended, the king enquired +earnestly after him, but he could not be found +or heard of anywhere, neither could any of the +bystanders (of whom many narrowly watched +him, resolving afterwards to have discoursed +with him) feel or perceive how, when or where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +he passed from them, having in a manner vanished +from their sight.</p> + +<p>“This caused the king to feel some uneasiness; +‘for,’ said he, ‘if he were mortal man, how did +he go so quickly hence, and how did he give me +such advice, which I, of all men, know at this +time to be of value?’ The king was sorely puzzled; +and called the warden of the church to +him, and questioned him as to the man whom +he had seen.</p> + +<p>“And when the warden had heard the tale +from the king, he questioned him in turn, as to +the man’s appearance—whether he was this and +that; and of the man’s manner of speech. And +when the king had answered to his satisfaction, +he turned pale; and said: ‘Oh, king, the personage +whom you saw to-day was not mortal man; +but one dead long ago; one who lived and died +close here; and known to many of us well. He +has been known to come before in times of great +stress; and his advice has always been good. +Truly, my lord, you have this day seen an apparition +of a dead man.’</p> + +<p>“And the king marvelled at what he had +seen.”</p> + +<p>Thus ends the curious old narrative. It will +be seen that several others saw the ghost besides +the king. These are called “collective<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +cases” by those engaged in psychical studies; for +the reason that several persons saw the figure +at the same time, or “collectively.” Such cases +have never been satisfactorily explained. For, if +the phantom were a mere hallucination, as many +claim, how did several see it at once?</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_STAINS_OF_BLOOD" id="THE_STAINS_OF_BLOOD"></a>THE STAINS OF BLOOD</h3> + +<p>The following narrative was personally related +to Robert Dale Owen, by a clergyman of +the Church of England, who was Chaplain, at +the time, to the British Legation in Florence. +It is as follows:</p> + +<p>“In the year 1856, I was staying with my +wife and children, at a favorite watering place. +In order to attend to some affairs of my own, +I determined to leave my family there for three +or four days. Accordingly, on the 8th of August, +I took the railway, and arrived that evening +an unexpected guest at the Hall—the residence +of a gentleman whose acquaintance I had +recently made, and with whom my sister was +then staying.</p> + +<p>“I arrived late, soon afterwards went to bed, +and before long fell asleep. Awaking after three +or four hours, I was not surprised to find that I +could sleep no more—for I never rest well in a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +strange bed. After trying, therefore, in vain to +induce sleep, I began to arrange my plans for +the day. I had been engaged some little time in +this way, when I became suddenly sensitive to +the fact that there was a light in the room. +Turning round, I distinctly perceived a female +figure; and what attracted my special attention +was that the light by which I saw it emanated +from itself. I watched the figure attentively. +The features were not perceptible. After moving +a little distance, it disappeared as suddenly +as it had appeared.</p> + +<p>“My first thoughts were that there was some +trick. I immediately got out of bed, struck a +light, and found my bedroom door still locked. +I then carefully examined the walls, to ascertain +if there was any other concealed means of +entrance or exit, but none could I find. I drew +the curtains and opened the shutters, but all +outside was silent and dark, there being no +moonlight. After examining the room in every +part, I went back to bed, and began thinking +calmly over the whole matter. What had I +seen? And why did <em>It appear</em>?</p> + +<p>“In the morning, as soon as I was up and +dressed, I told my sister what I had seen. She +then informed me that the house had the reputation +of being ‘haunted’; and that a murder<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> +had been committed in it; but not in the room +in which I had slept. Later in the day I left—after +making my sister promise to do all she +could to unravel the mystery.</p> + +<p>“On the following Wednesday morning, I received +a letter from my sister, in which she informed +me that, since I left, she had made inquiries +and had ascertained that the murder <em>was</em> +committed in the very room in which I slept! +She added that she proposed visiting us the next +day, and that she would like me to write out an +account of what I had seen—together with a +plan of the room, and that on that plan she +wished me to mark the place of the appearance +and disappearance of the figure.</p> + +<p>“This I immediately did; and the next day +when my sister arrived, she asked me if I had +complied with her request? I replied, pointing +to the drawing room table: ‘Yes, there is the +account and the plan.’</p> + +<p>“As she rose to examine it, I prevented her, +saying: ‘Do not look at it until you have told +me all you have to say, because you might unintentionally +color your story by what you may +read there.’</p> + +<p>“Thereupon she informed me that she had had +the carpet taken up in the room I had occupied, +and that the marks of blood from the murdered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> +person were there, plainly visible, on a +particular part of the floor. At my request she +also then drew a plan of the room, and marked +upon it the spots which still bore traces of +blood. The two plans—my sister’s and mine—were +now compared; and we verified the most +remarkable fact that <em>the place she had marked +as the beginning and ending of the traces of +blood coincided exactly with the spots marked +on my plan as those on which the female figure +had appeared and disappeared</em>!”</p> + + +<h3><a name="FACE_TO_FACE" id="FACE_TO_FACE"></a>FACE TO FACE!</h3> + +<p>The following case is recorded by the wife of +Colonel Lewin, and is reported in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> +of the S. P. R.:</p> + +<p>“In January, 1868, I took a house close to +Hastings.... One night there was a heavy +storm, the weather was bitterly cold, and a fire +was burning in my bedroom when I went to bed +at 10.30. I tried to go to sleep, but it was no +use; the noise of the wind and the rain kept me +awake. I must have been lying like this for a +couple of hours when I became conscious of +what seemed like a light in the room.... I +thought the fire must have re-kindled itself, and +crawled along on my knees on the bed to look +at the fire over the high wooden foot, to see how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> +this might be. I had no thought of anything +but the fire, and was not nervous in the slightest +degree. As I raised myself on my knees and +looked over the foot of the bed, I found myself +face to face, at a distance of about three feet, +with the semblance of a man. I never for a +moment thought he was a man, but was struck +with the feeling that this was one from the +dead.</p> + +<p>“The light seemed to emanate from round this +figure, but the only portions which I saw clearly +were the head and shoulders. The face I shall +never forget; it was pale, emaciated, with a thin, +high-bridged nose, and eyes deeply sunk and +glowing in the sockets with a sort of glare. A +long beard was seemingly rolled in under a +white comforter, and on the head was a slouched +felt hat. I had a nervous shock, and felt a dead +person was looking upon <em>me</em>—a living one, but +had no sensation of being actually frightened, +until the figure moved slowly as if interposing +between me and the door, then horror overcame +me and I fell back in a dead faint. How long I +remained unconscious I know not, but I came +to myself cold and cramped; the room was quite +dark and nothing was visible. Thoroughly tired +out, I got into bed, and slept soundly until +morning.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="JULIA_DARLING" id="JULIA_DARLING"></a>JULIA, DARLING!</h3> + +<p>The next example is from the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of +the S. P. R. (Vol. V., pp. 440-41), and Mr. +Myers states that the writer was well known to +him. The account reads in part:</p> + +<p>“My mother died on the 24th of June, 1874, at +Slima, Malta, where we were then residing for +her health. Seven nights later she appeared to +me.... I seemed to have been sleeping some +time when I woke, and, turning over on the +other side towards the window, saw my mother +standing by my bedside, crying and wringing +her hands. I had not been awake long enough +to remember that she was dead, and exclaimed +quite naturally, ‘Why, dear, what’s the matter?’ +and then suddenly remembering, I screamed. +The nurse sprang up from the next room, but +on the top step flung herself on her knees and +began to tell her beads and cry. My father at +the same moment arrived at the opposite door, +and I heard his sudden exclamation of ‘Julia, +darling.’ My mother turned towards him, and +then to me, and, wringing her hands again, retreated +towards the nursery and was lost. The +nurse afterwards stated that she distinctly felt +something pass her.... My father ordered +her out of the room, and telling me that I had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +only been dreaming, stayed until I fell asleep. +The next day, however, he told me that he, too, +had seen the vision, and that he hoped to do so +again, and that if ever she came to see me ... +I was not to be frightened ... but she never +appeared again.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_CUT_ACROSS_THE_CHEEK" id="THE_CUT_ACROSS_THE_CHEEK"></a>THE CUT ACROSS THE CHEEK</h3> + +<p>In the narrative which follows, the apparition +conveyed—by its very appearance—information +which the percipient could not possibly +have known. It is from Mr. H. Walton, of +Dent, Sedburgh, England, and was sent to Mr. +Stead, who published it:</p> + +<p>“In the month of April, 1881, I was located +in Norfolk, and my duties took me once a fortnight +to a fishing village on the coast—so I can +guarantee the following facts: It is customary +for the fishing smacks to go to Grimsby ‘line +fishing’ in the spring. The vessels started one +afternoon on their journey north. In the evening, +a heavy north-east wind blew, and one of +the boats mistook the white surf on the rocks +for the reflection of a lighthouse. In consequence +the boat got into shallow water, a heavy +sea came, and swept two men from the deck. +One man grasped a rope and was saved; the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +other, a younger man, failed to save himself, +though an expert swimmer. It was said that he +was heard to shout about 11 o’clock.</p> + +<p>“Towards one o’clock, the young man’s +mother, lying awake, saw his apparition come +to the foot of the bed, clad in white, and she +screamed with fright, and told her husband +what she had seen, and that J. was drowned. +He sought in vain to calm her by saying that +she must have been dreaming. She asserted the +contrary. Next day, when her daughter came in +with the telegram of the sad event, before her +daughter had time to speak, she cried out: ‘J. is +drowned,’ and became unconscious; she remained +in this state for many hours. When she +regained consciousness, she told them particularly +and distinctly what she had seen; and +what is to the point is this remarkable thing: +she said: ‘If ever the body is found, it has a cut +across the cheek,’—specifying which cheek. +The body was found some days after, and exactly +as mother had seen it, was the cut on the +cheek.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_INVISIBLE_HAND" id="THE_INVISIBLE_HAND"></a>THE INVISIBLE HAND</h3> + +<p>The following account was sent to the S. P. R. +Ghosts are usually <em>seen</em>; they are sometimes +heard; they are very rarely <em>felt</em>. The account<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +which follows is an example of the latter class, +in which the ghost was not only seen but +touched.</p> + +<p>After stating that she was visiting a friend +of hers in the country, when the event occurred, +the narrator proceeds:</p> + +<p>“We went upstairs together, I being perhaps +a couple of steps behind my friend, when, on +reaching the topmost step, I felt something suddenly +slip behind me from an unoccupied room +on the left of the stairs. Thinking it must be +imagination, no one being in the house except +the widow and servant, who occupied rooms on +another landing, I did not speak to my friend, +who turned off to a room on the right, but +walked quickly into my room, which faced the +staircase, still feeling as though a tall figure +was bending over me. I turned on the gas, +struck a light, and was in the act of applying it, +when I felt a heavy grasp on my arm of a hand, +minus the middle finger. Upon this I uttered +a loud cry, which brought my friend, the widow +lady, and the servant girl, into the room to inquire +the cause of my alarm. The two latter +turned very pale on hearing the story. The +house was thoroughly searched, but nothing was +discovered.</p> + +<p>“Some weeks passed, and I had ceased to be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +alarmed at the occurrence, when I chanced to +mention it whilst spending the afternoon with +some friends. A gentleman asked me if I had +ever heard a description or seen a ‘carte’ of the +lady’s late husband. On receiving a reply in +the negative, he said, singularly enough, he was +tall, had a slight stoop, and has lost the middle +finger on his hand! On my return, I inquired +of the servant, who had been in the family from +childhood, if such were the case, and learned +that it was quite correct, and that she (the girl) +had once, when sleeping in the same room, awakened +on feeling some one pressing down her +knees, and on opening her eyes saw her late master +by the bed side—on which she fainted, and +had never dared to enter the room after dark +since. She is not an imaginative girl; nor am I. +When I was grasped, however, <em>I</em> did not <em>see</em> +anything.</p> + +<p>“But worse was to follow! It so chanced that +I had to sleep in that room once again, as the +house was full of company, and there was nowhere +else for me to go. I had by this time got +over my fears, and hardly minded the idea of +sleeping in the room at all. I left the room door +open, turned out the light and was soon sound +asleep.</p> + +<p>“Some time in the early hours of the morning<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> +I awoke with an indescribable feeling. I +was <em>suddenly</em> wide awake—without the slightest +traces of sleep; yet I did not know <em>how</em> I awoke; +and had not any recollection of waking. But +there I was wide awake, and staring up at the +ceiling with wide-open eyes. My right hand +was hanging over the side of the bed; so that it +fell outwards, into the room. Imagine my horror, +then, in feeling a hand suddenly grasp my +hand, and I felt distinctly that it was <em>minus the +middle finger</em>. The hand was icy cold, and of a +peculiar hardness. I hung on to the hand, however, +determined to go to the bottom of the affair. +I gripped tightly; and still retained the +hand in my grip. Bending over, I stretched out +my left hand, and, with the fingers of that hand, +felt over the hand and wrist I was holding. I +then commenced to trace it up the arm. I had +about reached the elbow—or a little below—when +the arm suddenly ended—came to nothing; +was no more! Yet the hand in mine was as solid +as ever. This gave me such a shock that I let go +the hand I was holding, and sank back onto my +pillows. Then terror took possession of me; and +I do not know what happened later. I only +know that I had brain fever, which laid me low +for several weeks. The occurrence has never +been explained.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_RADIANT_BOY" id="THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_RADIANT_BOY"></a>THE APPARITION OF THE RADIANT BOY</h3> + +<p>The following is a famous case, well-known +as the “Apparition of the Radiant Boy.” It was +seen by the Marquis of Londonderry, and frequently +spoken of by him afterwards.</p> + +<p>At the time of the appearance, Lord Londonderry +was on a visit to a friend in the North of +Ireland. The apartment assigned to him was +one calculated to foster the belief in ghosts, +because of its richly carved paneling—its huge +fireplace, looking like the open entrance into a +tomb—and the vast, ponderous draperies that +hung in thick folds around the room.</p> + +<p>Lord Londonderry examined his chamber; he +made himself acquainted with the forms and +faces of the ancient possessors of the mansion, +whose portraits hung around the room. Then, +after dismissing his valet, he retired to bed.</p> + +<p>His candles had not long been extinguished +when he perceived a light gleaming on the draperies +of the lofty canopies over his head. Conscious +that there was no fire in the grate—that +the curtains were closed—that the chamber had +been in perfect darkness but a few minutes before, +he supposed that some intruder must have +accidentally entered his apartment; and, turning +hastily around to the side from which the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +light proceeded, saw, to his infinite astonishment, +not the form of a human visitor, but the +figure of a fair boy, who seemed to be garmented +in rays of mild and tempered glory, which +beamed palely from his slender form, like the +faint light of the declining moon and rendered +the objects nearest to him dimly and indistinctly +visible. The spirit stood but a short distance +from the side of the bed.</p> + +<p>Certain that his own faculties were not deceiving +him, Lord Londonderry got up and +moved towards the figure. It retreated before +him; as he slowly advanced, and with equal +pace, slowly retired. It entered the gloomy arch +of the capacious chimney, and then sank into +the earth. Lord Londonderry returned to his +bed, but not to rest; his mind was harassed by +the consideration of the extraordinary event +which had occurred to him. Was it real? Was +it the work of imagination? Was it the result +of imposture? It was all incomprehensible.</p> + +<p>He resolved in the morning not to mention the +appearance till he should have well observed the +manners and countenances of the family; he was +conscious that, if any deception had been practised, +its authors would be too delighted with +their success to conceal the vanity of their +triumph.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the guests assembled at the breakfast +table, the eye of Lord Londonderry searched in +vain for latent smiles—those conscious looks—that +silent communication between the parties, +by which the authors of such domestic conspiracies +are generally betrayed. Everything, apparently, +proceeded in its ordinary course. At +last the hero of the tale felt bound to mention +the occurrence of the night.</p> + +<p>At its conclusion, his host said: “The circumstances +which you have just recounted appear +very extraordinary to those who have not long +been inmates of my dwelling; and are not conversant +with the legends of my family; and to +those who are, the event which has happened +will only serve as the corroboration of an old +tradition that has long been related of the apartment +in which you slept. You have seen the +‘Radiant Boy’; be content—it is an omen of +prosperous fortunes. I would rather that this +subject should not be mentioned.” And here +the affair ended.</p> + + +<h3><a name="FISHERS_GHOST" id="FISHERS_GHOST"></a>FISHER’S GHOST</h3> + +<p>The following incident comes from Australia, +and is well-known in that part of the world. It +is usually known as “Fisher’s Ghost,” and is to +the following effect:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span></p> + +<p>“A number of years ago, a free settler, named +John Fisher, who had long successfully cultivated +a grant of land in a remote district, and +who was known to be possessed of a considerable +sum of money, had been missing for some time +after having visited the nearest market town, +whither he had been in the habit of repairing +with cattle and produce for sale.</p> + +<p>“An inquiry was instituted by his acquaintances; +but his head servant, or rather his assistant +on the farm—an ex-convict, who had +lived many years with him in that situation—declared +that his master had left the colony for +some time on business, and that he expected him +to return in a few months. As this man was +generally known as Fisher’s confidential servant, +his assertion was believed—though some expressed +surprise at the settler’s abrupt and clandestine +departure; for his character was good in +every way. The ‘month’s wonder’ soon subsided, +however, and Fisher was forgotten. His +assistant, meanwhile, managed the farm, bought +and sold, and spent money freely. If questioned, +which was but rarely, he would express +his surprise at his master’s delay, and pretend +to expect him daily.</p> + +<p>“A few months after he had been first missed, +a neighbouring settler, who was returning late<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +on Saturday night from the market town, had +occasion to pass within half a mile of Fisher’s +house. As he was riding by the fence which +separated the farm from the high road, he distinctly +saw the figure of a man seated on the +railing, and at once recognized the form and +features of his lost neighbor.</p> + +<p>“He instantly stopped and called to him by +name; but the figure descended from the railing, +and pointing appealingly toward the house, +walked slowly across the field in that direction. +The settler, having lost sight of him in the +gloom, proceeded on his journey, and informed +his family and neighbors that he had seen Fisher +and spoken to him. On inquiry, however, +Fisher’s assistant said that he had not arrived, +and affected to laugh at the settler’s story—insinuating +that he had probably drunk too freely +at the market.</p> + +<p>“The neighbors were, however, not satisfied. +The strange appearance of Fisher, sitting on the +rail and pointing, with so much meaning, toward +his own house aroused their suspicions, and they +insisted upon a strict and immediate investigation +by the police.</p> + +<p>“The party of investigators took with them an +old and clever native. They had not proceeded +far in the underbrush when they discovered a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> +log, on which was a dark brown stain. This the +native examined, and at once declared it to be +‘<em>white man’s blood</em>.’ He then, without hesitation, +set off at a full run, toward a pond not far +from the house.</p> + +<p>“He ran backwards and forwards about the +pond, like a dog on the scent; and finally, borrowing +a ram-rod from one of the settlers, ran it +into the earth. He did this in one or two places; +and finally said: ‘<em>White man here.</em>’</p> + +<p>“The spot was immediately dug up, and a +corpse, identified as that of Fisher, was discovered, +its skull fractured, and evidently many +weeks buried.</p> + +<p>“The guilty assistant was immediately arrested, +and tried at Sydney, on circumstantial +evidence alone—strong enough, however, to convict +him, in spite of his self-possession, and protestations +of innocence. He was sentenced to +death; and, previous to his execution, made an +ample confession of his guilt.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="HARRIET_HOSMERS_VISION" id="HARRIET_HOSMERS_VISION"></a>HARRIET HOSMER’S VISION</h3> + +<p>Lydia Maria Child relates the following interesting +narrative:</p> + +<p>“When Harriet Hosmer, the sculptor, visited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> +her native country a few years ago, I had an interview +with her, during which our conversation +happened to turn on dreams and visions.</p> + +<p>“‘I have had some experience in that way,’ +said she. ‘Let me tell you a singular circumstance +that happened to me in Rome. An Italian +girl named Rosa was in my employ for a +long time, but was finally obliged to return to +her mother on account of confirmed ill-health. +We were mutually sorry to part, for we liked each +other. When I took my customary exercise on +horseback, I frequently called to see her. On +one of these occasions, I found her brighter +than I had seen her for some time past. I had +long relinquished hopes of her recovery, but +there was nothing in her appearance that gave +the appearance of immediate danger. I left her +with the expectation of calling to see her again +many times. During the remainder of the day, I +was busy in my studio, and I do not recollect +that Rosa was in my thoughts after I had parted +from her. I retired to rest in good health, and +in a quiet frame of mind. But I woke from a +sound sleep with the oppressive feeling that +someone was in the room. I wondered at the +sensation, for it was entirely new to me; but in +vain I tried to dispel it. I peered beyond the +curtains of my bed but could distinguish no objects<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> +in the darkness. Trying to gather my +thoughts I reflected that the door was locked, +and that I had put the key under my bolster. +I felt for it and found it where I had placed it. +I said to myself that I had probably had some +ugly dream, and had waked with a vague impression +of it still on my mind. Reasoning thus, +I arranged myself comfortably for another nap.