Still the children were shamefully treated, starved and beaten for the most trifling things. There was another child born into the family, and the elder ones were made to take care of it, and were abused whenever it cried. One day Mr. ---- was obliged to leave home to be gone over night. The youngest of the first wife's children was suffering with cholera infantum, and cried for want of care. This disturbed her ladyship. She left her bed in a passion, jerked the little sufferer out of its bed, setting it hard on the floor, while the other two were ordered to take care of the sick child; and as she turned to leave the room she was met face to face by their Spirit mother, who, with open hand and extended arm gave her a slap on the forehead. She turned to the children saying, "Your mother has killed me." Her forehead instantly turned black where the Spirit hands and fingers had touched her, and the marks corresponded exactly with the forms burnt in the bedtick. She died three days after the hand had slapped her; and the discolored brow was hidden in the tomb. * * * * * This is no fancy sketch, as some may be disposed to imagine. It is verily true as the terrible punishment was deserved. MRS. HOPPER'S MYSTERIOUS END. A well-authenticated and most mysterious occurrence, and one which has always left in the minds of the residents of Rockland County a strong inclination to credit a belief in witchcraft--I confess to something of the kind myself--took place in my father's school-day time. I have listened to his recital with staring eyes, ready to catch the slightest incident connected with it. Mrs. Hopper, a very beautiful woman, was possessed of some very strange power. It was said that even when quite young she would perform strange feats with children who were in the habit of associating with her; and it was clearly ascertained that she had been seen in different places at one time.[22] I cannot say anything of my own knowledge of all this, but there is no doubt of the facts which I am about to relate. [22] The mysterious phenomenon of "the double"--called by the Germans _doppelganger_, and the subject of various German tales--while one of the most calculated to provoke incredulity, is undoubtedly an occasional reality. I have heard more than one person whose veracity I cannot doubt relate how they have been seen at the same time in places hundreds of miles apart. Any one may inquire of Mr. E. H. Britten on this subject. Undoubtedly such persons are mediums.