The Night-Side of Nature; Or, Ghosts and Ghost-SeersCrowe, Catherine
Religion
The Night-Side of Nature; Or, Ghosts and Ghost-Seers
Crowe, Catherine
Ghosts; Parapsychology
Another case, which occurred in this town, I mention—although I know it
is liable to be called a spectral illusion—because it bears a
remarkable similarity to one which took place in America. A respectable
woman lost her father, for whom she had a great affection; she was of a
serious turn, and much attached to the tenets of her church, in which
particulars she thought her father had been deficient. She was therefore
very unhappy about him, fearing that he had not died in a proper state
of mind. A considerable time had elapsed since his death, but her
distrust of his condition was still causing her uneasiness; when one
day, while she was sitting at her work, she felt something touch her
shoulder, and on looking round she perceived her father, who bade her
cease to grieve about him, as he was not unhappy. From that moment she
became perfectly resigned and cheerful. The American case—I have
omitted to write down the name of the place, and forget it—was that of
a mother and son. She was also a highly respectable person, and was
described to me as perfectly trustworthy by one who knew her. She was a
widow, and had one son, to whom she was extremely attached. He however
disappeared one day, and she never could learn what had become of him;
she always said that if she did but know his fate she should be happier.
At length, when he had been dead a considerable time, her attention was
one day, while reading, attracted by a slight noise, which induced her
to look round, and she saw her son, dripping with water, and with a sad
expression of countenance. The features, however, presently relaxed, and
they assumed a more pleasing aspect before he disappeared. From that
time she ceased to grieve, and it was subsequently ascertained that the
young man had run away to sea; but no more was known of him. Certain it
was, however, that she attributed her recovered tranquillity to having
seen her son as above narrated.
A lady with whom I am acquainted was one day, when a girl, standing at
the top of the stairs, with two others, discussing their games, when
they each suddenly exclaimed: “Who’s that?” There was a fourth among
them—a girl in a checked pinafore; but she was gone again. They had all
seen her. One day a younger brother, in the same house, was playing with
a whip, when he suddenly laughed at something, and cried “Take that;”
and described having seen the same girl. This led to some inquiry, and
it was said that such a girl as they described had lived in that house,
and had died from the bite of a mad dog; or, rather, had been smothered
between two feather-beds: but whether that was actually done, or was
only a report, I can not say. Supposing this to have been no illusion,
and I really can not see how it could be one, the memory of past sports
and pleasures seems to have so survived as to have attracted the young
soul, prematurely cut off, to the spot where the same sports and
pleasures were being enjoyed by the living.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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