</p> + +<p>“‘I am habitually a good sleeper and a +stranger to fear, but do what I would, the idea +still haunted me that someone was in the room. +Finding it impossible to sleep, I longed for daylight +to dawn, that I might rise and pursue my +customary avocation. It was not long before I +was able dimly to distinguish the furniture in +my room, and, soon after, to hear familiar noises +of servants opening windows and doors. An old +clock with ringing vibration, proclaimed the +hour. I counted one, two, three, four, five, and +resolved to rise immediately. My bed was partially +screened by a long curtain looped up at +one side. As I raised my head from the pillow, +Rosa looked inside the curtain, and smiled at +me. The idea of anything supernatural did not +occur to me. I was simply surprised and exclaimed: +“Why, Rosa! How came you here +when you are so ill?”</p> + +<p>“‘In the old familiar tone to which I was so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> +much accustomed, a voice replied, “I am well +now.”</p> + +<p>“‘With no other thought but that of greeting +her joyfully, I sprang out of bed. There was no +Rosa there! When I became convinced that +there was no one in the room but myself, I recollected +the fact that my door was locked, and +thought I must have seen a vision.</p> + +<p>“‘At the breakfast table, I said to the old +lady with whom I boarded: “Rosa is dead.” I +then summoned a messenger and sent him to inquire +how Rosa was. He returned with the answer +that she died that morning at 5 o’clock.’</p> + +<p>“I wrote the story as Miss Hosmer told it to +me, and after I had shown it to her, I asked her +if she had any objection to its being published +without suppression of names. She replied: +‘You have reported the story of Rosa correctly. +Make what use you please of it. You cannot +think it more interesting or unaccountable than +I do myself.’”</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_MURDERED_BOY" id="THE_APPARITION_OF_THE_MURDERED_BOY"></a>THE APPARITION OF THE MURDERED BOY</h3> + +<p>At the commencement of the French Revolution, +Lady Pennyman and her two daughters +and her friend, Mrs. Atkins, retired to Lisle, +where they had hired a large and handsome<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> +house. A few weeks after taking possession, the +housekeeper, with many apologies for being +obliged to mention anything that might appear +so idle and absurd, came to the apartment in +which her mistress was sitting, and said that +two of the servants who had accompanied her +ladyship from England had that morning given +warning, and expressed a determination of quitting +her ladyship’s service, on account of the +mysterious noises by which they had been night +after night disturbed and terrified. The room +from which the sounds were supposed to have +proceeded was at a distance from Lady Pennyman’s +apartments, and immediately over those +that were occupied by the servants. To quiet +the alarm Lady Pennyman resolved on leaving +her own chamber for a time and establishing +herself in the one which had been lately occupied +by the domestics.</p> + +<p>The room above was a long, spacious one, +which appeared to have been for a long time deserted. +In the center of the chamber was a +large iron cage. It was said that the late proprietor +of the house—a young man of enormous +wealth—had in his minority been confined in +this cage by his uncle and guardian and starved +to death.</p> + +<p>On the first night or two of Lady Pennyman’s<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> +being established in her new apartment, she met +with no interruption. This quiet, however, was +of very short duration. One night she was +awakened from her sleep by a slow and heavy +step pacing the chamber overhead. It continued +to move backwards and forwards for nearly +an hour. There were more complaints from the +housekeeper, no servants would remain. Lady +Pennyman began herself to be alarmed. She requested +the advice of Mrs. Atkins—a woman devoid +of every kind of superstitious fear, and of +tried courage. Mrs. Atkins determined to make +the Cage room itself her sleeping quarters. A +bed was accordingly placed in the apartment, +and Mrs. Atkins retired to rest attended by her +favorite spaniel—saying, as she bade them all +good-night, “I and my dog are able to compete +with a myriad of ghosts.”</p> + +<p>Mrs. Atkins examined the chamber in every +imaginable direction; she sounded every panel +of the wainscot to prove there was no hollowness +that might argue a concealed passage; and +having securely bolted the door of the room, +retired to rest, confident that she was secure +against every material visitor, and totally incredulous +of the airy encroachments of spiritual +beings. She had only been asleep a few minutes, +when her dog, which lay by her bedside,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> +leaped, howling and terrified, on the bed. The +bolted door of the chamber slowly opened and +a pale, thin, sickly youth came in, cast his eyes +mildly toward her, walked up to the iron cage +in the middle of the room, and then leaned in +the melancholy attitude of one revolving in his +mind the sorrows of a cheerless and unblest existence. +After a while he again withdrew, and +retired by the way he entered.</p> + +<p>Mrs. Atkins, on witnessing his departure, felt +the return of her resolution. She persuaded herself +to believe the figure the work of some skillful +imposter, and she determined on following +its footsteps. She took up her lamp and hastened +to the door. To her infinite surprise, she +discovered it to be fastened, as she had herself +left it on retiring to bed. On withdrawing the +bolt, and opening the door, she saw the back of +the youth descending the staircase. She followed +till, on reaching the foot of the stairs, the +form seemed to sink into the earth.</p> + +<p>The event was related to Lady Pennyman. +She determined to remain no longer in her present +habitation. Another residence was offered +in the vicinity of Lisle, and this she took under +the pretext that it was better suited to the size +of her family.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_GHOST_IN_YELLOW_CALICO" id="THE_GHOST_IN_YELLOW_CALICO"></a>THE GHOST IN YELLOW CALICO</h3> + +<p>The Rev. Elwyn Thomas, 35, Park Village +East, N. W., London, has published a very remarkable +experience of his own. It is as follows:</p> + +<p>“Twelve years ago,” says the doctor, “I was +the second minister of the Bryn Mawr Welsh +Wesleyan Circuit, in the South Wales District. +It was a beautiful evening in June when, after +conducting the service at Llanyndir, I told the +gentlemen with whom I generally stayed when +preaching there, that three young friends had +come to meet me from Crickhowell, and that I +meant to accompany them back for about half +a mile on their return journey, so would not be +home before nine o’clock.</p> + +<p>“When I wished good-night to my friends it +was about twenty minutes to nine but still light +enough to see a good distance. The subject of +our conversation all the way from the chapel +until we parted was of a certain eccentric old +character who then belonged to the Crickhowell +church. I walked a little further down the road +than I intended in order to hear the end of a +very amusing story about him. Our conversation +had no reference whatever to ghosts. Personally +I was a strong disbeliever in ghosts and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> +invariably ridiculed anyone whom I thought superstitious +enough to believe in them.</p> + +<p>“When I had walked about a hundred yards +away from my friends, after parting from them, +I saw on the bank of the canal, what I thought +at the moment was an old beggar. I couldn’t +help asking myself where this old man had come +from. I had not seen him in going down the +road. I turned round quite unconcernedly to +have another look at him, and had no sooner +done so than I saw, within half a yard of me one +of the most remarkable and startling sights I +hope it will ever be my lot to see. Almost on a +level with my own face, I saw that of an old +man, over every feature of which the putty colored +skin was drawn tightly, except the forehead +which was lined with deep wrinkles. The +lips were extremely thin and appeared perfectly +bloodless. The toothless mouth stood half open. +The cheeks were hollow and sunken like those of +a corpse, and the eyes which seemed far back in +the middle of the head, were unnaturally luminous +and piercing. The terrible object was +wrapped in two bands of old yellow calico, one +of which was drawn under the chin, and over +the cheeks and tied at the top of the head, the +other was drawn round the top of the wrinkled +forehead and fastened at the back of the head.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> +So deep and indelible an impression it made on +my mind, that, were I an artist, I could paint +that face to-day.</p> + +<p>“What I have thus tried to describe in many +words, I saw at a glance. Acting on the impulse +of the moment, I turned my face toward the +village and ran away from the horrible vision +with all my might for about sixty yards. I then +stopped and turned around to see how far I had +distanced it, and to my unspeakable horror, +there it was still face to face with me as if I had +not moved an inch. I grasped my umbrella and +raised it to strike him, and you can imagine my +feelings when I could see nothing between the +face and the ground, except an irregular column +of intense darkness, through which my umbrella +passed as a stick goes through water!</p> + +<p>“I am sorry to say that I took to my heels +with increasing speed. A little further than the +space of this second encounter, the road which +led to my host’s house branched off the main +road. Having gone two or three yards down +this branch road, I turned around again. He +had not followed me after I left the main road, +but I could see the horribly fascinating face +quite as plainly as when it was close by. It +stood for a few minutes looking intently at me +from the center of the main road. I then realized<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> +fully that it was not a human being in flesh +and blood; and, with every vestige of fear gone, +I quickly walked toward it to put my questions. +But I was disappointed, for, no sooner +had I made toward it, than it began to move +slowly down the road keeping the same distance +above it until it reached the churchyard wall; it +then crossed the road and disappeared near +where the yew tree stood inside. The moment +it disappeared, I became unconscious. Two +hours later I came to myself and I made my way +slowly to my home. I could not say a word to +explain what had happened, though I tried several +times. It was five o’clock in the morning +when I regained my power of speech. The +whole of the following week I was laid up with +a nervous prostration.</p> + +<p>“My host, after questioning me closely, told +me that fifteen years before that time an old recluse +of eccentric character, answering in every +detail to my description (yellow calicoes, bands, +and all) lived in a house whose ruins still stand +close by where I saw the face disappear.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2> + + +<h3>MORE PHANTASMS OF THE DEAD—II.</h3> + +<p>The cases included in this chapter are also +very well authenticated—some of them being +longer and more detailed than those included in +the last chapter. I shall begin with a group of +so-called “Pact” Cases—cases, that is, in which +a Pact or Agreement was made before death—to +appear after death, if possible; when that +promise seems to have been kept. The first case +of this character is short, and merely illustrative +of the kind of ghostly phenomena to be expected +in cases of this nature. The latter cases +are better attested. I give first the case of the +Marquis of Rambouillet.</p> + + +<h3><a name="COMPACTS_TO_APPEAR_AFTER_DEATH" id="COMPACTS_TO_APPEAR_AFTER_DEATH"></a>COMPACTS TO APPEAR AFTER DEATH</h3> + +<p>The story of the Marquis of Rambouillet’s appearing +after his death to his cousin, the Marquis +de Precy, is well authenticated. These two +noblemen, talking one day concerning the affairs +of the next world, in a manner which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> +showed they did not believe much about it, entered +into an agreement that the first who died +should come and give intelligence to the other.</p> + +<p>Soon afterwards the Marquis of Rambouillet +set out for Flanders, which was then the seat of +war, and the Marquis de Precy remained in +Paris, being ill of a violent fever. About six +weeks after, early one morning, he heard someone +draw the curtains of his bed, and turning to +see who it was, discovered the Marquis of Rambouillet +in a buff coat and boots. He instantly +got out of bed, and attempted to shake hands +with his friend, but Rambouillet drew back, and +told him he had only come to perform the promise +he had formerly made; that nothing was +more certain than another life; and that he earnestly +advised him to alter his mode of life, for +in the first battle he would be engaged in, he +would certainly fall.</p> + +<p>Precy made a fresh attempt to touch his +friend, but he immediately withdrew. Precy lay +upon his bed wondering upon the strangeness of +the circumstances for some time, when he saw +the same appearance re-enter the apartment. +Rambouillet, finding that Precy still disbelieved +what he was told, showed him the wound of +which he had died, and from which the blood +still seemed to flow.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon after this, Precy received a confirmation +of Rambouillet’s death, and was killed himself, +according to the prediction, in the civil wars, +at the battle of Faubourg St. Antoine.</p> + + +<h3><a name="LORD_BROUGHAMS_VISION" id="LORD_BROUGHAMS_VISION"></a>LORD BROUGHAM’S VISION</h3> + +<p>The promise to appear was given and kept in +the case of the apparition seen by Lord +Brougham.</p> + +<p>The story is given as follows in the first volume +of “Lord Brougham’s Memoirs”:</p> + +<p>“A most remarkable thing happened to me, so +remarkable that I must tell the story from the +beginning. After I left the High School I went +with G——, my most intimate friend, to attend +the classes in the University. There was no divinity +class, but we frequently in our walks discussed +many grave subjects—among others the +immortality of the soul and a future state. This +question, and the possibility of the dead appearing +to the living, were the subject of much speculation, +and we actually committed the folly of +drawing up an agreement, written with our +blood, to the effect that whichever of us died the +first should appear to the other, and thus solve +any doubts we had entertained of the ‘life after +death.’ After we had finished our classes at the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> +College, G—— went to India, having got an appointment +there in the Civil Service. He seldom +wrote to me, and after a lapse of a few +years I had nearly forgotten his existence.... +One day I had taken, as I have said, a warm +bath, and, while lying in it and enjoying the comfort +of the heat, I turned my head round, looking +towards the chair on which I had deposited +my clothes, as I was about to get out of the bath. +On the chair sat G——, looking calmly at me! +How I got out of the bath I know not; but on +recovering my senses, I found myself sprawling +on the floor. The apparition, or whatever it was +that had taken the likeness of G——, had disappeared. +This vision had produced such a +shock that I had no inclination to talk about it, +or to speak about it even to Stewart, but the +impression it made upon me was too vivid to be +easily forgotten, and so strongly was I affected +by it that I have here written down the whole +history, with the date, December 19th, and all +the particulars, as they are now fresh before me. +No doubt I had fallen asleep, and that the apparition +presented so distinctly before my eyes +was a dream I cannot for a moment doubt; yet +for years I had had no communication with +G——, nor had there been anything to recall +him to my recollection. Nothing had taken<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> +place concerning our Swedish travels connected +with G——, or with India, or with anything relating +to him, or to any member of his family. +I recollected quickly enough our old discussion, +and the bargain we had made. I could not discharge +from my mind the impression that G—— +must have died, and that his appearance to me +was to be received by me as a proof of a future +state. This was on December 19th, 1799.”</p> + +<p>In October, 1862, Lord Brougham added as a +Postscript:</p> + +<p>“I have just been copying out from my Journal +the account of this strange dream. <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">Certissima +mortis imago!</i> And now to finish the story +begun about sixty years ago: Soon after my return +to Edinborough there arrived a letter from +India announcing G——’s death, and stating +that he died on December 19th.”</p> + +<p>Lord Brougham attempts to account for this +vision by stating that it was probably a dream. +But this is negatived by the fact that he was so +startled by it as to scramble out of the bath in +a great hurry—which would not be at all likely +had it been a dream—for, as we know, nothing +surprises us in dreams, or seems unlikely. And +even granting that it were a dream, we still have +the <em>coincidence</em> to account for. <em>Why</em> should +Lord Brougham have dreamed this particular<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> +dream at the very moment his friend died? +That fact has yet to be accounted for.</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_TYRONE_GHOST" id="THE_TYRONE_GHOST"></a>THE TYRONE GHOST</h3> + +<p>This is also known as the Beresford Ghost, +and is one of the most famous cases of its kind +on record. The account, as herein given, is that +supplied by the granddaughter of Lady Beresford, +to whom the experience came; and hence +may be considered as accurate as it can be made. +It furnishes us with a definite example of a +“ghost that touches,” and leaves a permanent +mark of its visit, ever afterwards. Here is the +account:</p> + +<p>“In the month of October, 1693, Sir Tristram +and Lady Beresford went on a visit to her sister, +Lady Macgill, at Gill Hall, now the seat of +Lord Clanwilliam.... One morning Sir Tristram +arose early, leaving Lady Beresford asleep, +and went out for a walk before breakfast. +When his wife joined the table very late, her appearance +and the embarrassment of her manner +attracted general attention, especially that of +her husband. He made anxious inquiries as to +her health, and asked her apart what had happened +to her wrist, which was tied up with black +ribbon tightly bound round it. She earnestly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> +entreated him not to inquire more then, or thereafter, +as to the cause of her wearing or continuing +afterwards to wear that ribbon; ‘for,’ she +added, ‘you will never see me without it.’ He +replied: ‘Since you urge it so vehemently, I +promise you not to inquire more about it.’</p> + +<p>“After completing her hurried breakfast, she +made inquiries as to whether the post had yet +arrived. It had not yet come in, and Sir Tristram +asked: ‘Why are you so particularly +eager about letters to-day?’ ‘Because I expect +to hear of Lord Tyrone’s death, which took place +on Tuesday.’ ‘Well,’ remarked Sir Tristram, +‘I never put you down for a superstitious person, +but I suppose that some idle dream has disturbed +you.’ Shortly after, the servant brought +in the letters; one was sealed with black wax. +‘It is as I expected,’ she cried, ‘he is dead.’ The +letter was from Lord Tyrone’s steward to inform +them that his master had died in Dublin, on +Tuesday, 14 October, at 4 p.m. Sir Tristram +endeavored to console her, and begged her to restrain +her grief, when she assured him that she +felt relieved and easier, now that she knew the +actual fact. She added, ‘I can now give you a +most satisfactory piece of intelligence, <abbr title="namely">viz.</abbr>, that +I am with child, and that it will be a boy.’ A +son was born the following July.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span></p> + +<p>“On her forty-seventh birthday, Lady Beresford +summoned her children to her side, and +said to them: ‘I have something of deep importance +to communicate to you, my dear children, +before I die. You are no strangers to the intimacy +and affection which subsisted in early life +between Lord Tyrone and myself.... We had +made a solemn promise to one another, that +whichever died first should, if permitted, appear +to the other.... One night, years after this +interchange of promises, I was sleeping with +your father at Gill Hall, when I suddenly awoke +and discovered Lord Tyrone sitting visibly by +the side of the bed. I screamed out and vainly +tried to arouse Sir Tristram. “Tell me,” I said, +“Lord Tyrone, why and wherefore are you here +at this time of the night?” “Have you then forgotten +our promises to each other, pledged in +early life? I died on Tuesday, at 4 o’clock. I +have been permitted thus to appear.... I am +also suffered to inform you that you are with +child, and will produce a son, who will marry +an heiress; that Sir Tristram will not live long, +that you will marry again, and you will die in +your forty-seventh year.” I begged from him +some convincing sign or proof so that when the +morning came I might rely upon it, and that it +was not the phantom of my imagination. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> +caused the hangings of the bed to be drawn in +an unusual way and impossible manner through +an iron hook. I still was not satisfied, when he +wrote his signature in my pocketbook. I +wanted, however, more substantial proof of his +visit, when he laid his hand, which was cold as +marble, on my wrist; the sinews shrunk up, the +nerves withered at the touch. “Now,” he said, +“let no mortal eye while you live ever see that +wrist,” and vanished. While I was conversing +with him my thoughts were calm, but as soon +as he disappeared I felt chilled with horror and +dismay, a cold sweat came over me, and I again +endeavored, but vainly, to awaken Sir Tristram; +a flood of tears came to my relief, and I fell +asleep....’</p> + +<p>“That year Lady Beresford died. On her +deathbed, Lady Riverson unbound the black ribbon +and found the wrist exactly as Lady Beresford +had described it—every nerve withered, +every sinew shrunk....”</p> + + +<h3><a name="DEAD_OR_ALIVE" id="DEAD_OR_ALIVE"></a>“DEAD OR ALIVE”</h3> + +<p>In the following case the ghost kept its promise +to appear—doing so, to all appearances, in +spite of great obstacles. The incident is reported +in Mr. W. T. Stead’s <cite>Real Ghost Stories</cite>, +pp. 205-8:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span></p> + +<p>“The following incident occurred to me some +years ago, and all the details can be substantiated. +The date was August 26, 1867, at midnight. +I was then residing in the neighborhood +of Hull, and held an appointment under the +crown which necessitated my repairing thither +every day for a few hours duty. My berth was +almost a sinecure; and I had for some time been +engaged to a young north country heiress, it being +understood that on our marriage I should +take her name and ‘stand for the county’ or +rather for one of its divisions.</p> + +<p>“For her sake I had to break off a love affair, +not of the most reputable order, with a girl in +Hull. I will call her Louise. She was young, +beautiful, and devoted to me. On the night of +the 26th of August we took our last walk together, +and a few minutes before midnight +paused on a wooden bridge running across a +kind of canal, locally termed a ‘drain.’ We +paused on the bridge, listening to the swirling +of the current against the wooden piles, and +waiting for the stroke of midnight to part forever. +In the few minutes interval she repeated +<i lang="it" xml:lang="it">sotto voce</i>, Longfellow’s ‘Bridge,’ the words of +which, ‘I stood on the bridge at midnight,’ +seemed terribly appropriate. After nearly twenty-five +years I can never hear that piece recited<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> +without feeling a deadly chill, and the whole +scene of two souls in agony again rising before +me. Well! Midnight struck and we parted; +but Louise said: ‘Grant me one favor, the only +one that I shall ever ask you on this earth; +promise to meet me here twelve months from to-night +at this same hour.’ I demurred at first, +thinking it would be bad for both of us, and +only re-open partially-healed wounds. At last, +however, I consented, saying, ‘Well, I will come +if I am alive.’ But she said, ‘Say alive or dead.’ +I said, ‘Very well, then, we will meet, dead or +alive.’</p> + +<p>“The next year I was on the spot a few minutes +before the time; and, punctual to the stroke +of midnight, Louise arrived. By this time I had +begun to regret the arrangement I had made; +but it was of too solemn a nature to put aside. +I therefore kept the appointment; but said that +I did not care to renew the compact. Louise, +however, persuaded me to renew it for one more +year; and I consented, much against my will; +and we again left each other, repeating the same +formula, ‘Dead or Alive.’</p> + +<p>“The next year after passed rapidly until the +first week in July, when I was shot dangerously +in the thigh by a fisherman named Thomas Piles, +of Hull, a reputed smuggler. A party of four<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> +of us had hired his ten-ton yawl to go yachting +round the Yorkshire coast, and amuse ourselves +by shooting sea-birds amongst the millions of +them at Flamborough Head. The third or +fourth day out I was shot in the right thigh by +the skipper Piles; and the day after, one and a +quarter ounce of number 2 shot were cut out +therefrom by the coastguard surgeon at Bridlington +Quay (whose name I forget for the moment), +assisted by Dr. Alexander Mackey, at +the Black Lion hotel. The affair was in all the +papers at the time, about a column of it appearing +in the <cite>Eastern Morning News</cite>, of Hull.</p> + +<p>“As soon as I was able to be removed (two or +three weeks) I was taken home, where Dr. Melburne +King, of Hull, attended me. The day—and +the night—(the 26th of August) came. I +was then unable to walk without crutches, and +that for only a short distance, so had to be +wheeled about in a Bath chair. The distance to +the trysting place being rather long, and the +time and the circumstances being very peculiar, +I did not avail myself of the services of my usual +attendant, but specially retained an old servant +of the family, who frequently did confidential +commissions for me, and who knew Miss +Louise well. We set forth ‘without beat of +drum’ and arrived at the bridge about a few<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> +minutes to midnight. I remember that it was a +brilliant starlight night, but I do not think that +there was any moon—at all events, at that hour. +‘Old Bob,’ as he was always affectionately called, +wheeled me to the bridge, helped me out of the +Bath chair, and gave me my crutch. I walked +on to the bridge, and leaned my back against +the white painted rail top, then lighted my briar-root, +and had a comfortable smoke.</p> + +<p>“I was very much annoyed that I had allowed +myself to be persuaded to come a second +time, and determined to tell Louise positively +that this should be our last meeting. Besides, +<em>now</em>, I did not consider it fair to Miss K., with +whom I was again ‘negotiating.’ So, if anything, +it was in rather a sulky frame of mind +that I awaited Louise. Just as the quarters before +the hour began to chime I distinctly heard +the ‘clink, clink’ of the little brass heels, which +she always wore, sounding on the long flagged +causeway, leading for 200 yards up to the bridge. +As she got nearer, I could see her pass lamp after +lamp in rapid succession, while the strokes +of the large clock at Hull resounded through +the stilly night.</p> + +<p>“At last the patter, patter of the tiny feet +sounded on the woodwork of the bridge, and I +saw her distinctly pass under the lamp at my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> +side. When she got close to me I saw that she +had neither hat nor cape on, and concluded that +she had taken a cab at the further end of the +flagged causeway, and (it being a very warm +night) had left her wraps in the cab, and, for +purposes of effect, had come the short distance +in evening dress.</p> + +<p>“‘Clink, clink,’ went the brass heels, and she +seemed about passing me, when I suddenly, +urged by an impulse of affection, stretched out +my arms to receive her. She passed <em>through</em> +them, intangible, impalpable, and as she looked +at me I distinctly saw her lips move, and form +the words ‘Dead or Alive.’ I even heard the +words, but not with my outward ears, with +something else, some other sense—what, I know +not. I felt startled, surprised, but not afraid, +until a moment afterwards, when I <em>felt</em>, but +could not see, some other presence following her. +I could <em>feel</em>, though I could not <em>hear</em>, the heavy, +clumsy thud of feet following her; and my blood +seemed turned to ice. Recovering myself with +an effort, I shouted out to Old Bob, who was +safely ensconsed with the Bath chair in a nook +out of sight round the corner: ‘Bob, who passed +you just now?’ In an instant the old Yorkshire-man +was by my side. ‘Ne’er a one passed me, +sir.’ ‘Nonsense, Bob,’ I replied, ‘I told you that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> +I was coming to meet Miss Louise, and she just +passed me on the bridge, and <em>must</em> have passed +you, because there is no where else she <em>could</em> go. +You don’t mean to tell me you didn’t see her?’ +The old man replied solemnly: ‘Maister Rob, +there’s something uncanny about it. I heered +her come on the bridge, and off it, and I knaw +them clickety heels onywhere! but I’m domned, +sir, if she passed me! I’m thinking we’d better +gang.’ And ‘gang’ we did; and it was the small +hours of the morning (getting daylight) before +we left off talking over the affair, and went to +bed.</p> + +<p>“The next day I made inquiries from Louise’s +family about her, and ascertained that she had +died in Liverpool three months previously, being +apparently delirious for a few hours before her +death, and, our parting compact evidently +weighing on her mind, as she kept repeating, +‘Dead or Alive—shall I be there?’—to the utter +bewilderment of her friends, who could not divine +her meaning—being, of course, entirely unaware +of our agreement.”</p> + +<hr class="l4" /> + +<p>This completes the examples of the so-called +“Pact” cases. In the following example, the +phantasmal form conveyed a piece of information<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> +to the percipient which he could not well +have known by any normal means.</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_SCRATCH_ON_THE_CHEEK" id="THE_SCRATCH_ON_THE_CHEEK"></a>THE SCRATCH ON THE CHEEK</h3> + +<p>The case appeared in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of the +Amer. S. P. R., and the high character of the +witnesses was vouched for by Dr. Hodgson and +Prof. Royce. It is to the following effect:</p> + +<p class="right"> +“<i>January 11, 1888.</i><br /> +</p> + +<p>“Sir: Replying to your recently published +request for actual occurrences of psychical phenomena, +I respectively submit the following remarkable +occurrence to the consideration of +your distinguished Society, with the assurance +that the event made a more powerful impression +upon my mind than the combined incidents of +my whole life.... I was never in better health +or possessed a clearer head and mind than at the +time the incident occurred.</p> + +<p>“In 1867, my only sister, a young lady of +eighteen years, died suddenly of cholera, in St. +Louis, Mo. My attachment for her was very +strong, and the blow a severe one to me. A +year or so after her death, I became a commercial +traveller, and it was in 1876, while on one +of my Western trips that the event occurred.</p> + +<p>“I had ‘drummed’ the city of St. Joseph, Mo.,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> +and had gone to my room at the Pacific House +to send in my orders, which were unusually +large ones, so that I was in a very happy frame +of mind indeed. My thoughts, of course, were +about these orders, knowing how pleased my +house would be at my success. I had not been +thinking of my late sister, or in any manner reflecting +on the past. The hour was high noon, +and the sun was shining cheerfully into my +room. While busy smoking a cigar, and writing +out my orders, I suddenly became conscious +that some one was sitting on my left, with one +arm resting on the table. Quick as a flash I +turned, and distinctly saw the form of my dead +sister, and for a brief second or two looked her +squarely in the face; and so sure was I that it +was she, that I sprang forward in delight, calling +her by name, and, as I did so, the apparition +instantly vanished. Naturally I was startled +and dumbfounded, almost doubting my senses; +but the cigar in my mouth, and pen in hand, +with the ink still moist on my letter, I satisfied +myself I had not been dreaming and was still +awake. I was near enough to touch her, had it +been a physical possibility, and noted her features, +expression, and details of dress, etc. She +appeared as if alive. Her eyes looked kindly +and perfectly naturally into mine. Her skin<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> +was so perfectly life-like that I could see the +glow or moisture in the surface, and, on the +whole there was no change in her appearance, +otherwise than when alive.</p> + +<p>“Now comes the most remarkable confirmation +of my statement, which cannot be doubted by +those who know what I state actually occurred. +This visitation, or whatever you may call it, +so impressed me that I took the next train +home, and in the presence of my parents and +others I related what had occurred. My father, +a man of rare good sense and very practical, was +inclined to ridicule me, as he saw how earnestly +I believed what I stated; but he, too, was +amazed when later on I told them of a bright +red line or <em>scratch</em> on the right-hand side of +my sister’s face, which I distinctly had seen. +When I mentioned this my mother rose trembling +to her feet and nearly fainted away, and as +soon as she had sufficiently recovered her self-possession, +with tears streaming down her face, +she exclaimed that I had indeed seen my sister, +as no living mortal but herself was aware of +that scratch, which she had actually made while +doing some little act of kindness after my sister’s +death. She said she well remembered how +pained she was to think she should have, unintentionally, +marred the features of her dead<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> +daughter, and that, unknown to all, she had +carefully obliterated all traces of the slight +scratch with the aid of powder, etc., and that she +had never mentioned it to a human being, from +that day to this.... Yet I saw the scratch +as bright as if just made....”</p> + +<p>[Confirmatory statements were obtained from +the narrator’s father and brother; his mother +having died in the interval.]</p> + + +<h3><a name="A_GHOST_IN_HAMPTON_COURT" id="A_GHOST_IN_HAMPTON_COURT"></a>A GHOST IN HAMPTON COURT</h3> + +<p>Miss X. (Mrs. Hans Spoer) relates the following +interesting case, as occurring to herself, +on a visit to the well-known Hampton Court. +(<cite>Essays in Psychical Research</cite>, pp. 31-34):</p> + +<p>“I recently found myself the guest of a lady +occupying a pleasant suite of rooms in Hampton +Court Palace. For obvious reasons I cannot +specify the name of my hostess, the exact date of +my visit, or the precise whereabouts of her apartment.</p> + +<p>“Of course I was familiar with the Hampton +Court ghost legend.... I examined the scene +of the occurrences, and was allowed to ask +questions at will. The ghost, I was told, visited +habitually in a dozen different rooms—not, however, +in the bright, dainty drawing room in +which we were chatting, and where it was difficult<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> +to believe that we were discussing recent +history.</p> + +<p>“As a matter of fact, it was very recent, indeed. +But a few nights earlier, in a certain +small but cheerful bedroom, a little girl had +been awakened out of her sleep by a visitant so +dramatic that I wondered whether the child had +possibly gone to sleep again, after her original +fright, and dreamed the later and more sensational +part of the story.</p> + +<p>“My room was quaintly pretty, but somewhat +peculiar in arrangement, and lighted only from +the roof. I have seen ‘ghosts’ before, have slept +for months together in haunted houses; and, +though I find such visitants somewhat exciting, +I cannot say that my prospects for the night +filled me with any degree of apprehension.</p> + +<p>“At dinner and during the evening ghostly +topics were avoided; there were other guests, +and music and chat occupied us till 11 o’clock, +when my hostess accompanied me to my room. +I asked various questions as to my neighbours +above and below, and the exact position of other +members of the household, with a view to knowing +how to interpret any sounds which might +occur. About a third of the ceiling of my room +was skylight; the servant’s bedroom being situated +over the remainder. Two sides of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> +room were bounded by a corridor, into which it +opened; a third of the wall by the state apartments, +while the fourth opened by folding doors +upon a room for the time unoccupied (except by +a cat, asleep upon a chair) out of which there +opened a door, leading by a secret passage to +the bank of the river.</p> + +<p>“I ascertained that the folding doors were +locked; moreover, a heavy table stood against +them on the outer side, and a wardrobe on the +inner. The bedstead was a small one, without +curtains; indeed, the room contained no hangings +whatever. The door into the room opened +so nearly to the head of my bed that there was +space only for a small table, upon which I took +care to place two long candles, and a plentiful +supply of matches, being somewhat addicted to +late and early reading.</p> + +<p>“I was tired, but a sense of duty demanded +that I should not sleep through the ‘witching +hours,’ so I sat up in bed, and gave my best attention +to Lord Farrer’s problem, ‘Shall We Degrade +our Standard of Value?’ in the current +number of the <cite>National Review</cite>, and, on the +principle of always trying to see both sides of a +question, thought of several reasons why we +should not, with the author, come to a negative +conclusion. The matter did not, however, excite<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> +me to the pitch of wakefulness; and when I finished +the article, as the clock struck half-past +one, I considered myself absolved from further +responsibility, put out my lights, and was asleep +before the next quarter sounded.</p> + +<p>“Nearly three hours later I was suddenly +awakened from dreamless slumber by the sound +of the opening of a door against which some +piece of furniture was standing, in, as it seemed, +the empty room to my right. I remembered the +cat, and tried to conceive by what kind of ‘rampaging’ +she could contrive to be so noisy. A +minute later there followed a thud apparently +on <em>this</em> side of the folding doors, and too heavy +for even the prize animals of my home circle, +not to speak of a mongrel stray, newly adopted +and not yet doing credit to her keep! ‘A dress +fallen in the wardrobe,’ was my next thought, +and I stretched out my hand for the match-box, +as a preliminary to enquiry.</p> + +<p>“I did not reach the matches. It seemed to +me that a restraining hand was laid upon mine; +I withdrew it quickly, and gazed around me in +the darkness. Some minutes passed in blackness +and silence. I had the sensation of a presence +in the room, and finally, mindful of the tradition +that a ghost should be spoken to, I said +gently: ‘Is anyone there? Can I do anything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> +for you?’ I remembered that the last person +who entertained the ghost had said: ‘Go away, +I don’t want you!’ and I hoped that my visitor +would admire my better manners and be responsive. +However, there was no answer—no sound +of any kind; and returning to my theory of the +cat and the fallen dress, though nevertheless so +far influenced by the recollection of those detaining +fingers as not to attempt to strike a light, I +rose and walked round my bed, keeping the right +hand on the edge of the bedstead, while, with my +left arm extended, I swept the surrounding +space. As the room is small, I thus fairly well +satisfied myself that it contained nothing unusual.</p> + +<p>“I was, though somewhat perplexed, about to +grant myself license to go to sleep again, when +in the darkness before me there began to glow a +soft light. I watched it increase in brightness +and in extent. It seemed to radiate from a central +point, which gradually took form and became +a tall, slight woman, moving slowly across +the room from the folding doors on my right. +As she passed the foot of my bed I felt a slight +vibration of the spring mattress. At the further +corner she stopped, so that I had time to observe +her profile and general appearance. Her +face was insipidly pretty; that of a woman from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> +thirty to thirty-five years of age, her figure +slight, her dress of a soft dark material, having +a full skirt and broad sash or soft waist-band +tied high up, almost under her arms, a crossed +or draped ‘kerchief over the shoulders, sleeves +which I noticed fitted very tight below the elbow, +and hair which was dressed so as not to lie +flat to the head, either in curls or bows, I could +not tell which. As she appeared to stand between +me and the light, I cannot speak with any +certainty as to the color, but the dress, though +dark, was, I think, not black. In spite of all +this definiteness, I was, of course, conscious +that the figure was unsubstantial, and I felt +guilty of absurdity in asking once more: ‘Will +you let me help you? Can I be of use to you?’</p> + +<p>“My voice sounded preternaturally loud, but +I felt no surprise at noticing that it produced +no effect upon my visitor. She stood still for +perhaps two minutes—though it is very difficult +to estimate time on such occasions. She then +raised her hands, which were long and white, +and held them before her as she sank upon her +knees and slowly buried the face in her palms, +in the attitude of prayer—when, quite suddenly, +the light went out, and I was alone in the darkness.</p> + +<p>“I felt that the scene was ended, the curtain<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> +down, and had no hesitation in lighting the candle +at my side.</p> + +<p>“I tried to examine the impression the vision +conveyed. I felt that it was definitely that of +reproach, yet of gentle resignation. There was +no force, no passion; I had seen a meek, sad woman +who had succumbed. I began to turn over +in my mind the illustrious names of former occupants +of the chamber. I fixed on one—a bad +man of the worst kind, a mad fool of that time +of wickedness and folly, the Regency—I thought +of the secret passage in the next room, and began +to weave an elaborate romance.</p> + +<p>“‘This will not do here and now,’ I reflected, +as the clock struck four; and, as an act of mental +discipline, I returned to my <cite>National Review</cite>.... +I turned to Mr. Myers’ article on +‘The Drift of Psychical Research,’ which I had +already seen. I read:</p> + +<p>“‘... Where telepathy operates, many intelligences +may affect our own. Some of these +are the minds of living persons, but some appear +to be discarnate, to be spirits like ourselves, but +released from the body, although still retaining +much of the personality of earth. These spirits +appear still to have some knowledge of our +world, and to be in certain ways able to affect +it.’</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Here was, so to speak, the text of my illustration. +I had quite enough to think about—more +than I needed for that occasion. I never +heard the clock strike five!</p> + +<hr class="l3" /> + +<p>“Let us try to examine this, a type of many +ghost stories.</p> + +<p>“Elsewhere I have classified visions of persons, +whether seen in the crystal or otherwise, +as:</p> + +<p>“1. Visions of the living, clairvoyant or telepathic, +usually accompanied by their own background, +or adapting themselves to mine.</p> + +<p>“2. Visions of the departed, having no obvious +relations to time and space.</p> + +<p>“3. Visions which are more or less of the nature +of pictures, such as those which I voluntarily +produce in the crystal from memory or imagination, +or which appear in the background of +real persons as illustrative of their thoughts of +history. This is very often the case when an impression +reaches me in visual form from the +mind of a friend who, it may be, imperfectly remembers +or is imperfectly informed as to the +form and color of the picture his mind conveys.</p> + +<p>“Again I emphasize the fact that I am speculating, +not dogmatizing—that I am speaking +from internal evidence, with no possibility of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span> +corroboration, and that I am perfectly aware +that each reader must take this for what it +seems to him worth. Such being the case, I venture +to classify the vision under Class III. +Again, to borrow from Mr. Myers, I believe that +what I saw may have been a <em>telepathic impression +of the dreams</em> (or I should prefer to say +‘<em>thoughts</em>’) <em>of the dead</em>. If what I saw were +indeed veridical or truth-telling—if my readers +will agree to admit that what I saw was no mere +illusion, or morbid hallucination, or imagination +(taking the word in its commonly-accepted +sense)—then I believe that my visitor was not +a departed spirit, such as it has before now, +perhaps, been my privilege to meet, but rather +an image as such—just as the figure which, it +may be, sits at my dining table is not <em>really</em> the +friend whose visit a few hours later it announces, +but only a representation of him, having +no objective existence apart from the truth +of the information it conveys—a thought which +is personal to the brain which thinks it.</p> + +<p>“I have already said that, preconceived notions +apart, I had no impression of reality. I +recognized that what I saw and felt was an externalization +of impressions unconsciously received, +possibly from some discarnate mind....”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="HALF-PAST_ONE_OCLOCK" id="HALF-PAST_ONE_OCLOCK"></a>HALF-PAST ONE O’CLOCK</h3> + +<p>The following case is in many ways classical. +Mrs. Claughton, to whom the experience came, +was a widowed lady, living in good social circles. +The full account of her experience is to be found +in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of the Society for Psychical +Research (Vol. XI., pp. 547-59), and contains +statements and personal investigations by Dr. +Ferrier, Andrew Lang, Mr. Myers and the Marquis +of Bute as well as corroborative testimony +from the Clerk at Meresby, Mrs. Claughton’s +governess, copies of letters, diaries, memoranda, +etc. The whole case is very complicated and impressive; +and embodies a combination of apparent +spirit communication, clairvoyance, telepathy, +precognition, apparitions, and supernormal +dreams. The chief and most interesting account +is the statement made by Mrs. Claughton +to the Marquis of Bute, and recorded by him as +follows:</p> + +<p>“She was staying in 1893 with her two children +at 6 Blake St., a house belonging to Mrs. +Appleby, daughter of the late Mrs. Blackburn +... but let to Mrs. Buckley. She had heard +the house was haunted, and may have heard that +the ghost was Mrs. Blackburn’s. She had been +told also that water was spilt on the floors inexplicably.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> +They arrived on October 4th. About +1.15 a.m., Monday, October 9th, Mrs. Claughton +was in bed with one of her children, the other +sleeping in the room. Mrs. Claughton had offered +to be of any use she could to Miss Buckley, +who had arrived from London on the Saturday, +not feeling very well. She had been asleep, and +was awakened by the footsteps of a person coming +downstairs, whom she supposed to be a servant +coming to call her. The steps stopped at +the door. The sounds were repeated twice more +at the interval of a few moments. Mrs. Claughton +rose, lit the candle, and opened the door. +There was no one there. She noticed the clock +outside pointed to 1.20 a.m. She shut the door, +got into bed, read, and, leaving the candle burning, +went to sleep. Woke up, finding the candle +spluttering out. Heard a sound like a sigh. +Saw a woman standing by the bed. She had a +soft white shawl round the shoulders, held by +the right hand towards the left shoulder, bending +slightly forwards. Mrs. Claughton thinks +the hair was lightish brown, and the shawl +partly over the head, but does not remember +distinctly, and has no impression of the rest of +the dress; it was not grave-clothes. She said: +‘Follow me.’ Mrs. Claughton rose, took the candle, +and followed her out of the room, across the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> +passage, and into the drawing-room. She had +no recollection as to the opening of the doors. +The house maid next day declared that the drawing-room +door had been locked by her. On entering +the drawing-room, Mrs. Claughton, finding +the candle on the point of extinction, replaced +it by a pink one from the chiffonier near +the door. The figure nearly at the end of the +room, turned three-quarters round, said ‘to-morrow,’ +and disappeared. Mrs. Claughton returned +to the bedroom, where she found her +elder child (not the one in the bed) sitting up. +It asked: ‘Who is the lady in white?’ Mrs. +Claughton thinks she answered the child: ‘It’s +only me—mother; go to sleep,’ or the like words, +and hushed her to sleep in her arms. The baby +remained fast asleep. She lit the gas and remained +awake for some two hours, then put out +the lights and went to sleep. Had no fear while +seeing the figure, but was upset after seeing it. +Would not be prepared to swear that she might +not have walked in her sleep. Pink candle, +partly burned, in her room in morning. Does +not know if she took it burnt or new.</p> + +<p>“In the morning she spoke to Mr. Buckley, on +whose advice she went to ask Dr. Ferrier as to +the figure about 3 p.m. He and his wife said the +description was like that of Mrs. Blackburn,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> +whom Mrs. Claughton already suspected it to +be. Thinks Dr. Ferrier already told her that +Miss Blackburn (Mrs. Appleby) had seen her +mother in the same house. Mrs. Claughton cannot +recognize the photograph of Mrs. Blackburn +shown to her by Mr. Y. (who got it from Mrs. +M.). She says the figure seemed smaller, and +the features were more pinched and attenuated, +like those of a person in the last stages of consumption, +which was also the general appearance. +By his advice, Mr. Buckley put an electric +bell under Mrs. Claughton’s pillow, communicating +with Miss Buckley’s room, as Mrs. +Claughton determined to sit up that night and +watch.</p> + +<p>“That night Mrs. Claughton sat up dressed, +with the gas burning. About 12 she partly undressed, +put on a dressing gown, and lay down +outside the bed, gas still burning, and fell +asleep reading. Woke up and found the same +woman as before, but the expression even more +agitated. She bent over Mrs. Claughton and +said: ‘I have come, listen.’ She then made a +certain statement and asked Mrs. Claughton to +do certain things. Mrs. Claughton said: ‘Am I +dreaming, or is it true?’ The figure said something +like: ‘If you doubt me, you will find that +the date of my marriage was * * *.’ (This was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> +the date of the marriage, which took place in +India, of Mrs. Blackburn to Mr. Blackburn, who +is alive and married again. Mrs. Claughton +first learned the corroboration of the date from +Dr. Ferrier on the following Thursday). After +this Mrs. Claughton saw a man standing on +Mrs. B.’s left hand—tall, dark, well made, +healthy, sixty years old, or more, ordinary man’s +day clothes, kind, good expression. A conversation +ensued between the three, in course of +which man stated himself to be George Howard, +buried in Meresby Churchyard (Mrs. Claughton +had never heard of Meresby or of George +Howard) and gave the date of his marriage * * * +and death * * *. [Entries of these dates seen by +me in Mrs. Claughton’s pocketbook, as torn out +and lent to me. F. W. H. Myers.] He desired Mrs. +Claughton to go to Meresby and verify these +dates in the registration, and, if found correct, +to go to the church at the ensuing 1.15 a.m. and +wait at the grave therein (S. W. corner of S. +aisle) of Richard Hart, died * * *, ætat * * *. +She was to verify this reference also in the registers. +He said her railway ticket would not be +taken, and she was to send it along with a white +rose from his grave to Dr. Ferrier. Forbade her +having any previous communication with the +place, or going in her own name. Said Joseph<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> +Wright, a dark man, to whom she should describe +him, would help her. That she would +lodge with a woman who would tell her that she +had a child (drowned) buried in the same +churchyard. When Mrs. Claughton had done all +this, she should hear the rest of the history. +Towards the end of the conversation, Mrs. +Claughton saw a third phantom, that of a man +whose name she is not free to give, in great trouble, +standing, with hands on face (which he afterwards +lowered, showing face) behind Mrs. +Blackburn’s right. The three disappeared. +Mrs. Claughton rose and went to the door to +look out at the clock, but was seized with +faintness, returned and rang the electric bell. +Mr. Buckley found her on the ground. She was +able to ask the time, which was about 1.20 a.m. +Then fainted, and the Buckleys undressed her +and put her to bed.</p> + +<p>“That morning, Tuesday, Mrs. Claughton sent +for Dr. Ferrier, who corroborated certain matters +so far as she asked him, and ascertained for +her the date of Mrs. Blackburn’s marriage (she +received his note of the date on Thursday). She +went to the Post Office, and found that Meresby +existed. Returned, and ascertained that it was +in Suffolk, and so wrote that evening to Dr. +Ferrier, and went to London with her daughters +that (Thursday) evening.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Friday night, Mrs. Claughton dreamt that +she arrived at 5, after dusk, that a fair was going +on, and that she had to go to place after +place to get lodgings. Also, she and her eldest +daughter dreamt that she would fail if she did +not go alone. Went to Station for 12 noon train +on Saturday. Went to refreshment room for +luncheon, telling porter to call her in time. He +went by mistake to waiting room, and she +missed train and had to wait (going to the +British Museum, where she wrote her name in +Jewel room) until 3.5, as stated. House where +she finally found lodgings was that of Joseph +Wright, who turned out to be the parish clerk. +She sent for the curate by porter, to ask as to +consulting registers, but as he was dining out +he did not come till after she had gone to bed. +Sunday morning, Mrs. Wright spoke to her +about the drowned child buried in the churchyard. +Went to forenoon service, and immediately +afterwards went into vestry and verified +the registers; described George Howard to Joseph +Wright, who had known him and recognized +description; then was taken by Joseph Wright +to the graves of Richard Hart and George Howard. +On the latter there is no stone, but three +mounds surrounded by a railing overgrown with +white roses. She gathered rose for Dr. Ferrier,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> +as had been directed. Walked and talked with +curate, who was not sympathetic. After luncheon +went with Mrs. Wright and walked round +Howard’s house (country house in park). Attended +evening service, and afterwards, while, +watching the lights put out and the church furniture +covered up, wondered if she would have +the nerve to go on. Back to supper; afterwards +slept and had dream of a terrorizing character, +whereof has full written description. Dark +night, hardly any moon, a few stars. To church +with Joseph Wright at 1 a.m., with whom +searched interior and found it empty. At 1.20 +a.m. was locked in alone, having no light; had +been told to take Bible, but had only church-service, +which she had left in vestry in the morning. +Waited near grave of Richard Hart; felt +no fear. Received communication, but does not +feel free to give any detail; no light. History +begun at Blake street then completed. Was directed +to take another white rose from George +Howard’s grave and gathered rose for Miss Howard, +as had been directed. Home and bed, and +slept well for the first time since first seeing +Mrs. Blackburn.</p> + +<p>“Next day went and sketched church and +identified grave of Mrs. Rose, on whose grave, +she had been told in church, she would find a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> +message for herself. The words engraved were +* * *.</p> + +<p>“Then called on Miss Howard and recognized +strong likeness to her father. Carried out all +things desired by the dead to the full, as had +been requested. Has had no communication +from any of them since. Nothing since has appeared +in Blake street. The wishes expressed to +her were not illogical or unreasonable, as the +ratiocination of dreams often appears, but perfectly +rational, reasonable, and of natural importance.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="MY_OWN_TRUE_GHOST_STORY" id="MY_OWN_TRUE_GHOST_STORY"></a>MY OWN TRUE GHOST STORY</h3> + +<p>The following narrative was told to me by a +very well-known artist; who maintains the strict +accuracy of every word in his account, as given +below:</p> + +<p>“I had been living in Paris for some months +when I decided to change my quarters, and move +into a studio more in keeping with my present +allowance. After a brief search, I saw one +which exactly suited me. It was a large room, +at the end of a long, dark rambling passage, +with doors leading into other studios on either +side all the way down. As my neighbours<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> +turned out to be a very jolly, happy crew, I +liked the life immensely, and everything promised +well for the new abode.</p> + +<p>“I had been there for, perhaps, two weeks +when I had my first ‘ghostly’ adventure. I had +been out rather late, having had late supper, +and perhaps a little too much wine for my best +health. At the same time, I was absolutely sober, +and in full possession of all my senses. I +felt a little happy and convivial—that was all.</p> + +<p>“Walking along the passage, I was approaching +my door when I distinctly heard the rustle +of a silk skirt walking down the passage ahead +of me. As the hallway was dark, I could not see +whether or not the girl was just in front of me, +or some distance away. It never for a moment +struck me that it was not a flesh-and-blood visitant. +My only thought was: One of the boys +has been having a little supper, and this must +be one of his visitors going home. I called +aloud: ‘Mayn’t I strike a light and show you +the way along this dark hall?’ And, suiting the +action to the word, I struck a match, and held it +up over my head. Nothing was visible! I +peered into vacancy; no female figure could I see. +I listened for the sound of steps, or the swish of +a silken petticoat; but not a sound could I hear. +I walked along the passage; not a sign of life<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> +was anywhere manifest. Everything was dark, +lonely and deserted.</p> + +<p>“I came to the conclusion that I must have +been deceived; and thought no more about it. +I went to bed and to sleep.</p> + +<p>“It was, perhaps, two nights later when the +same thing occurred. Coming home, about 10 +o’clock at night, I heard the same swish of the +skirt; the same soft, feminine footsteps. This +time the hall was light, and I could <em>see</em> that no +one was there. I recalled the incident of the +other evening, and a cold chill began to creep +up my backbone. I entered my room, however, +lit the lamp, leaving my door open. ‘Now,’ +thought I, ‘if anyone passes that door again, I +shall surely see them.’ I put on a dressing gown +and a pair of slippers, and sat down to read—facing +the door.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps five minutes had elapsed when I +saw the door very slowly open still further on +its hinges. A moment later I felt in the room a +‘Presence,’ which I distinctly felt to be that of a +young woman, about twenty years of age. So +vivid was the mental picture I formed of this +person that her very features and coloring were +sensed by me—though, of course, I had no means +of knowing whether or not I was right.</p> + +<p>“The Presence glided across the room, and sat<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> +itself upon the edge of my sofa, about three feet +distant from where I sat. I looked at the spot +intently, and felt that the eyes of my invisible +visitor were upon me, regarding me intently, as +though studying my character to the best of her +ability. She had a comfortable sort of feeling +about her, which made me seem at once at home +with her; so that, without further ceremony, I +said to the Presence: ‘Pray make yourself at +home. If I can do anything for you, let me +know.’</p> + +<p>“I waited, but of course there was no response. +Only I thought I caught again the +faintest rustle of silk, as the figure seated itself +in a more comfortable position. I put down my +book, and began to paint. The feeling of loneliness, +which I had experienced ever since my +removal into the new studio, vanished immediately. +I felt that a living, human—if invisible—being +was with me, watching my work and +keeping me company during the long hours of +discouragement and unproductive effort.</p> + +<p>“Several times, during the course of the evening, +I spoke to the Presence; but received no +reply. Only I felt its proximity, and knew when +the figure changed its position, as it did once or +twice. Once it came over and stood by my side, +as though looking at the canvas, and criticising<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> +it with me. Then it went back to its seat at the +end of the sofa.</p> + +<p>“Bed time came. I felt almost abashed to go +to bed with this feminine presence in the room! +However, as there was nothing left for me to do, +I undressed, got into bed, and blew out the +light. The Presence came over and sat on the +side of my bed. When I went to sleep, it was +still sitting there.</p> + +<p>“The next morning it had gone. I felt inexpressibly +lonely. I missed the Presence, whom +I now began to call ‘Her’ instead of ‘It,’ and +wished she would return and keep me company! +It did not do so, however, until the following +evening, when, about nine o’clock, I again felt +her approach, felt her entrance through my studio +door, and felt her seat herself in my easy +chair, and turn her eyes upon me. I knew that +she was regarding me intently—perhaps critically—and +I felt almost angry that I, in turn, +could not see her. I gazed at the chair <em>determined</em> +to see her; but nothing save empty space +met my gaze! With a gesture of impatience and +irritation, I turned away, and went on with my +painting.</p> + +<p>“Presently, I was aware that She was standing +beside me, examining the painting upon the +easel. ‘Well, do you like it?’ I said almost caustically.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> +The Presence immediately returned and +sat in the chair, and I knew that I had offended +Her. I threw my brush and pallet aside and +apologized. So she came and stood by me again; +and again she remained with me until I closed +my eyes in sleep.</p> + +<p>“This sort of thing went on for several weeks. +Every evening the Presence visited me, kept me +company, making the day seem long and dreary +until she came. I waited for her appearance +with growing impatience. I could never see or +feel anything; my spoken words brought no response; +yet there she was; and I felt just as assured +of the presence, in my studio, of a feminine +spiritual being as of my own existence. +Every evening the Presence was with me when I +went to sleep; every morning it had vanished. +The sense of friendliness and companionship was +complete and unmistakable.</p> + +<p>“One evening my visitor failed to appear! I +could do no work; I paced the floor, I could do +nothing, think of nothing! The sense of desolation +and loneliness was absolute. I hardly +realized, until then, how completely I had grown +accustomed to the presence of my invisible visitor. +I missed her more than I ever dreamed I +could miss anyone in life. Forlorn and forsaken, +I went to bed, and finally dropped into a +fitful and broken sleep.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span></p> + +<p>“For about a week things went on in this +way. I had grown gradually reconciled to my +lonely life, and was painting hard for an exhibition +which was near at hand. One evening I +came into the studio, and I found the Presence +waiting for me—seated in the easy chair, by the +fire.</p> + +<p>“I felt my heart and whole being give a throb +of joy and recognition—just as it would at the +sight of an old and very dear friend. I knew +how much I had missed her! I knew that She +had risen, and was standing, facing me, as I entered. +Before I had time to check myself, or +think what I was doing, I had rushed forward, +crying ‘Dearest,’ with outstretched arms, and +had embraced the spot where I knew her to be +standing! I grasped the empty air, but I somehow +felt two hands placed upon my shoulders, +and the imprint of a delicate kiss upon my lips.</p> + +<p>“I no longer felt lonely. I whistled, I sang, I +took off my coat, and, donning jacket and slippers, +set to work with joy upon my picture. I +painted hard, and all the while the Presence +stood by me, criticising—approving or disapproving—and +in every instance I felt Her criticism +and judgment to be right.</p> + +<p>“A year went by. I had to give up my studio, +and return to America, on my father’s sudden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> +death. The parting with the Presence I shall +never forget. Had two lovers in the flesh parted +from one another, it could not have been more +real, more touching, more sincere. For my own +part I was heartbroken. The Presence, too, I +knew to be weeping. The parting was long and +sorrowful. Finally, I tore myself away.</p> + +<p>“I have never seen or felt anything from that +day to this. But of the reality and objective existence +of that Presence I am as assured as I +am of any event in my life. No one can tell me +that it was a trick of the imagination—I know +better! She was as real to me as any personality +I have ever known. Yes, the Unreal is +Real, of that I have no doubt whatever. My own +experience with the Ghostly world has proved +that to <em>my</em> satisfaction!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2> + + +<h3><a name="HAUNTED_HOUSES" id="HAUNTED_HOUSES"></a>HAUNTED HOUSES</h3> + +<p>When “phantasms of the dead” constantly appear +in one house, and there only, that house is +said to be “haunted” and, in such a case, the +phantasms seem to be attracted to the <em>locality</em> +more than to the individuals living in it. This +is usually the case in so-called haunted houses; +no matter <em>who</em> lives within them, they one and +all see the spectral forms; but this is not invariably +so. In the case of the “Great Amherst +Mystery,” for example—given below—the haunting +seemed to be associated with the <em>person</em> +more than the <em>house</em>, so that we might be said +to have here a case of a Haunted Man (or Woman). +But this is the exception, not the rule.</p> + +<p>The cases that follow are all well-attested; +and the phenomena have been witnessed by +many persons. The original Reports, for the +most part, have appeared in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of +the S. P. R., and the facts were carefully investigated +at the time, by competent investigators. +The first instance is particularly interesting, because<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span> +of the experiments which were tried to ascertain +the nature of the “ghost,” and if many +more such experiments were conducted, we +might hope, in time, to know something about +them. I shall begin with a carefully recorded +example, which I may call—</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_RECORD_OF_A_HAUNTED_HOUSE" id="THE_RECORD_OF_A_HAUNTED_HOUSE"></a>THE RECORD OF A HAUNTED HOUSE</h3> + +<p>The case of a haunted house here given is very +well authenticated, and corroborated by six +written and signed statements, as well as that +of the original informant. The account originally +appeared in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of the S. P. R., +Vol. VIII., pp. 311-32, and is drawn up by +Miss Morton, a lady of scientific training who +resided for a long time in the house in question. +She was well-known to Mr. Myers, then Hon. +Sec. of the Society. Very interesting experiments +were conducted to test the nature of the +“ghost” as the following brief account will show:</p> + +<p>“My father took the house in March, 1882, +none of us having then heard of anything unusual +about the house. We moved in towards the +end of April, and it was not until the following +June that I first saw the apparition.</p> + +<p>“I had gone up to my room, but was not yet in +bed, when I heard someone at the door, and went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> +to it, thinking it might be my mother. On opening +the door, I saw no one; but on going a few +steps along the passage I saw the figure of a tall +lady, dressed in black, standing at the head of +the stairs. After a few moments she descended +the stairs, and I followed for a short distance, +feeling curious what it could be. I had only a +small piece of candle, and it suddenly burnt itself +out; and, being unable to see more, I went +back to my room.</p> + +<p>“On the night of August 2, the footsteps were +heard by my three sisters and by the cook, all of +whom slept on the top landing—also by my married +sister, Mrs. K., who was sleeping on the +floor below. They all said the next morning that +they had heard them very plainly pass and repass +their doors.... These footsteps are very +characteristic, and are not at all like those of +any people in the house; they are soft and rather +slow, though decided and even. My sisters +would not go out on the landing after hearing +them pass, but each time when I have gone out +after hearing them, I have seen the figure there.</p> + +<p>“On the evening of August 1, we were sitting +in the drawing-room, with the gas lit but the +shutters not shut, the light outside getting dusk—my +brothers and a friend having just given +up tennis, finding it too dark; my elder sister,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> +Mrs. E., and myself both saw the figure on the +balcony outside, looking in at the window. She +stood there some minutes, then walked to the +end and back again, after which she seemed to +disappear. She soon after came into the drawing-room, +when I saw her, but my sister did +not.</p> + +<p>“The apparitions were (always) of exactly +the same type, seen in the same places by the +same people, at varying intervals.</p> + +<p>“The footsteps continued, and were heard by +several visitors and new servants, who had taken +the places of those who had left, as well as by +myself, four sisters and brothers; in all by about +twenty people, many of them not having previously +heard of the apparitions and sounds.</p> + +<p>“Other sounds were also heard in addition +which seemed gradually to increase in intensity. +They consisted in walking up and down on the +second floor landing, of bumps against the doors +of the bedrooms, and of the handles of the doors +turning. The bumps against the doors were so +marked as to terrify a new servant, who had +heard nothing of the haunting, into the belief +that burglars were breaking into her room....</p> + +<p>“During the year, at Mr. Myers’ suggestion, I +kept a photographic camera constantly ready to +try to photograph the figure, but on the few occasions<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> +I was able to do so, I got no result; at +night, usually only by candle light, a long exposure +would be necessary for so dark a figure, +and this I could not obtain.</p> + +<p>“I also tried to communicate with the figure, +constantly speaking to it and asking it to make +signs, if not able to speak, but with no result. +I also tried especially to <em>touch</em> her, but did not +succeed. On cornering her, as I did once or +twice, she vanished.</p> + +<p>“One night, my sister E. went up to her room +on the second story, but as she passed the room +where my two sisters L. and M. were sleeping, +they opened their door to say that they had +heard noises, and also seen what they described +as a <em>flame</em> of a candle, without candle or handle +visible, cross the room diagonally from corner +to corner. Two of the maids opened the +doors of their two bedrooms, and said that they +also heard noises; they all 5 stood at their doors +with their lighted candles for some little time. +They all heard steps walking up and down the +landing between them; as they passed they felt +a sensation which they described as a ‘cold +wind’ though their candles were not blown out. +They saw nothing. The steps then descended the +stairs, re-ascended, again descended, and did not +return....</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span></p> + +<p>“The figure became much less substantial on +its later appearances. Up to about 1886 it was +so solid and life-like that it was often mistaken +for a real person. It gradually became less distinct. +At all times it intercepted the light; we +have not been able to ascertain if it cast a +shadow. I should mention that it has been seen +through window glass, and that I myself wear +glasses habitually, though none of the other percipients +do so. The upper part of the figure always +left a more distinct impression than the +lower, but this may partly be due to the fact +that one naturally looks at people’s faces before +their feet.</p> + + +<h3><a name="PROOFS_OF_IMMATERIALITY" id="PROOFS_OF_IMMATERIALITY"></a>PROOFS OF IMMATERIALITY</h3> + +<p>“1. I have several times fastened fine strings +across the stairs at various heights before going +to bed, but after all others have gone up to their +rooms.... I have twice, at least, seen the +figure pass through the cords, leaving them intact.</p> + +<p>“2. The sudden and complete disappearance +of the figure while still in full view.</p> + +<p>“3. The impossibility of touching the figure....</p> + +<p>“4. It has appeared in a room with the doors +shut.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="CONDUCT_OF_ANIMALS_IN_THE_HOUSE" id="CONDUCT_OF_ANIMALS_IN_THE_HOUSE"></a>CONDUCT OF ANIMALS IN THE HOUSE</h3> + +<p>“We have strong grounds for believing that +the apparition was seen by two dogs.</p> + +<p>“Twice I remember seeing our dog suddenly +run up to the mat at the foot of the stairs in the +hall, wagging his tail, and moving his back in +the way dogs do when expecting to be caressed. +It jumped up, fawning as it would do if a person +was standing there, but suddenly slunk away +with its tail between its legs, and retreated, +trembling, under a sofa. We were all strongly +under the impression that it had seen the figure. +Its action was peculiar, and was much more +striking to an onlooker than it could possibly appear +from a description.</p> + +<p>“In conclusion, as to the feelings aroused by +the presence of the figure, it is very difficult to +describe them; on the first few occasions, I think +the feeling of awe at something unknown, mixed +with a strong desire to know more about it, predominated. +Later, when I was able to analyze +my feelings more closely, and the first novelty +had gone off, I was conscious of a feeling of +<em>loss</em>, as if I had lost power to the figure.</p> + +<p>“Most of the other percipients speak of a feeling +of cold wind, but I myself have not experienced +this....”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="B_HOUSE" id="B_HOUSE"></a>B—— HOUSE</h3> + +<p>This is a very famous case of “Haunting,” +which was investigated by Sir Oliver Lodge, Mr. +F. W. H. Myers, Colonel Taylor (a specialist +on Haunted Houses), Miss X., the Marquis of +Bute, etc. The chief reports of the occurrence +are due to the last three named persons; and +from the Journal kept during their occupancy of +the house the following extracts are made:</p> + + +<p>“<i>February 4, Thursday.</i> I awoke suddenly, +just before 3 a.m. Miss Moore, who had been +lying awake for over two hours, said: ‘I want +you to stay awake and listen.’ Almost immediately +I was startled by a loud clanging sound, +which seemed to resound through the house. +The mental image it brought to my mind was +as of a long metal bar, such as I have seen near +iron-foundries, being struck at intervals with a +wooden mallet. The noise was distinctly that of +metal struck with wood; it seemed to come diagonally +across the house. It sounded very loud, +though distinct, and the idea that any inmate of +the house should not hear it seemed preposterous....</p> + +<p>“I also had an experience this morning which +may have been purely subjective, but which +should be recorded. About 10 a.m., I was writing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> +in the library, face to light, back to fire. +Mrs. W. was in the room, and addressed me +once or twice; but I was aware of not being responsive, +as I was much occupied. I wrote on, +and presently felt a distinct, but gentle push +against my chair. I thought it was the dog, +and looked down, but he was not there. I went +on writing, and in a few minutes felt a push, +firm and decided, against myself which moved +me on my chair. I thought it was Mrs. W——, +who, having spoken and obtained no answer, +was reminding me of her presence. I looked +backward with an exclamation—the room was +empty! She came in presently, and called my +attention to the dog, who was gazing intently +from the hearth-rug at the place where I had +expected (before) to see him....</p> + +<p>“As the day began with the above, and as I +had had a quiet rest, I went to ‘the copse’ at +dusk. The moon was bright, and the twilight +lingered. We waited about in the avenue to let +it get darker, but it was still far from dark. +Then we made our way up to the glen—Miss +Moore, Miss Langton and myself.</p> + +<p>“I saw ‘Ishbel’ and ‘Marget’ in the old spot +across the burn. [Two ‘spirits’ who had been +seen about the house, several times before]. +‘Ishbel’ was on her knees in the attitude of weeping,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> +‘Marget’ apparently reasoning with her in +a low voice, to which ‘Ishbel’ replied very occasionally. +I could not hear what was said from +the noise of the burn. We waited for perhaps +ten or fifteen minutes. They had appeared when +I had been there for three or four. When we +regained the avenue (in silence) Miss Moore +asked Miss Langton, ‘What did you see?’ (She +had been told nothing, except that the Colonel, +who did not know details then, had said in her +presence something about ‘a couple of nuns.’) +She said: ‘I saw nothing, but I heard a low +talking.’ Questioned further, she said it seemed +close behind. The glen is so narrow that this +might be quite consistent with what I heard and +saw. Miss Moore heard a murmuring voice, and +is quite certain it was not the burn. She is less +suggestible than almost any one I know.... +The dog ran up while we were there, pointed, +and ran straight for the two women. He afterwards +left us, and we found him barking in the +glen. He is a dog who hardly ever barks. We +went up among the trees where he was, and +could find no cause....</p> + +<p>“This morning’s phenomenon is the most incomprehensible +I have yet known. I heard the +banging sounds after we were in bed last night. +Early this morning, about 5.30, I was awakened<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> +by them. They continued for nearly an hour. +Then another sound began <em>in</em> the room. It +might have been made by a very lively kitten +jumping and pouncing, or even by a very large +bird; there was a fluttering noise too.<a name="FNanchor_3" id="FNanchor_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> It +was close, exactly opposite the bed. Miss Moore +woke up, and we heard the noise going on till +nearly eight o’clock. I drew up the blinds and +opened the windows wide. I sought all over the +room, looking into cupboards and under furniture. +We cannot guess at any possible explanation....”</p> + +<p>A few weeks later, Miss X., wrote in her +“Journal”:</p> + +<p>“The general tone of things is disquieting, and +new in our experience. Hitherto, in our first +occupation, the phenomena affected one as melancholy, +depressing and perplexing, but now all, +quite independently, say the same thing—that +the influence is evil and horrible—even poor little +‘Spooks’ (the dog) who was never terrified +before, has been since our return here. The +worn faces at breakfast are really a dismal +sight.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p> + +<p>Soon after this the investigators left the +house.</p> + + +<h3><a name="WILLINGTON_MILL" id="WILLINGTON_MILL"></a>WILLINGTON MILL</h3> + +<p>This is one of the most famous Haunted +Houses on record. The case has been described +in various books on ghosts, the most complete +account being that contained in the <cite>Journal</cite> of +the Psychical Research Society.... Mr. Proctor +lived for several years in the haunted mill, +and got quite used to the apparitions, which +stalked about the place at all hours. Visitors, +however, did not like them as much as he did. +The following extracts will suffice to explain the +general character of the haunting in this case—</p> + +<p>“When two of Mrs. Proctor’s sisters were +staying at the Mill on a visit, their bed was suddenly +violently shaken, the curtains hoisted up +all round to their tester and then as rapidly let +down again, and this again in rapid succession. +The curtains were taken off the next night, with +the result that they both saw a female figure, of +mysterious substance and of a greyish-blue hue +come out of the wall at the head of the bed and +lean over them. They both saw it distinctly. +They saw it come out of and go back again into +the wall.... Mrs. Davidson’s sister-in-law had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> +a curious experience on one occasion. One evening +she was putting one of the bedrooms right, +and, looking toward the dressing table, saw what +she supposed was a white towel lying on the +ground. She went to pick it up, but imagine +her surprise when she found that it rose up, and +went up behind the dressing-table over the top, +down on the floor across the room, disappeared +under the door, and was heard to descend the +stairs with a heavy step! The noise which it +made in doing so was distinctly heard by Mr. +Proctor and others in the house.</p> + +<p>“On one occasion, Mr. Mann, the old mill foreman, +with his wife and daughter, and Mrs. +Proctor’s sister, all four saw the figure of a bald +headed old man in a flowing robe like a surplice +gliding backwards and forwards about three feet +from the floor, level with the bottom of the second +story window; he then stood still in the +middle of the window and part of the body which +appeared quite luminous showed through the +blind. While in that position, the framework +of the window was visible, while the body was +as brilliant as a star, and diffused a radiance all +round; then it turned a bluish tinge, and gradually +faded away from the head downwards.</p> + +<p>“The children, however, were the chief ghost-seers. +On one occasion one of the little girls<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> +came to Mrs. Davidson and said: ‘There is a lady +sitting on the bed in mamma’s bedroom. She +has eyeholes but no eyes; and she looked so +hard at me.’ On another occasion a boy of two +years old was charmed with the ghost, and +laughed and kicked, crying out: ‘Ah dares +somebody—pee, pee!’ On one occasion the mother +saw through the bed curtain a figure cross the +room to the table on which the light was burning, +take up the snuffers and snuff the candle....</p> + +<p>“Several experiments were made with a clairvoyant +by the name of Jane, to ascertain the +cause of the mystery. In the mesmeric trance +she described the house accurately; described +the nature of the disturbances which were going +on within it; and stated that the chief cause of +the trouble was to be found ‘in the cellar.’ This +was not verified. The full story, as narrated, +is certainly one of the most curious to be found +anywhere.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_GREAT_AMHERST_MYSTERY" id="THE_GREAT_AMHERST_MYSTERY"></a>THE GREAT AMHERST MYSTERY</h3> + +<p>This is one of the most remarkable cases on +record. It is the case of a haunted house, in +which many <em>physical</em> manifestations of all sorts +took place, and were observed by nearly a hundred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> +persons, all of whom testified as to the +reality of the facts. The house in question is +situated in Amherst, N. S.—hence the name. +Residing in this small house were (when the +events occurred) Mr. and Mrs. Teed, their children, +Willie, aged five years, and George, aged +seventeen months. His wife’s two sisters, Jennie +and Esther Cox, also lived with them—Esther +being the person around whom nearly all +the phenomena centered. John Teed and William +Cox also boarded at the house—brothers of +Mr. and Mrs. Teed, respectively.</p> + +<p>The manifestations began in a very peculiar +manner. The two girls, who had just gone to +bed (they slept together) were on the point of +falling asleep, when Esther suddenly jumped +out of bed with a scream, exclaiming that there +was a mouse in the mattress. A careful search +failed, however, to reveal the presence of any +mouse. The same thing happened the next +night; and when the girls got up to search for +the mouse, a paste-board box, which was under +the bed, jumped up in the air and fell over on +its side. They decided to say nothing about it; +got into bed again, and were soon asleep.</p> + +<p>The next night manifestations began in earnest. +Esther began to swell; her body became +puffed all over, and she thought she was going<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> +to burst. She screamed with pain. Just then, +however, three terrific reports shook the room, +and the swelling suddenly subsided. She was +placed in bed; but no sooner had she been placed +upon it than all the bed-clothes flew off her, and +settled in the far corner of the room. “They +could see them passing through the air by the +light of the kerosene lamp which was lighted and +standing on the table, and both screamed as +only scared girls can, and then Jennie fainted.”</p> + +<p>The bed-clothes were replaced. No sooner was +this done than the pillow flew out from under +her head, and landed in the center of the floor. +It was replaced, but again flew out, hitting Mr. +Teed in the face. Three deafening reports then +shook the house; after which all manifestations +ceased for the night.</p> + +<p>The next night, these manifestations were repeated; +the bed-clothes flew off, in view of all; +and in the midst of this, the sound of scratching +became audible, as of a metallic object scraping +plaster. “All looked at the wall whence the +sound of writing came, when, to their great astonishment, +there could be plainly read these +words: ‘Esther Cox, you are mine to kill.’ +Every person in the room could see the writing +plainly, and yet but a moment before nothing +was to be seen but the plain kalsomined wall!...</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p> + +<p>These things continued day after day, and +were seen by many persons. Articles would be +thrown about the house; Dr. Carrittee, the +family physician, saw “a bucket of cold water +become agitated, and, to all appearances, boil +while standing on the kitchen table.” A voice +was heard, in the atmosphere of the house, talking +to Esther; and telling her all manner of horrible +things. Soon after this, to the consternation +of all present, “all saw a lighted match fall +from the ceiling to the bed, having come out of +the air, which would certainly have set the bed-clothing +on fire, had not Jennie put it out instantly. +During the next two minutes, eight or +ten lighted matches fell on the bed and about +the room, out of the air, but were all extinguished +before anything could be set fire by +them....”</p> + +<p>This fire-raising continued for several days. +The family would smell smoke, and, on running +up into the bedroom, they would find a bundle +of clothes placed in the center of the floor, blazing. +Or they would descend to the cellar; and +there find a pile of shavings alight and blazing +merrily. They lived in constant danger of having +the house burned over their heads.</p> + +<p>Soon after this, things got so bad that Esther +Cox had to leave home, and went to visit a friend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span> +by the name of White, in the hope that the +manifestations would cease, when she was removed +from her own home. For four weeks +things went well; then they began again just as +ever. Knocks and raps were heard all over the +house, which answered questions asked them; +and told the amount of money people had in +their pockets, etc. Articles of furniture were +thrown about; voices sounded; and, worst of all, +Esther now began to <em>see</em> the ghost; and described +it to those about her. Among other terrifying +phenomena, which took place at Mr. +Whites’ house, the following should be mentioned—</p> + +<p>“... A clasp-knife belonging to little Frederic +White was taken from his hand, while he +was whittling something, by the devilish ghost, +who instantly stabbed Esther in the back with +it, leaving the knife sticking in the wound, +which was bleeding profusely. Frederic pulled +the bloody knife from the wound, wiped it, +closed it and put it in his pocket, which he had +no sooner done than the ghost obtained possession +of it again and, quick as a flash of lightning, +stuck it into the same wound....”</p> + +<p>Some person tried the experiment of placing +three or four large iron spikes on Esther’s lap +while she was seated in the dining-saloon. To<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> +the unutterable astonishment of Mr. White, +Frederic and other persons present, the spikes +were not instantly removed, as it was expected +they would be, but, instead, remained on her +lap until they became too hot to be handled +with comfort, when they were thrown by the +ghost to the far end of the saloon—a distance of +twenty feet. This fact was fully corroborated.</p> + +<p>It was at this stage of the proceedings that the +spot was visited by Walter Hubbell, an actor, +who remained some time in Amherst, studying +the case, and who has written a whole book +about it—“The Great Amherst Mystery.” On +the night of his arrival, they all sat round a table, +in full light, to see what they could see, and +knocks and raps resounded immediately. “We +could all hear even the scratching sound of invisible +human finger nails, and the dull sounds +produced by the hands, as they rubbed the table, +and struck it with invisible, clenched fists, +in knocking in response to questions.”</p> + +<p>The next day, Mr. Hubbell records the following +facts, among others: “I had been seated +about five minutes when, to my great astonishment, +my umbrella was thrown a distance of sixteen +feet, passing over my head in its strange +flight, and almost at the same instant a large +carving knife came whizzing through the air,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> +passing over Esther’s head, who was just then +coming out of the pantry with a large dish in +both hands, and fell in front of her, near me—having +come from behind her out of the pantry. +I naturally went to the door and looked in, but +no person was there.</p> + +<p>“After dinner I lay down on the sofa in the +parlor; Esther was in the room seated near the +center in a rocking chair. I did not sleep, but +lay with my eyes only partially closed so that I +could see her. While lying there a large glass +paper-weight, weighing fully a pound, came +whizzing through the air from a corner of the +room, where I had previously noticed it on an +ornamental shelf, a distance of some twelve or +fifteen feet from the sofa. Had it struck my +head, I should surely have been killed, so great +was the force with which it was thrown....</p> + +<p>“On Monday, June 23, they commenced again +with great violence. At breakfast, the lid of the +sugar bowl was heard to fall on the floor. Mrs. +Teed, Esther and myself searched for it for fully +five minutes, and had abandoned our search as +useless, when all three saw it fall from the ceiling. +I saw it, just before it fell, and it was at +the moment suspended in the air about one foot +from the ceiling. No one was within five feet of +it at the time. The table knives were then<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> +thrown upon the floor, the chairs pitched over, +and after breakfast the dining-table fell over on +its side, rugs upon the floor were slid about, +and the whole room literally turned into a pandemonium, +so filled with dust that I went into +the parlor. Just as I got inside the parlor door +a large flower pot, containing a plant in full +bloom, was taken from among Jennie’s flowers +on the stand near the window; and in a second, +a tin pail, with a handle, was brought half-filled +with water from the kitchen and placed beside +the plant on the floor, both in the center of the +parlor, and put there by a ghost. Just think of +such a thing happening while the sun was shining, +and only a few minutes before I had seen +this same tin pail from the dining-room hanging +on a nail in the kitchen, empty! And yet people +say, and thousands believe, that there are no +haunted houses! What a great mistake they +make in so asserting; but then they never lived +in a genuine one, where there was an invisible +power that had full and complete sway. By all +the demons! When I read the accounts now in +my ‘Journal,’ from which my experience is copied, +I am almost speechless with wonder that I +ever lived to behold such sights....</p> + +<p>“On this same day, Esther’s face was slapped +by the ghosts, so that the marks of fingers could<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> +be plainly seen—just exactly as if a human hand +had slapped her face; these slaps could be +plainly heard by all present. I heard them distinctly, +time and again....</p> + +<p>“On Thursday, June 26, Jennie and Esther +told me that the night before Bob, the demon, +had been in their room again. They stated he +had stuck them with pins and marked them from +head to foot with crosses. I saw some of the +crosses, which were bloody marks, scratched +upon their hands, necks and arms. It was a sad +sight. During the entire day, I was busy pulling +pins out of Esther; they came out of the air +from all quarters, and were stuck into all the +exposed portions of her person, even the head, +and inside of her ears. Maggie, the ghost, took +quite an interest in me, and came to my room at +night, while the lamp was burning, and knocked +on the headboard of my bed and on the wall +near the bed, which was <em>not</em> next to the room occupied +by the girls, but on an outside wall facing +the stable. I carried on a most interesting +conversation with her, asking a great many +questions which were answered by knocks....</p> + +<p>“A trumpet was heard in the house all day. +The sound came from within the atmosphere—I +can give no other description of its effect on +our sense of hearing.... I wish to state, most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> +emphatically, that I could tell the difference in +the knocks made by each ghost just as well as if +they had spoken. The knocks made by Maggie +were delicate and soft, as if made by a woman’s +hand, while those made by Bob Nickle were loud +and strong, denoting great strength and evidently +large hands. When he knocked with +those terrible sledge-hammer blows, he certainly +must have used a large rock or some other heavy +object, for such loud knocks were not produced +with hard knuckles....”</p> + +<p>In July the phenomena became so bad that the +landlord came and told the Teed family that +either Esther would have to go, or they would +all have to leave the house. It was decided that +Esther should go, which she did, visiting some +friends by the name of Van Amburgh. From +the time she left her home the second time, she +was never afterwards troubled with the ghosts. +Some years later, she married and went to live +in another town—where she was interviewed by +the present writer in 1907.</p> + +<p>This account was sworn to by Mr. Hubbell before +a notary public, and he asserts under oath +that every word of the account is true. He has +also produced the written confirmatory testimony +of a score of still-living witnesses of the +phenomena in Amherst.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span></p> + +<p>A very similar case occurred in Tennessee, in +1818, and is recorded in full by M. V. Ingram, +in his book, “The Bell Witch.” Many other +cases of a like nature are to be found in the +“History of the Supernatural.”</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">For ghosts of the dead<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through Infinite ages<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Have wandered and lurked<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In earth’s atmosphere;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Watchful and eager<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For victims to torture<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To follow and kill,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Or make tremble with fear.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yes, ghosts of the dead<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Revengeful and evil,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Still come in hordes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From the Stygian shore;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Entering houses<br /></span> +<span class="i0">To torment our maidens<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Burning and wrecking<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Our homes evermore.<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + + +<h3><a name="BROOK_HOUSE" id="BROOK_HOUSE"></a>BROOK HOUSE</h3> + +<p>The following case is given in full by Mr. +W. T. Stead in his <cite>Real Ghost Stories</cite>, and I +extract from his narrative some of the most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> +striking and interesting passages. It is a truly +remarkable narrative, well worthy of careful +perusal.</p> + +<p>Mr. Ralph Hastings, of Broadmeadow, Teignmouth, +wrote in October, 1891, enclosing the following +extracts from his diary, which he had +kept in the haunted house:</p> + +<p>“I was spending some months of the summer +of ’73 at a favorite watering place in the S.E. +coast. One afternoon I went to visit some old +friends who lived in an old house which stood in +a quadrangle, and was approached from the +church by a narrow lane. Brook House was a +commodious, red-brick structure of three stories, +faced by a Court, with its ground-floor windows +unseen from the outside by reason of the lofty +wall which encircled them.</p> + +<p>“On the day in question, as I approached the +house from the Church side, I happened to +glance at the window to the right on the second +floor. There I saw, to my astonishment, the +apparent figure of Miss B., standing partially +dressed, arranging her hair and looking intently +at me. On entering the house, I was at +once shown into the drawing-room, and I found +Miss B. reading. In reply to my question, she +told me she had been there an hour!</p> + +<p>“My curiosity was now fully aroused, and I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> +went to the house the next day, July 4, accompanied +by a lady, a mutual friend. We went up +into the room in which I had seen the figure, +threw the window open—it being very hot—looking +on to the garden, and then went downstairs +into the drawing-room, where we had some +music. We went up again in about half an +hour’s time. The window was <em>shut</em>.... We +went back into the garden, and looked up at the +window. Presently, to our horror, a figure appeared +resembling Miss B., yet most unlike her—its +fearful eyes were gazing at me without +movement and totally expressionless. What, +then, caused the arresting of the heart’s pulsation +(as it felt) and blood—that the moment before +had burnt as it coursed madly through the +veins—to be chilled to ice? This—one was face +to face with a spirit, and withered by the contact. +Those eyes—I can see them—I can feel +them—after a lapse of nearly twenty years. +Miss B. had incontinently fainted when she saw +the shoulders (as she described it) of the figure. +I continued gazing spellbound; like the ‘Wedding +Guest’ I was held by the spirit’s eye, and I +could not choose but look. The dreadful hands +were lifted automatically; they rested on the +window sash. It came partly down, stayed a +moment, then noiselessly closed, and I saw a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> +hand rise and clasp it. I gazed steadfastly +throughout. What impressed me strangely was +this peculiarity, that as soon as the sash had +passed the face the latter vanished, the hands +remained; the unreality of the actual movement +of the window, as it descended, also seemed to +contradict me: it suggested (for want of a better +comparison) the mechanical passage of stage +scenery, and some sorts of toys that are pulled +by wires; it made no noise whatever. Now I +distinctly recognized the shape as that of Rhoda, +Miss B.’s elder sister, who had been dead some +twelve years.... We looked again, and saw +the backs of two hands on the <em>outside</em> of the +window, but they did not move it.</p> + +<p>“We then went in, coming out again almost +directly, and saw the window nearly closed; +then went upstairs into the room; and again +I flung the window as wide open as it would +go, and before leaving set the door open, with a +heavy chair against it; but previous to this (I +omitted to mention) as we were looking up at +the window after the appearance of the hands, +we saw a horrible object come from the right +(the apparition invariably did); it resembled a +large, white bundle, called by Miss B., who had +before seen it, ‘The Headless Woman’; it came +in front of the window and then began walking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> +backwards and forwards. After a lapse of half +an hour, we went upstairs again, and found the +chair by the window, and the door closed; whereupon +I wrote ‘It’ a letter to this effect: ‘Miss +B. and Mr. H. present their compliments to the +“Lady Headless” and request her acceptance of +this fruit from their garden; they hope it will +please, as she has often been seen admiring it. +A reply will oblige, but the bearer does not wait +for the answer.’ We put the chair once more +against the window, placing the fruit and note +on it; two or three times we went up, but nothing +had changed.</p> + +<p>“We then went and stood outside the summer +house, whence a clear view of the window could +be obtained; presently there came forward the +headless figure; and distinctly bowed two or +three times, then immediately afterwards a deafening +slam of the door. The apex of this figure, +which was rotund, <abbr lang="la" xml:lang="la" title="id est">i.e.</abbr>, headless, once or twice +dilated, and we feared seeing something, we +knew not what; it then vanished, and we saw a +beautiful arm come from the curtain and wave +to us. Upstairs again, the door was shut; on +entering we saw the chair overturned in the middle +of the room, the fruit scattered in all directions, +and, to our horror, the note, which I had +folded crosswise, was charred at each corner.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> +I took it up; but lacked the courage to open, and +perhaps find a possible reply. Placing it in a +plate I burnt it. The process was a very slow +one; and it distilled a dark mucus.</p> + +<p>“The whimsical idea now possessed me to arrange +the room like a theatre, the armchair and +others I placed facing the stand; on them I laid +antimacassars, and books for programmes. We +then went down to the end of the garden which +commanded a view of the room, and looked: +blank space, nothing more—stay! A curious +filmy vapor begins to float in the air, which +slowly cohered, evolved vague phantasms; they +unite, and gradually assume a definite shape. +The headless woman fronts us at the window, +she vanishes, and an immense sheet is waved +twice or thrice from the right side of the window, +something is flung out; we walk quickly +up the garden and there, under the window, lies +one of the books. What had hastened our steps +was the frantic gesticulating of the servant. +She was frightened out of her senses by the peculiar +sounds proceeding from the room; but +she could not describe them, saying that they +seemed to be a terrible hurrying to and fro, accompanied +by strange noises.... We took +the Bible and entered the room, which was in +disorder: the flower-stand was thrown down, the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> +two chairs widely apart, one of the antimacassars +was tightly folded up under the recumbent +towel horse, the other with the towel was airing +itself on the gigantic tree some seven feet from +the window....</p> + +<p>“The next day we went into the room, and +discovered an impression in the bed, as though +some ‘thing’ had lain in it. On closer inspection, +we distinctly saw the coverlet gently moving, +resembling the very gentle respiration of a +body beneath. We returned to the garden, having +thrown open the window. After waiting for +a long time, we saw what looked like a hand appear +on the center of the window sill, then from +the curtain came the white figure.</p> + +<p>“It disappeared and after a moment or two +the hand also; but there must have been a <em>something</em> +besides crouching under the window, for +it heaved upwards and seemed to fill the window +for an instant. It then sank, the hand vanished, +and we saw no more. We waited a long +time, till I spoke of going. I had noticed as a +curious thing that almost always, when I had +wearied of looking, seeing <em>nothing</em> and about to +leave, something was sure to happen....</p> + +<p>“This ends my personal experiences. My +health became impaired, and for upwards of +two years I was invalided, but as time wore on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> +and the impressions waned, I gradually recovered. +I often wander back in imagination to +the many mysteries that in the long ago held +sway at Brook House.”</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_3" id="Footnote_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> This fluttering noise, as of a bird, is very often met +with in the literature of the occult, and is typical of +‘haunted houses.’ In the famous case of Lord Lyttleton, +for instance, this was recorded, and was said to announce +his death. He died three days later, in bed.</p> +</div></div> + + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p> + + + + +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2> + + +<h3><a name="GHOST_STORIES_OF_A_MORE_DRAMATIC_NATURE" id="GHOST_STORIES_OF_A_MORE_DRAMATIC_NATURE"></a>GHOST STORIES OF A MORE DRAMATIC NATURE</h3> + +<p>In the cases which are adduced in the present +chapter, the standard of evidence cannot be considered +so high; many of them have been recorded +in good faith as actual experiences, but +they will probably fail to carry conviction to +the same extent as those which have gone before. +Still, many of these narratives are singularly +striking and interesting; and for this reason deserve +to be included in this volume. The reader +may therefore place any construction he may +choose upon these cases; as they are presented +not as evidence but as entertainment. I shall +begin with some personal experiences of a Scotch +seer, who, according to his own accounts, has +experienced some of the most dramatic and remarkable +manifestations conceivable.</p> + + +<h3><a name="DISEASE_PHANTOMS" id="DISEASE_PHANTOMS"></a>DISEASE-PHANTOMS</h3> + +<p>Mr. Elliott O’Donnell—a man about whom it +has been said that “the gates of his soul are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> +open on the Hell side,” has had many strange +experiences with spirits, mostly evil and horrible, +and has recorded these in his books “Ghostly +Phenomena,” “Byways of Ghostland,” etc. +From his voluminous writings on his own personal +experiences, I cite a few cases, to show +the character of the phenomena:</p> + +<p>“I have, from time to time, witnessed many +manifestations which I believe to be super-physical, +both from the peculiarity of their properties, +and from the effect their presence invariably +produce on me—an effect I cannot associate +with anything physical. One of the first +occult phenomena I remember, appeared to me +when I was about five years of age. I was then +living in a town in the West of England, and +had, according to the usual custom, been put to +bed at six o’clock. I had spent a very happy +day, playing with my favorite toys—soldiers—and, +not being in the least degree tired, was +amusing myself with planning a fresh campaign +for the following morning, when I noticed suddenly +that the bedroom door (which I distinctly +remember my nurse carefully latching) was +slowly opening. Thinking this was very curious, +but without the slightest suspicion of +‘ghosts,’ I sat up in bed and watched.</p> + +<p>“The door continued to open, and at last I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> +caught sight of something so extraordinary that +my guilty conscience at once associated it with +the Devil—with regard to whom I distinctly recollected +to have spoken that afternoon in a +sceptical, and I frankly admit, very disrespectful +manner. But far from feeling the proximity +of that heat which all those who profess authority +on Satanic matters ascribe to Satan, I felt +decidedly cold—so cold, indeed, that my hands +grew numb and my teeth chattered. At first I +only saw two light glittering eyes that fixed +themselves upon me with an expression of diabolical +glee, but I was soon able to perceive that +they were set in a huge, flat face, covered with +fulsome-looking yellow spots about the size of +a threepenny bit. I do not remember noticing +any of the other features, save the mouth, which +was large and gaping. The body to which the +head was attached was quite nude, and covered +all over with spots similar to those on the face. +I cannot recall any arms, though I have vivid +recollections of two thick and, to all appearances, +jointless legs, by the use of which it left +the doorway, and gliding noiselessly over the +carpet, approached the empty bed, placed in a +parallel position to my own. There it halted, +and thrusting its mis-shapen head forward, it +fixed its malevolent eyes on me with a penetrating<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> +stare. On this occasion, I was far less frightened +than on any of my subsequent experiences with +the occult. Why, I cannot say, as the manifestation +was certainly one of the most hideous I +have ever seen. My curiosity, however, was far +greater than my fear, and I kept asking myself +what the thing was, and why it was there?</p> + +<p>“It did not seem to be composed of ordinary +flesh and blood, but rather of some luminous +matter that resembles the light emanating from +a glow-worm.</p> + +<p>“After remaining in the same attitude for +what seemed to me an incalculably long time, it +gradually receded, and assuming all of a sudden +a horizontal attitude, passed head first through +the wall opposite to where I sat. Next day, I +made a sketch of the apparition, and showed it +to my relatives, who, of course, told me I had +been dreaming. About two weeks later I was +ill in bed with a painful, if not actually dangerous, +disease. I was giving an account of this +manifestation at a lecture I delivered two or +three years ago in B., and when I had finished +speaking, I was called aside by one of the audience +who very shyly told me that he too had +had a similar experience. Prior to being attacked +by diphtheria, he had seen a queer-looking +apparition which had approached his bedside<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span> +and leaned over him. He assured me that he +had been fully awake at the time, and had applied +tests to prove that the phantom was entirely +objective.</p> + +<p>“A number of other cases, too, have been reported +to me, in which various species of phantasms +have been seen before various illnesses. +Hence I believe that certain spirits are symbolical +of certain diseases, if not the actual creators +of the bacilli from which these diseases arise. +To these phantasms I have given the name of +<i lang="la" xml:lang="la">Morbas</i>....”</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_TALE_OF_THE_MUMMY" id="THE_TALE_OF_THE_MUMMY"></a>THE TALE OF THE MUMMY</h3> + +<p>“During one of my sojourns in Paris,” says +Mr. Elliott O’Donnell, in his “Byways of Ghost +Land,” “I met a Frenchman who, he informed +me, had just returned from the East. I asked +him if he had brought back any curios such as +vases, funeral urns, weapons or amulets. ‘Yes, +lots,’ he replied, ‘two cases full. But no mummies! +Mon Dieu! No mummies. You ask me +why? Ah! Thereby hangs a tale. If you will +have patience, I will tell it you.’</p> + +<p>“The following is the gist of his narrative:</p> + +<p>“‘Some seasons ago I traveled up the Nile as +far as Assiut, and when there, managed to pay<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> +a visit to the grand ruins of Thebes. Among the +various treasures I brought away with me was a +mummy. I found it lying in an enormous lidless +sarcophagus, close to a mutilated statue of +Anubis. On my return to Assiut, I had the +mummy placed in my tent, and thought no more +of it till something awoke me with startling suddenness +in the night. Then, obeying a peculiar +impulse, I turned over on my side and looked in +the direction of my treasure.</p> + +<p>“‘The nights in the Soudan at this time of +year are brilliant, one can even see to read, and +every object in the desert is almost as clearly +visible as by day. But I was quite startled by +the whiteness of the glow which rested on the +mummy, the face of which was immediately opposite +mine. The remains—those of Met-Om-Karema, +lady of the College of the god Amen-ra—were +swathed in bandages, some of which had +worn away in parts or become loose; and the +figure, plainly discernible, was that of a shapely +woman with elegant bust, well-formed limbs, +rounded arms and small hands. The thumbs +were slender, and the fingers, each of which was +separately bandaged, long and tapering. The +neck was full, the cranium rather long, the nose +aquiline, the chin firm. Imitation eyes, brows, +and lips were painted on the wrappings, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> +effect thus produced and in the phosphorescent +glare of the moonbeams, was very weird. I was +quite alone in the tent, the only European who +accompanied me to Assiut, having stayed in the +town by preference, and my servants being encamped +at one hundred or so yards from me on +the ground.</p> + +<p>“‘Sound travels far in the desert, but the silence +now was absolute, and, though I listened +attentively, I could not detect the slightest noise—man, +beast and insect were abnormally still. +There was something in the air, too, which +struck me as unusual; an odd, clammy coldness +that reminded me at once of the catacombs in +Paris. I had hardly, however, conceived the resemblance, +when a sob—low, gentle, but very +distinct—sent a thrill of horror through me. +It was ridiculous, absurd. It could not be, and +I fought against the idea as to whence the sound +had proceeded, as something too utterly fantastic, +too utterly impossible. I tried to occupy +my mind with other thoughts—the frivolities of +Cairo, the casinos of Nice; but all to no purpose; +and soon, on my eager, throbbing ear there +again fell that sound, that low and gentle sob. +My hair stood on end; this time there was no +doubt, no possible manner of doubt—the mummy +lived! I looked at it aghast. I strained my<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> +vision to detect any movement in its limbs, but +none was perceptible. Yet the noise had come +from it, it had breathed—breathed—and even as +I hissed the word unconsciously through my +clenched lips, the bosom of the mummy rose and +fell.</p> + +<p>“‘A frightful terror seized me. I tried to +shriek to my servants; I could not ejaculate a +syllable. I tried to close my eye-lids, but they +were held open as in a vice. Again there came +a sob that was immediately succeeded by a sigh; +and a tremor ran through the figure from head +to foot. One of its hands then began to move, +the fingers clutched the air convulsively, then +grew rigid, then curled slowly into the palms, +then suddenly straightened. The bandages concealing +them from view then fell off, and to my +agonized sight were disclosed objects that struck +me as strangely familiar. There is something +about fingers, a marked individuality, I never +forget. No two persons’ hands are alike. And +in these fingers, in their excessive whiteness, +round knuckles, and blue veins, I read a likeness +whose prototype, struggle how I would, I +could not recall. Gradually the hand moved upwards, +and, reaching the throat, the fingers set +to work at once to remove the wrappings. My +terror was now sublime. I dare not imagine, I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> +dare not for one instant think, what I should +see. And there was no getting away from it; I +could not stir an inch, and the ghastly revelation +would take place within a yard of my face!</p> + +<p>“‘One by one the bandages came off. A glimmer +of skin, pale as marble; the beginning of the +nose, the whole nose; the upper lip, exquisitely, +delicately cut; the teeth, white and even on the +whole, but here and there a shining gold filling; +the under lip, soft and gentle; a mouth I knew, +but—God, where? In my dreams, in the wild +fantasies that had oft-times visited by pillow at +night—in delirium, in reality, where? Mon +Dieu! WHERE?</p> + +<p>“‘The uncasing continued. The chin next, a +chin that was purely feminine, purely classical; +then the upper part of the head—the hair long, +black, luxuriant—the forehead low and white—the +brows black, firmly pencilled; and last of +all, the eyes!—and as they met my frenzied gaze, +smiled, smiled right down into the depths of my +living soul, I recognized them—they were the +eyes of my mother, my mother who had died in +my boyhood! Seized with a madness that knew +no bounds, I sprang to my feet. The figure rose +and confronted me. I flung open my arms to +embrace her, the woman of all women in the +world I loved best, the only woman I had ever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> +loved. Shrinking from my touch, she cowered +against the side of the tent. I fell on my knees +before her and kissed—what? Not the feet of +my mother, but those of the long-buried dead. +Sick with repulsion and fear I looked up, and +there bending over and peering into my eyes +was the face, the fleshless, mouldering face of +the foul and barely recognizable corpse! With +a shriek of horror I rolled backwards, and, +springing to my feet, prepared to fly. I glanced +at the mummy. It was lying on the ground, +stiff and still, every bandage in its place; whilst +standing over it, a look of fiendish glee in its +light, doglike eyes, was the figure of Anubis, lurid +and menacing.</p> + +<p>“‘The voices of my servants, assuring me they +were coming, broke the silence, and in an instant +the apparition vanished.</p> + +<p>“‘I had had enough of the tent, however, at +least for that night, and, seeking refuge in the +town, I whiled away the hours till morning with +a fragrant cigar and a novel. Directly I had +breakfasted, I took the mummy back to Thebes, +and left it there. No thank you, Mr. O’Donnell, +I collect many kinds of curios, but—no more +mummies!’”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="FACE_SLAPPED_BY_A_GHOST" id="FACE_SLAPPED_BY_A_GHOST"></a>FACE SLAPPED BY A GHOST</h3> + +<p>The following remarkable event occurred to +a friend of mine—an elderly, married lady, +whom I have known for some time. She is now +making her home in Brooklyn, but at the time +of her gruesome experience was residing in England. +It is some years since this occurred, but +the incident, she assured me, lives just as vividly +in her mind as though it all happened yesterday. +This is her story, just as she told it to me:</p> + +<p>“I was staying with some friends in the country. +They had an old, rambling house, with +long, draughty halls and corridors all over it. +As the house was already full of guests, I had +to sleep in a large room, at the end of the long +passage, on the ground floor. The room in itself +was comfortable enough—large and warm. +Yet there was an atmosphere about that apartment +which I did not quite like; in fact, the +whole house made me feel ‘creepy,’ for no reason +that I can give.</p> + +<p>“Bed-time came all too soon; and I took my +candle and was shown my room. My hostess +saw that I had everything I needed; and then, +saying good-night, went upstairs to bed.</p> + +<p>“I had half undressed when I saw the door of +my room gently and quietly opened, as though<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> +a stealthy hand were softly pressing it open. I +gazed transfixed, until, when wide open, I could +see that no one was, in reality, on the other side +of the door. At that I drew a breath of relief. +‘A draught,’ I thought, ‘coming down the hallway. +It is nothing.’ And I chided myself on +my fears; shut the door, and proceeded to undress.</p> + +<p>“I had not gone far, however, when to my +amazement the door opened again; just as +quietly and stealthily as before. Again I closed +the door, and proceeded with my undressing. I +had by this time finished, and had donned my +night-gown preparatory to getting into bed.</p> + +<p>“At that moment I was horrified to see my +door open for the <em>third</em> time, just as it did before—slowly, +slowly, until it rested on its +hinges, wide open to the hall. I now determined +to investigate; so, taking my candle in my +hand, I stepped out into the hall and proceeded +down towards the front door.</p> + +<p>“I had not taken more than three or four +steps, however, when the candle in my hands +was extinguished—as though a breath of wind, +coming from nowhere, had blown it out. I did +not much relish this, as the matches were in my +room. But I determined to keep on, in the dark, +and see what the cause of this could be. So I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> +kept on and on, down the dark hall—my left +hand holding the extinguished candle; my right +extended so that I could feel the solid masonry +all the way down the corridor.</p> + +<p>“I had proceeded, perhaps, half way, when a +strange thing occurred. I suddenly felt myself +slapped on the left cheek by something cold and +moist and clammy. I put my hand up to my +face, and felt it was wet. For an instant I hesitated; +then I proceeded, down the hall, until I +came to the front door. That I found closed and +locked. Having thus explored the whole length +of the hall and found nothing, I turned back to +regain my room. Still holding the candle in my +left hand, and still feeling the wall with my outstretched +right hand, I crept cautiously along, +not knowing what to expect.</p> + +<p>“Again, I had proceeded about half way down +the hall when I felt the same cold, quick slap +in the face (this time on the right cheek) and +again I found it was wet.</p> + +<p>“Thoroughly frightened now, I fled to my +room as fast as my legs could carry me. Once +within, I closed and secured the door by placing +a chair against it. Next, finding my box of +matches, I relighted my candle. Then I surveyed +myself in the mirror, to see what could be +upon my face.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span></p> + +<p>“Imagine my horror when, on looking in the +glass, I discovered two long streaks of blood, one +upon either cheek! I was so terror-struck that +I gazed at myself for a few moments unable to +move or speak. Then I screamed, and after that +I have no very clear recollection of what happened. +I have a hazy recollection of anxious +faces bending over me; of a low hum of voices; +then oblivion.</p> + +<p>“It took me many weeks to recover from the +shock of that night.”</p> + + +<h3><a name="ALONE_WITH_A_GHOST_IN_A_CHURCH" id="ALONE_WITH_A_GHOST_IN_A_CHURCH"></a>ALONE WITH A GHOST IN A CHURCH</h3> + +<p>The following case is sent me by a correspondent:</p> + +<p>I once knew a young man by the name of +Charles D. Bradlaugh, who took a delight in +ridiculing ghost stories and, whenever possible, +in proving them to be due to fraud, trickery or +hallucination. He stated he was “afraid of +nothing.” I said to him one day in conversation: +“If you are as fearless as you say, would +you be willing to spend a night alone, locked up +in a Church with a corpse freshly placed in its +coffin?”</p> + +<p>He replied that he would do it any time; so +the test was shortly arranged. One of the parishioners +had just died, and had been placed in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> +the crypt of the church, with the lid of the coffin +removed. The lights were all extinguished; +we locked the door after us, and went away, +leaving Bradlaugh and the spirits to fight it out +between them.</p> + +<p>What occurred during the night must be told +in Bradlaugh’s own words, as nearly as I can +recall them:</p> + +<p>“When I heard the key turn in the door, that +night, I confess that a strange feeling came over +me for the first time in my life. I wanted to +get out; but of course I knew it was useless; +and in the next place my pride forbade my leaving. +Shaking off the superstitious fear that had +settled upon me, I turned away; and proceeded +to explore, as best I could, the whole of the +church.</p> + +<p>“A bright moonlight fell in through the windows, +casting queer shadows in various directions; +and across the long rows of pews and +the altar at the far end of the church. I walked +about, looking at everything curiously, as it had +been long since I found myself inside a church. +Then I proceeded to the crypt, and, walking +boldly up to the coffin, I gazed long and earnestly +at the corpse lying within it, as though to +familiarize myself with it. I went on the principle +that ‘familiarity breeds contempt.’ When I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> +had done this, I went back to the nave of the +church, and, finding a comfortable place, I lay +down, and was soon in a state bordering on +sleep. I should have been asleep, probably, very +soon; but, just as I was dropping off, I heard a +faint sound coming from the direction of the +crypt. It was like a deep sigh, and this was +followed by other sounds which I find it hard to +describe. All I know is that, in the quiet and +stillness of that awful place, those sounds, slight +as they were, were truly appalling, and chilled +the very blood in my veins. Their very indistinctness +added to their terror. I could not conceive +what could make such uncanny noises. I +sat up, and strained my eyes in the darkness, +trying to penetrate the gloom. Then I heard +the first faint footsteps coming up the stairs +from the crypt! At first, these were faint, but +they became louder and louder; until finally I +could hear them plainly. Undoubtedly they +were foot-falls, as though a human being were +mounting the steps from the crypt where the +corpse had been laid!</p> + +<p>“I rose from my seat, my hair standing on +end, while queer, cold shivers ran up and down +my back. I advanced one or two paces toward +the door, hardly knowing what to expect. Then, +as I looked, I saw step into the bright moonlight,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> +the corpse that a few moments before I had +seen lying in the coffin downstairs!</p> + +<p>“Frantic with fear, I rushed at the corpse, +still shrouded, as it was, in the white wrappings +which, torn and dishevelled, still enveloped the +body. I raised one hand as though to strike the +ghost, and thrust the hateful thing from me; +when I felt a stunning blow on the point of my +jaw, and a moment later I had lost sensibility. +When I awoke, you were all round me. You +know the rest.”</p> + +<p>To make a long story short, it turned out that +the supposed “corpse” was not really dead at +all, but in a sort of trance; and had been buried +prematurely. He had revived in the night; and +was advancing into the church when he encountered +Bradlaugh in the doorway. Thinking him +a robber or an assassin, he had struck first; +and, being a powerful man and a good boxer, +he had knocked out Bradlaugh by a blow on the +jaw. When we arrived in the morning, we +found Bradlaugh senseless, and the “corpse,” +now stripped of his grave clothes, bending over +him, dashing cold water in his face!</p> + + +<h3><a name="A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_FRANCE" id="A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_FRANCE"></a>A HAUNTED HOUSE IN FRANCE</h3> + +<p>The following case, said to be authentic, is +quoted here because of the incident of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> +“shouts and laughter” which were heard, and +which serve to throw an interesting sidelight on +the case which follows it.</p> + +<p>The Rev. F. G. Lee, in his book, <cite>Sights and +Shadows</cite>, gives the following account, sent to +him, of a haunted house in France:</p> + +<p>“In the spring of the year 1891, great excitement +was occasioned by a disembodied spirit in +a haunted house in LePort, at Nice. This is +situated in a terrace close to the quarries, +where, after the reports concerning it, as many +as two thousand persons were often gathered +round it. The spirits haunting it—never visible, +however—would beat the inmates so unmercifully +that the blows would leave bruises. Hundreds +of persons saw the result, and testified to +the undoubted facts. The local police, on being +appealed to, and having heard the evidence of +numerous eye-witnesses, and of those persons +who were inconvenienced, formed a body of organized +inquirers, who, shrewd enough in mundane +matters, utterly failed to discover anything +or anybody.</p> + +<p>“On one occasion, thirteen men sat up in three +rooms which had been well lighted, and some +of them played cards for several hours to while +away the time. During the whole of this occurrence, +the strangest noises were heard in various<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> +parts of the building. It seemed, at one time, +as if a whole regiment of soldiers were tramping +up the chief staircase. Pictures swung to and +fro upon the walls, without any visible motive +effect.<a name="FNanchor_4" id="FNanchor_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> Then heavy blows were heard on the +walls, and it appeared that the closed doors and +the shutters were being violently struck and +thumped, as if with a large hammer wrapped in +cloth.</p> + +<p>“On two occasions, a room on the ground floor +was found to be in the densest darkness, though +outside the house the sun was shining. On another +occasion, just before midnight, when certain +persons were specially present to note any +supernatural occurrences, all the lamps in the +house were suddenly put out; while shouts and +laughter were heard in every part of the place, +more particularly from the empty rooms. At +the same time, heavy blows were experienced by +those present, who were very severely bruised, +and a large bottle of ink was thrown by invisible +hands from the top of the staircase.</p> + +<p>“Every attempt was made to discover the +source of these extraordinary disorders, but +without avail. They were reported to have +ceased for several months, but to have commenced +again at a later period. A local communication<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> +says that they still ‘occur at intervals.’”</p> + + +<h3><a name="A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_GEORGIA" id="A_HAUNTED_HOUSE_IN_GEORGIA"></a>A HAUNTED HOUSE IN GEORGIA</h3> + +<p>The following account is taken from the report +of the San Francisco <cite>Examiner</cite>, and is certainly +one of the most striking cases of the character +on record. It is not put forward as +strictly “evidential,” but its interesting nature +certainly warrants its insertion in this volume.</p> + +<p>“Soon after the Walsinghams took up their +abode in their new home, they began to be disturbed +by strange sounds and odd phenomena. +These disturbances generally took the form of +noises in the house after the family had retired +and the lights had been extinguished—continual +banging of the doors, things overturned, the +doorbell rang, and the annoying of the house +dog, a large and intelligent mastiff.</p> + +<p>“One day Don Cæsar, the mastiff, was found +in the hallway barking furiously and bristling +with rage, while his eyes seemed directed to the +wall just before him. At last he made a spring +forward with a hoarse yelp of ungovernable +fury, only to fall back as if flung down by some +powerful and cruel hand. Upon examination it +was found that his neck had been broken.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span></p> + +<p>“The house cat, on the contrary, seemed rather +to enjoy the favor of the ghost, and would often +enter a door as if escorting some visitor, whose +hand was stroking her back. She would also +climb about a chair, rubbing herself and purring +as if well pleased at the presence of some one in +the seat. She and Don Cæsar invariably manifested +this eccentric conduct at the same time, +as though the mysterious being were visible to +both of them.</p> + +<p>“The annoying visitant finally took to arousing +the family at all hours of the night by making +such a row as to render any rest impossible.</p> + +<p>“This noise, which consisted of shouts, groans, +hideous laughter, and a peculiar, most distressing +wail, would sometimes proceed, apparently, +from under the house, sometimes from the ceiling +and at other times in the very room in which +the family was seated. One night Miss Amelia +Walsingham, the young lady daughter, was engaged +at her toilet, when she felt a hand softly +laid on her shoulder. Thinking it her mother or +sister, she glanced at the glass before her, only +to be thunderstruck at seeing the mirror reflect +no form but her own, though she could plainly +see a man’s broad hand lying on her arm.</p> + +<p>“She brought the family to her by her screams, +but when they reached her all sign of the mysterious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span> +hand had gone. Mr. Walsingham himself +saw footsteps form beside his own while +walking through the garden after a light rain.</p> + +<p>“The marks were those of a man’s naked feet, +and fell beside his own, as if the person walked +at his side.</p> + +<p>“Matters grew so serious that the Walsinghams +became frightened, and talked of leaving +the house, when an event took place which confirmed +them in this determination. The family +was seated at the supper table with several +guests who were spending the evening when a +loud groan was heard in the room overhead.</p> + +<p>“This was, however, nothing unusual, and +very little notice was taken of it until one of the +visitors pointed out a stain of what looked like +blood on the white table cloth, and it was seen +that some liquid was slowly dripping on the +table from the ceiling overhead. This liquid was +so much like freshly-shed blood that it horrified +those who watched its slow dropping. Mr. Walsingham, +with several of his guests, ran hastily +upstairs and into the room directly over the one +in which the blood was dripping.</p> + +<p>“A carpet covered the floor, and nothing appeared +to explain the source of the ghastly rain; +but, anxious to satisfy themselves thoroughly, +the carpet was immediately ripped up, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span> +boarding found to be perfectly dry, and even +covered with a thin layer of dust, and all the +while the floor was being examined the persons +below could swear the blood never ceased to +drop. A stain the size of a dinner-plate was +formed before the drops ceased to fall. This +stain was examined the next day under the microscope, +and was pronounced by competent +chemists to be human blood.</p> + +<p>“The Walsinghams left the house next day, +and since then the place has been apparently +given over to spooks and evil spirits, which make +the night hideous with the noise of revel, shouts +and furious yells. Hundreds from all over this +county and adjacent ones have visited the place, +but few have had the courage to pass the night +in the haunted house. One daring spirit, however, +Horace Gunn, of Savannah, accepted a +wager that he could not spend twenty-four hours +in it, and did so, though he declares that there +is not enough money in the country to make him +pass another night there. He was found the +morning after by his friends with whom he made +the wager, in a swoon. He has never recovered +from the shock of his horrible experience, and is +still confined to his bed suffering from nervous +prostration.</p> + +<p>“His story is that shortly after nightfall he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span> +endeavored to kindle a fire in one of the rooms, +and to light the lamp with which he had provided +himself, but to his surprise and consternation, +found it impossible to do either. An icy +breath, which seemed to proceed from some invisible +person at his side, extinguished each +match as he lighted it. At this peculiarly terrifying +turn of affairs Mr. Gunn would have left +the house and forfeited the amount of his wager, +a considerable one, but he was restrained by the +fear of ridicule. He steadied himself in the dark +with what calmness he could, and waited developments.</p> + +<p>“For some time nothing occurred, and the +young man was half-dozing, when, after an hour +or two, he was brought to his feet by a sudden +yell of pain or rage that seemed to come from +under the house. This appeared to be the signal +for an outbreak of hideous noises all over +the house. The sound of running feet could be +heard scurrying up and down the stairs, hastening +from one room to another, as if one person +fled from the pursuit of a second. This kept up +for nearly an hour, but at last ceased altogether, +and for some time Mr. Gunn sat in darkness and +quiet, and had about concluded that the performance +was over for the night. At last, however, +his attention was attracted by a white<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> +spot that gradually appeared on the opposite +wall.</p> + +<p>“The spot continued to brighten, until it +seemed a disc of white fire, when the horrified +spectator saw that the light emanated from and +surrounded a human head, which, without a +body, or any visible means of support, was moving +slowly along the wall, about the height of a +man from the floor. This ghastly head appeared +to be that of an aged person, though whether +male or female it was difficult to determine. +The hair was long and gray, and matted together +with dark clots of blood, which also issued +from a deep jagged wound in one temple. +The cheeks were fallen in and the whole face +indicated suffering and unspeakable misery. +The eyes were wide open, and gleamed with an +unearthly fire, while the glassy eyes seemed to +follow the terror-stricken Gunn, who was too +thoroughly paralyzed by what he saw to move +or cry out. Finally, the head disappeared and +the room was once more left in darkness, but +the young man could hear what seemed to be +half a dozen persons moving about him, while +the whole house shook as if rocked by some violent +earthquake.</p> + +<p>“The groaning and the wailing that broke +forth from every direction was something terrific,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span> +and an unearthly rattle and banging as of +china or tin pans being flung to the ground floor +from the upper story added to the deafening +noise. Gunn at last roused himself sufficiently +to try and leave the haunted house. Feeling his +way along the wall, in order to avoid the beings, +whatever they were, that filled the room, +the young man had nearly succeeded in reaching +the door when he found himself seized by +the ankle and was violently thrown to the floor. +He was grasped by icy hands, which sought to +grip him about the throat. He struggled with +his unseen foe, but was soon overpowered and +choked into insensibility. When found by his +friends, his throat was black with the marks of +long, thin fingers, armed with cruel, curved +nails.</p> + +<p>“The only explanation which, can be found for +these mysterious manifestations is that about +three months before, a number of bones were +discovered on the Walsingham place, which +some declared even then to be those of a human +being. Mr. Walsingham pronounced them, however, +to be an animal’s, and they were hastily +thrown into an adjacent limekiln. It is supposed +to be the outraged spirit of a person to +whom they belonged in life which is now creating +such consternation.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p> + + +<h3><a name="SHAKEN_BY_A_GHOST" id="SHAKEN_BY_A_GHOST"></a>SHAKEN BY A GHOST</h3> + +<p>The following narrative is vouched for by +Mrs. H. S. Iredell, of Tunbridge Wells, England, +a relative of the Rev. Dr. Lee, who gives the case +in his <cite>Sights and Shadows</cite>:</p> + +<p>“The haunted house in question is near +Wandsworth common. The late occupants of it +were a man, his wife and their child. They had +to leave it, for they could get no rest in it at +night for the fearful noises which went on incessantly, +like sounds as of a sledge-hammer +wrapped in flannel struck against the walls. +The sister-in-law of the late occupants, who told +me of it, had spent some days at the house, so I +heard all the story first-hand. One night she +likewise felt as if someone had taken her by the +shoulders and she was being roughly shaken +from side to side. Her husband, who was with +her, saw her at the time she was being shaken +by an invisible power, stretched out his hand to +take hold of her; but he felt right up his arm to +his shoulder a <em>shock</em>, as it were of electricity, +which made him instantly draw back and cry +out. Nothing was ever seen, but in the special +sleeping-room which seemed to be haunted, the +clothes used to be pulled off the bed at night +and thrown on the floor, and then they used to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> +raise or rear themselves up again on the bed....</p> + +<p>“Since the above was written, it is reported, +that no less than five families have respectively +occupied the house as tenants, who one and all +have left it as soon as possible. It is now said +to be permanently untenanted.”</p> + +<hr class="l4" /> + +<p>This case is given because of the incident of +the “electric shock” which the percipient received, +when attempting to interfere with the +“spirit”; and serves as an interesting modern +and apparently well-authenticated instance of +what occurred in Lytton’s story, which follows.</p> + + +<h3><a name="THE_HOUSE_AND_THE_BRAIN" id="THE_HOUSE_AND_THE_BRAIN"></a>THE HOUSE AND THE BRAIN</h3> + +<p>Bulwer Lytton’s story, “The House and the +Brain,” is, perhaps, the most remarkable ghost +story of this character on record, and is considered, +by many, the best ever written. The phenomena +occur in a house which is reputed to +be haunted; no one will live in it. At last one +brave soul determines to pass the night within +its walls; he and his servant take up their abode +in it, and, after various startling adventures of a +minor character, the “grand climax” of the night +is reached. As the author sat reading by the +fire, the following occurred, which is told in his +own words:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span></p> + +<p>“I now became aware that something interposed +between the page and the light—the page +was over-shadowed; I looked up, and I saw what +I shall find it very difficult, perhaps impossible, +to describe.</p> + +<p>“It was a Darkness shaping itself forth from +the air in very undefined outline. I cannot say +it was a human form, and yet it had more resemblance +to a human form, or rather shadow, +than to anything else. As it stood, wholly apart +and distinct from the air and light around it, +its dimensions seemed gigantic, the summit +nearly touching the ceiling. While I gazed, a +feeling of intense cold seized me. An iceberg +could not more have chilled me; nor could the +cold of an iceberg have been more purely physical. +I feel convinced that it was not the cold +caused by fear. As I continued to gaze, I +thought—but this I cannot say with precision—that +I distinguished two eyes looking on me +from the height. One moment I fancied that I +distinguished them clearly; the next they seemed +gone; but still two rays of pale blue light frequently +shot through the darkness, as from the +height on which, I half believed, half doubted, +that I had encountered the eyes.</p> + +<p>“I strove to speak—my voice utterly failed +me; I could only think to myself, Is this fear?<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> +It is <em>not</em> fear! I strove to rise; in vain; I felt +weighed down by an irresistible force. Indeed, +my impression was that of an immense and overwhelming +Power opposed to my volition; that +sense of utter inadequacy to cope with a force +beyond man’s, which one may feel <em>physically</em> in +a storm at sea, in a conflagration, or when confronting +some terrible wild beast—or rather, +perhaps, the shark of the ocean, I felt <em>morally</em>. +Opposed to my will was another will, as far superior +to its strength as storm, fire and shark +are superior in material force to the force of +man.</p> + +<p>“And now—as this impression grew on me—now +came, at last, horror—horror of a degree +that no words can convey. Still I retained +pride, if not courage; and in my own mind I +said: ‘This is horror, but it is not fear; unless I +fear I cannot be harmed; my reason rejects this +thing; it is an illusion—I do not fear.’ With a +violent effort I succeeded at last in stretching +out my hand towards the weapon on the table; +as I did so, on the arm and shoulder I received a +strange shock, and my arm fell to my side powerless. +And now, to add to my horror, the light +began slowly to wane from the candles—they +were not, as it were, extinguished, but their +flame seemed very gradually withdrawn—it was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> +the same with the fire; the light was extinguished +from the fuel; in a few minutes the +room was in utter darkness. The dread that +came over me, to be thus in the dark with that +Thing, whose power was so intensely felt, +brought on a reaction of nerve. In fact, terror +had reached that climax, that either my senses +must have deserted me, or I must have burst +through the spell. I <em>did</em> burst through it. I +found voice, though the voice was a shriek. I +remember that I broke forth with words like +these—‘I do not fear, my soul does not fear’; +and at the same time I found the strength to +rise. Still in that profound gloom I rushed to +one of the windows—tore aside the curtain—flung +open the shutters; my first thought was—LIGHT. +And when I saw the moon high, clear +and calm, I felt a joy that almost compensated +me for my previous terror. There was the +moon; there also was the light from the gas +lamps in the deserted, slumberous street. I +turned to look back into the room; the moon +penetrated its shadow very palely and partially—but +still there was light. The dark Thing, +whatever it might be, was gone—except that I +could yet see a dim shadow, which seemed the +shadow of that shade against the opposite wall.</p> + +<p>“My eye now rested on the table, and from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> +under the table (which was without cloth or +cover—an old mahogany round table) there rose +a hand, visible as far as the wrist. It was a +hand, seemingly, as much of flesh and blood as +my own, but the hand of an aged person—lean, +wrinkled, small too—a woman’s hand. That +hand very softly closed on the two letters that +lay on the table; hand and letters both vanished. +Then there came the same three loud, measured +knocks I had heard on the bed-head before this +extraordinary drama commenced.</p> + +<p>“As these sounds slowly ceased, I felt the +whole room vibrate sensibly; and at the far end +there rose, from the floor, sparks or globules, +like globules of light, many colored—green, yellow, +fire-red, azure. Up and down, to and fro, +hither, thither, as tiny Will o’ the Wisps, the +sparks moved, slow and swift, each at its own +caprice. A chair (as in the drawing-room below) +was now advanced from the wall without +apparent agency, and placed at the opposite side +of the table. Suddenly, as forth from the air, +there grew a shape, a woman’s shape. It was +distinct as a shape of life—ghastly as the shape +of death. The face was that of youth, with a +strange, mournful beauty; the throat and shoulders +were bare; the rest of the form in a loose +robe of cloudy white. It began sleeking its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> +long, yellow hair, which fell over its shoulders; +its eyes were not turned towards me, but to the +floor; it seemed listening, watching, waiting. +The shadow of the shade in the background grew +darker; and again I thought I saw the eyes +gleaming out from the summit of the shadow—eyes +fixed upon that shape.</p> + +<p>“As if from the door, though it did not open, +there grew out another shape, equally distinct, +equally ghastly—a man’s shape—a young man’s. +It was in the dress of the last century, or rather +the likeness to such dress (for both the male and +the female, though defined, were evidently unsubstantial, +impalpable, simulacra, phantasms), +and there was something incongruous, grotesque, +yet fearful in the contrast between the elaborate +finery, the courtly precision of that old-fashioned +garb, with its ruffles and lace and +buckles, and the corpse-like aspect and ghost-like +stillness of the flitting wearer. Just as the +male shape approached the female, the dark +shadow started from the wall, and all three for +a moment were wrapped in darkness. When the +pale light returned, the two phantasms were as +if in the grasp of the shadow, that towered between +them, and there was a blood stain on the +breast of the female; and the phantom male was +leaning on its phantom sword, and blood seemed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> +trickling fast from the ruffles, from the lace; +and the darkness of the intermediate Shadow +swallowed them up—they were gone. And +again the bubbles of light shot, and sailed, and +undulated, growing thicker and thicker and +more wildly confused in their movements.</p> + +<p>“The closet door to the right of the fireplace +now opened, and from the aperture there came +the form of an aged woman. In her hand she +held letters—the very letters over which I had +seen the hand close; and behind her I heard a +footstep. She turned round as if to listen, and +then she opened her letters and seemed to read; +and over her shoulder I saw a livid face, the +face of a man long drowned—bloated, bleached—seaweed +tangled in its dripping hair, and at +her feet lay a form as of a corpse, and beside +the corpse there towered a child, a miserable, +squalid child, with famine in its cheeks and fear +in its eyes. And as I looked in the old woman’s +face, the wrinkles and lines vanished; and it became +the face of youth—hard-eyed, stony, but +still youth; and the Shadow darted forth and +darkened over these phantoms as it had darkened +over the last.</p> + +<p>“Nothing now was left but the Shadow, and +on that my eyes were intently fixed, till again +eyes grew out of the Shadow—malignant, serpent<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> +eyes. And the bubbles of light again rose +and fell, and in their disordered, irregular, turbulent +maze, mingled with the wan moonlight. +And now from these globules themselves, as +from the shell of an egg, monstrous things burst +out; the air grew filled with them; larvæ so +bloodless and so hideous that I can in no way +describe them except to remind the reader of +the swarming life which the solar microscope +brings before the eyes in a drop of water—things +transparent, supple, agile, chasing each +other, devouring each other—forms like nought +ever beheld by the naked eye. As the shapes +were without symmetry, so their movements +were without order. In their very vagrancies +there was no sport; they came round me and +round; thicker and faster and swifter, swarming +over my head, crawling over my right arm, +which was outstretched in involuntary command +against all evil things. Sometimes I felt +myself touched, but not by them; invisible hands +touched me. Once I felt the clutch of cold, soft +fingers at my throat, I was still equally conscious +that if I gave way to fear I should be in +bodily peril; and I concentrated all my faculties +in the single focus of resisting, stubborn will. +And I turned my sight from the Shadow—above +all, from those strange serpent eyes—eyes that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> +had now become distinctly visible. For there, +though in nought else round me, I was aware +that there was a WILL, and a will of intense, +creative, working evil, which might crush down +my own.</p> + +<p>“The pale atmosphere in the room began now +to redden as if in the air of some near conflagration. +The larvæ grew lurid as things that +live on fire. Again the room vibrated; again I +heard the three measured knocks; and again all +things were swallowed up in the darkness of the +dark shadow—as if out of that darkness all had +come, into that darkness all had returned.</p> + +<p>“As the gloom receded, the Shadow was +wholly gone. Slowly, as it had been withdrawn, +the flame grew again into the candles on the +table, again into the fuel in the grate....</p> + +<p>“The room came once more calmly, healthfully +into sight.</p> + +<p>“Nothing more chanced for the rest of the +night. Nor, indeed, had I long to wait before +the dawn broke....”</p> + +<div class="footnotes"><div class="footnote"> +<p><a name="Footnote_4" id="Footnote_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> This is a common feature of haunted houses.—H.C.</p> +</div></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="APPENDIX_A" id="APPENDIX_A"></a>APPENDIX A</h2> + + +<h3><a name="HISTORICAL_GHOSTS" id="HISTORICAL_GHOSTS"></a>HISTORICAL GHOSTS</h3> + +<p>Royalty and well-known personages have seen +ghosts in all ages of the world’s history; certainly +they are not exempt from the common run +of humanity so far as ghostly visitations are concerned! +Mr. Stead has compiled a number of +notable cases of this character, of which the following +are probably the most noteworthy:</p> + + +<h3><a name="ROYAL" id="ROYAL"></a>ROYAL</h3> + +<p><i>Henry IV.</i> of France told D’Aubigne that, +in the presence of himself, the Archbishop of +Lyons, and three ladies of the Court, the Queen +(Margaret of Valois) saw the apparition of a +certain Cardinal afterwards found to have died +at the moment.</p> + +<p><i>Abel the Fratricide</i>, King of Denmark, still +haunts the woods of Poole, near the city of +Sleswig.</p> + +<p><i>Valdemar IV.</i> haunts Gurre Wood, near Elsinore.</p> + +<p><i>Charles XI.</i>, of Sweden, accompanied by his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> +chamberlain and state physician, witnessed the +trial of the assassin of Gartavus III., which occurred +nearly a century later.</p> + +<p><i>James IV.</i>, of Scotland, was warned by an apparition +against his intended expedition into +England. He, however, proceeded and fell at +Flodden Field.</p> + +<p><i>Charles I.</i>, of England, was also warned by +an apparition, but paying no heed, was disastrously +defeated at Naseby.</p> + +<p><i>Queen Elizabeth</i> is said to have been warned +of her death by the apparition of her own +double.</p> + + +<h3><a name="EMPERORS" id="EMPERORS"></a>EMPERORS</h3> + +<p><i>Trajan</i> and <i>Caracalla</i> both saw apparitions, +which they recorded.</p> + +<p><i>Theodosius</i> and <i>Julian the Apostate</i> both beheld +apparitions, at important crises in their +lives.</p> + + +<h3><a name="FAMOUS_MEN" id="FAMOUS_MEN"></a>FAMOUS MEN</h3> + +<p><i>Sir Robert Peel</i> and his brother both saw Lord +Byron in London when he was in reality lying +dangerously ill of a fever in Patras. During the +same fever, he also appeared to others.</p> + +<p><i>Julius Caesar</i>, <i>Xerxes</i>, <i>Drusus</i>, <i>Pausanius</i>, <i>Dio</i><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> +(General of Syracuse), <i>Admiral Coligni</i> all saw +apparitions, which made a deep impression on +them in every case.</p> + +<p><i>Napoleon</i>, at St. Helena, saw and conversed +with the apparition of Josephine, who warned +him of his approaching death. <i>Blucher</i>, on the +day of his death, was also told of it by an apparition. +<i>General Garfield</i> saw and conversed with +his father, latterly deceased. <i>Lincoln</i> had a certain +premonitory dream which occurred three +times in relation to important battles, and the +fourth on the eve of his assassination.</p> + +<p><i>Dante</i>, son of the poet, was visited in a dream +by his father, who conversed with him and told +him (correctly) where to find the missing thirteen +cantos of the “Commedia.”</p> + +<p><i>Goethe</i> saw his own double riding by his side +under conditions which really occurred years +later.</p> + +<p><i>Tasso</i> saw and conversed with beings invisible +to those about him.</p> + +<p><i>Cellini</i> was dissuaded from suicide by the apparition +of a young man who frequently visited +and encouraged him.</p> + +<p><i>Mozart</i> was visited by a mysterious person +who ordered him to compose a <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">requiem</i>, and +came frequently to inquire after its progress, +but disappeared on its completion, which occurred<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> +just in time for its performance at his +own funeral.</p> + +<p><i>Ben Johnson</i> was visited by the apparition of +his eldest son with the mark of a bloody cross +upon his forehead at the moment of his death by +the plague.</p> + +<p><i>Thackery</i> wrote: “It is all very well for you +who have probably never seen spirit manifestations +to talk as you do, but had you seen what I +have witnessed you would hold a different opinion.”</p> + +<p><i>Hugh Miller</i>, <i>Maria Edgeworth</i>, <i>Captain Marryat</i>, +<i>Madame de Stael</i>, <i>Sir Humphrey Davy</i>, +<i>William Harvey</i>, <i>Francis Bacon</i>, <i>Martin Luther</i>, +<i>George Fox</i>, <i>Cardinal Newman</i>, <i>Bishop Wilberforce</i>, +and many others have seen apparitions, or +held converse with the unseen world in one form +or another, as recorded by themselves.</p> + +<p>Among the famous historical hauntings, we +must not forget to mention the famous <cite>Cock +Lane Ghost</cite> which occurred about 1760. According +to a brief paragraph printed in the <cite>London +Ledger</cite>, 1762, we read that:</p> + +<p>“For some time a great knocking having been +heard in the night, at the officiating parish +clerk’s of St. Sepulchre’s, in Cock Lane near +Smithfield, to the great terror of the family, and +all means used to discover the meaning of it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> +having failed, four gentlemen sat up there last +Friday night, among whom was a clergyman +standing withinside the door, who asked various +questions. On his asking whether anyone had +been murdered, no answer was made; but on his +asking whether anyone had been poisoned, it +knocked one and thirty times. The report current +in the neighborhood is that a woman was +some time ago poisoned, and buried in St. John’s +Clerkenwell, by her brother-in-law.”</p> + +<p>These knockings and phenomena occurred for +a considerable time, until the whole community +became interested in the manifestations. While +various theories were advanced at the time—and +since—to explain this ghost, no definite conclusion +has ever been arrived at.</p> + +<p>The <cite>Drummer of Tedworth</cite> is a still older and +equally famous ghost, who flourished about a +hundred years before the Cock Lane Ghost, and +was investigated (and the results carefully recorded) +by Sir Joseph Glanvil, F.R.S., who +wrote a book about the case: “<cite lang="la" xml:lang="la">Sadducismus Triumphatus</cite>,” +which was also devoted to the general +phenomena of witchcraft. Here, also, we +find records of unaccountable “knockings” and +similar phenomena, which lasted for a considerable +time, and which have never yet been explained.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span></p> + +<p>The ghost which invaded <em>John Wesley’s</em> house +stayed with them for several years, and manifested +his presence in a variety of elaborate and +ingenious ways. Those who are interested in +this ghost and his doings should read Wesley’s +<cite>Journal</cite>; also the various discussions, <i lang="la" xml:lang="la">pro</i> and +<i lang="la" xml:lang="la">con.</i>, which have appeared in the <cite>Proceedings</cite> of +the Society for Psychical Research, from time to +time. It is a most curious and suggestive record.</p> + +<p>The <cite>Devils of Loudon</cite> might also be cited as +an interesting case of psychic phenomena; and +here trance, automatic speech, etc., were observed—as +well as the usual physical phenomena. +This is perhaps one of the earliest cases +which was closely observed, and in which skeptical +criticism was applied. This case will be +found recorded in Mr. H. Addington Bruce’s +“<cite>Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters</cite>.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="APPENDIX_B" id="APPENDIX_B"></a>APPENDIX B</h2> + + +<h3><a name="THE_PHANTOM_ARMIES_SEEN_IN_FRANCE" id="THE_PHANTOM_ARMIES_SEEN_IN_FRANCE"></a>THE PHANTOM ARMIES SEEN IN +FRANCE</h3> + +<p>History abounds in cases showing the apparent +intrusion of spiritual help in time of trouble, +and in the annals of military history, these +accounts are not lacking. On several occasions, +the Crusaders thought that they saw angelic +hosts fighting for them—phantom horsemen +charging the enemy, when their own utter destruction +seemed imminent. In the wars between +the English and the Scotch, several such +cases were cited, and the Napoleonic wars also +furnished examples. But the most striking evidence +of this character—because the newest—and +supported, apparently, by a good deal of +first-hand and sincere testimony, is that afforded +by the Phantom Armies seen in France during +the retreat of the British army from Mons—the +field of Agincourt. Cut off by overwhelming +numbers, and all but annihilated, the British +army fought desperately, but the 80,000 were +opposed by 300,000 Germans, backed by a terrific<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span> +fire of artillery, and were indeed in a critical +position. They were only saved, as we +know, by the heroism of a small force of men—a +rearguard—who were practically wiped out +in consequence. At the most critical moment +came what appeared to be angelic assistance. +The tide of battle seemed to be stemmed by supernatural +means. In a letter written by a soldier +who actually witnessed these startling +events, quoted by the Hon. Mrs. St. John Mildmay +(<cite>North American Review</cite>, August, 1915), +the following graphic account is given. Our soldier +writes—</p> + +<p>“The men joked at the shells and found many +funny names for them, and had bets about them, +and greeted them with music-hall songs, as they +screamed in this terrific cannonade.... The +climax seemed to have been reached, but ‘a seven-times +heated hell’ of the enemy’s onslaught +fell upon them, rending brother from brother. +At that very moment, they saw from their +trenches a tremendous host moving against their +lines. Five hundred of the thousand (who had +been detailed to fight the rear-guard action) remained, +and as far as they could see the German +infantry was pressing on against them, column +by column, a grey world of men—10,000 of them, +as it appeared afterwards. There was no hope<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span> +at all. Some of them shook hands. One man +improvised a new version of the battle song Tipperary, +ending ‘and we shan’t get there!’ And +all went on firing steadily.... The enemy +dropped line after line, while the few machine +guns did their best. Everyone knew it was of +no use. The dead grey bodies lay in companies +and battalions, but others came on and on, +swarming and advancing from beyond and beyond.</p> + +<p>“‘World without end, Amen,’ said one of the +British soldiers, with some irreverence, as he +took aim and fired. Then he remembered a vegetarian +restaurant in London, where he had +once or twice eaten queer dishes of cutlets made +of lentils and nuts that pretended to be steaks. +On all the plates in this restaurant a figure of +St. George was printed in blue with the motto, +<i lang="la" xml:lang="la">Adsit Anglis Sanctus Georgius</i> (May St. George +be a present help to England!) The soldier +happened to know ‘Latin and other useless +things,’ so now, as he fired at the grey advancing +mass, 300 yards away, he uttered the pious +vegetarian motto. He went on firing to the end, +till at last Bill on his right had to clout him +cheerfully on the head to make him stop, pointing +out as he did so that the King’s ammunition +cost money and was not lightly to be wasted....<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span> +For, as the Latin scholar uttered his invocation, +he felt something between a shudder and an electric +shock pass through his body. The roar of +the battle died down in his ears to a gentle +murmur, and instead of it, he says, he heard a +great voice louder than a thunder peal, crying +‘Array! Array!’ His heart grew hot as a burning +coal, then it grew cold as ice within him, for +it seemed to him a tumult of voices answered to +the summons. He heard or seemed to hear +thousands shouting:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>“‘<i>St. George! St. George!</i></p> + +<p>“‘<i>Ha! Messire, Ha! Sweet Saint, +grant us good deliverance!</i></p> + +<p>“‘<i>St. George for Merrie England!</i></p> + +<p>“‘<i>Harow! Harow! Monseigneur St. +George, succour us, Ha! St. George! +A low bow, and a strong bow, Knight +of Heaven, aid us!</i>’</p> +</div> + +<p>“As the soldier heard these voices, he saw before +him, beyond the trench, a long line of +shapes with a shining about them. They were +like men who drew the bow, and with another +shout their cloud of arrows flew singing through +the air toward the German host. The other men +in the trenches were firing all the while. They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span> +had no hope, but they aimed just as if they had +been shooting at Bisley.</p> + +<p>“Suddenly one of these lifted up his voice in +plain English. ‘Gawd help us,’ he bellowed to +the man next him, ‘but we’re bloomin’ marvels! +Look at those grey gentlemen! Look at them! +They’re not going down in dozens or hundreds—its +<em>thousands</em> it is! Look, look! There’s a +regiment gone while I’m talking to ye!’</p> + +<p>“‘Shut it,’ the other soldier bellowed, taking +aim. ‘What are ye talkin’ about?’ But he +gulped with astonishment even as he spoke, for +indeed the grey men were falling by the thousands. +The English could hear the guttural +scream of their revolvers as they shot, and line +after line crashed to the earth. All the while +the Latin-bred soldier heard the cry ‘Harow, Harow! +Monseigneur! Dear Saint! Quick to our +aid! St. George help us!’</p> + +<p>“The singing arrows darkened the air, the +hordes melted before them. ‘More machine +guns,’ Bill yelled to Tom. ‘Don’t hear them,’ +Tom yelled back, ‘but thank God, anyway, that +they have got it in the neck!’</p> + +<p>“In fact, there were ten thousand dead German +soldiers left before that salient of the English +army, and consequently—<em>no Sedan</em>. In +Germany the General Staff decided that the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> +English must have employed turpenite shells, as +no wounds were discernible on the bodies of the +dead soldiers. But the man who knew what +nuts tasted like when they called themselves +steak, knew also that St. George had brought his +Agincourt Bowmen to help the English.”</p> + +<p>Such accounts have been confirmed by others. +Thus, Miss Phyllis Campbell, writing in “<cite>The +Occult Review</cite>” (October, 1915), says:</p> + +<p>“I tremble, now that it is safely past, to look +back on the terrible week that brought the Allies +to Vitry-le-Francois. We had not had our +clothes off for the whole of that week, because +no sooner had we reached home, too weary to +undress, or to eat, and fallen on our beds, than +the ‘chug-chug’ of the commandant’s car would +sound into the silence of the deserted street, and +the horn would imperatively summon us back +to duty—because, in addition to our duties as +<i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">ambulancier auxiliare</i>, we were interpreters to +the post, now at this moment diminished to half-a-dozen.</p> + +<p>“Returning at 4.30 in the morning, we stood +on the end of the platform, watching the train +crawl through the blue-green mist of the forest, +into the clearing, and draw up with the first +wounded from Vitry-le-Francois. It was +packed with dead and dying and badly wounded.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> +For a time we forgot our weariness in a race +against time—removing the dead and dying, and +attending to those in need. I was bandaging a +man’s shattered arm with the <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">majeur</i> instructing +me, while he stitched a horrible gap in his head, +when Madame de A——, the heroic president +of the post, came and replaced me. ‘There is an +English in the fifth wagon,’ she said. ‘He wants +something—I think a holy picture!’</p> + +<p>“The idea of an English soldier wanting a +holy picture struck me, even in that atmosphere +of blood and misery, as something to smile at—but +I hurried away. ‘The English’ was a Lancashire +Fusilier. He was propped in a corner, +his left arm tied-up in a peasant woman’s handkerchief, +and his head newly bandaged. He +should have been in a state of collapse from loss +of blood, for his tattered uniform was soaked +and caked in blood, and his face paper-white under +the dirt of conflict. He looked at me with +bright, courageous eyes and asked for a picture +or a medal (he didn’t care which) of St. George. +I asked him if he was a Catholic. ‘No,’ he was +Wesleyan Methodist, ... and he wanted a +picture or a medal of St. George, <em>because he had +seen him on a white horse</em>, leading the British at +Vitry-le-Francois, when the Allies turned.</p> + +<p>“There was an F.R.A. man, wounded in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span> +leg, sitting beside him on the floor; he saw my +look of amazement, and hastened in: ‘It’s true, +sister,’ he said. ‘We all saw it. First there was +a sort of yellow-mist like, sort of risin’ before +the Germans as they came on the top of the hill—come +on like a solid wall, they did—springing +out of the earth just solid—no end to ’em! +I just give up. No use fighting the whole German +race, thinks I; it’s all up with <em>us</em>. The +next minute comes this funny cloud of light, and +when it clears off, there’s a tall man with yellow +hair in golden armour, on a white horse, holding +his sword up, and his mouth open as if he was +saying: “Come on, boys! I’ll put the kybosh on +the devils!” Sort of “This is my picnic” expression. +Then, before you could say “knife,” +the Germans had turned, and we were after +them, fighting like ninety....’</p> + +<p>“‘Where was this?’ I asked. But neither of +them could tell. They had marched, fighting a +rearguard action, from Mons, till St. George had +appeared through the haze of light, and turned +the enemy. They both <em>knew</em> it was St. George. +Hadn’t they seen him with a sword on every +‘quid’ they’d ever seen? The Frenchies had seen +him too—ask them; but they said it was St. +Michæl....”</p> + +<p>Much additional testimony of a like nature<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> +might be given—and has been collected by students +of psychical research. If the spiritual +world ever intervenes in matters mundane, it +assuredly did so on this occasion. And it could +hardly have chosen a more opportune time. +Could the aspiring thoughts of the dead and dying, +and those still living and fighting for their +country, have drawn “St. George” to earth, to +aid in again redeeming his country from a foreign +foe? Could a simple “hallucination” have +been so widespread and so prevalent? Or might +there not have been some spiritual energy behind +the visions thus seen—stimulating them, and inspiring +and encouraging the stricken soldiers? +We cannot say. We only know what the soldiers +themselves say; and we also know the undoubted +effects upon the enemy. For on both +occasions were the Germans repulsed with terrible +slaughter. Perhaps the vision of St. George +led our soldiers into closer touch and <i lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">rapport</i> +with the consciousness of some high intelligence—or +the veil was rent, separating the two worlds—as +so often appears to be the case in apparitions +and visions of this character.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span></p> + + +<h2><a name="APPENDIX_C" id="APPENDIX_C"></a>APPENDIX C</h2> + + +<h3><a name="BIBLIOGRAPHY" id="BIBLIOGRAPHY"></a>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h3> + +<ul class="lsoff"> +<li>Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. M. R. James.</li> + +<li>Wandering Ghosts. F. Marion Crawford.</li> + +<li>John Silence. A. Blackwood.</li> + +<li>Modern Ghosts. DeMaupassant, (and others).</li> + +<li>Twenty-five Ghost Stories. W. Bob Holland.</li> + +<li>A Book of Ghosts. Baring Gould.</li> + +<li>The Shape of Fear. Peattie.</li> + +<li>Book of Dreams and Ghosts. Andrew Lang.</li> + +<li>Cock Lane and Common Sense. A. Lang.</li> + +<li>Real Ghost Stories. W. T. Stead.</li> + +<li>More Ghost Stories. W. T. Stead.</li> + +<li>The Great Amherst Mystery. Walter Hubbell.</li> + +<li>The Bell Witch. M. V. Ingram.</li> + +<li>The Alleged Haunting of B—— House. Miss +X.</li> + +<li>Haunted Houses and Haunted Men. Hon. +John Harris.</li> + +<li>Ghostly Phenomena. Elliott O’Donnell.</li> + +<li>Byways of Ghost Land. Elliott O’Donnell.</li> + +<li><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span></li> + +<li>Historic Ghosts and Ghost Hunters. H. A. +Bruce.</li> + +<li>Posthumous Humanity: a Study of Phantoms. +D’Assier.</li> + +<li>Apparitions and Thought-Transference. Frank +Podmore.</li> + +<li>The New View of Ghosts. F. Podmore.</li> + +<li><cite>Proceedings</cite> and <cite>Journals</cite> of the S. P. R.</li> + +<li>Borderland (Magazine). <i>Ed. by</i> W. T. Stead.</li> + +<li>Haunted Houses of Great Britain. Ingraham.</li> + +<li>The Night Side of Nature. Catherine Crowe.</li> + +<li>The House and the Brain. Bulwer Lytton.</li> + +<li>Nightmare Tales. H. P. Blavatsky.</li> + +<li>Apparitions: a Narrative of Facts. B. W. +Saville.</li> + +<li>Startling Ghost Stories. Anon.</li> + +<li>Sights and Shadows. F. G. Lee.</li> + +<li>Dracula. Bram Stoker.</li> + +<li>The Phantom of the Opera. Gaston Leroux.</li> +</ul> + + +<p>[<span class="smcap">Note.</span>—The above list does not pretend to be +in any way exhaustive nor are the books quoted +in any way equal in evidential value. They are +merely types or examples of Ghost Stories, from +various points of view; which, if the reader is +interested, he may read with both pleasure and +profit.]</p> + + +<div class="tnote"> +<p class="tn">Transcriber’s note</p> + +<p>The following 3 missing section headers were added to the +table of contents: The Ghosts of Animals p. 53, Proofs of +Immateriality p. 168, and Conduct of Animals in the House +p. 169; but minor differences between the section headers +in the table of contents and in the text were not +corrected.</p> + +<p>Errors in punctuation were corrected.</p> + +<p>Several badly printed words were guessed from the context and filled +in.</p> + +<p>Otherwise the original was preserved, including unusual and +inconsistent spelling and hyphenation and unmatched double +quotation marks.</p> + +<p>The following corrections were made, on page<br /> + +7 “Par’s” changed to “Paris” (in London, Paris, Rome, +Venice)<br /> + +11 “occuping” changed to “occupying” (space-occupying +entities)<br /> + +14 “wierd” changed to “weird” (in the still, weird hours of +the night)<br /> + +63 “polteregists” changed to “poltergeists” (technically +known as “poltergeists,”)<br /> + +79 “Boundry” changed to “Boundary” (Footfalls on the +Boundary of Another World)<br /> + +106 “occurence” changed to “occurrence” (mention the +occurrence of the night)<br /> + +110 “mutally” changed to “mutually” (We were mutually sorry +to part)<br /> + +131 “trysing” changed to “trysting” (distance to the +trysting place)<br /> + +146 “exterminalization” changed to “externalization” +(what I saw and felt was an externalization of impressions)<br /> + +182 “lynig” changed to “lying” (While lying there a large +glass paper-weight)<br /> + +183 “gneuine” changed to “genuine” (they never lived +in a genuine one)<br /> + +186 extra blank line removed within poem (To follow and kill,/Or make +tremble with fear.)<br /> + +191 “possesed” changed to “possessed” (The whimsical idea +now possessed me to arrange the room)<br /> + +194 “etxent” changed to “extent” (conviction to the same +extent as those)<br /> + +196 “slink” changed to “slunk” (but suddenly slunk +away with its tail between its legs)<br /> + +196 “has” changed to “had” (the impression that it had +seen)<br /> + +197 “fright-than” changed to “frightened than” (far less +frightened than on any of my subsequent experiences)<br /> + +198 “pantasms” changed to “phantasms” (To these phantasms I +have given the name)<br /> + +208 “familiary” changed to “familiarity” (familiarity +breeds contempt)<br /> + +231 “assasin” changed to “assassin” (the trial of the +assassin of Gartavus III.)<br /> + +238 “batallions” changed to “battalions” (companies and +battalions)<br /> + +240 “gutteral” changed to “guttural” (could hear the +guttural scream of their revolvers)<br /> + +241 “Vitry-le-Francoise” changed to “Vitry-le-Francois” +(draw up with the first wounded from Vitry-le-Francois).</p> + +<p>Otherwise the original was preserved, including unusual and inconsistent +spelling and hyphenation.</p> +</div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44625 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/44625-h/images/cover.jpg b/44625-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7633df1 --- /dev/null +++ b/44625-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/44625-h/images/illo033.jpg b/44625-h/images/illo033.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..8d0a8bb --- /dev/null +++ b/44625-h/images/illo033.jpg diff --git a/44625-h/images/logo.png b/44625-h/images/logo.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ed29b0 --- /dev/null +++ b/44625-h/images/logo.png |
