The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-28

MGREGOR, FRIDAY, NOV. 2s, 1856.

In the town of Liverpool. some thirt,
years ago, . society of literary and pro
fessional men. as we'll ~ Of merchants
were accustomed to meet weekly for the dis
cussion of any topics conhected with poll
tics, theology, and science. They had {
well-selected library and spacious room
in which they used to pursue their socia
conversations. None were admitted bu
men somewhat distinguished in public
who could contribute their quota to the
general stock Conformation. Their mum.
Der was limited to twenty-four and as in
the celebrated academy At Antwerp. o,
the better known instance of our honor.
able Common Council of New York, each
members chair was labelled with the
name of it's owner or occupant-having.
of course, president and vice president
at the head and foot of the table. As
usual on such occasions. the president q
chair was more elevated than the rest, 80
that, Of couse. anything enacted there
would be more conspicuous to the other
members. At the period of which
! could give the exact year
and night. and, if necessary, the name OF
the venerable gentleman who had, for some
years, occupied this honored Office of
chairman-the president was confined to
his bed by severe indisposition. .
From feeling Of great personal esteem.
that night his chair was left vacant. while
the usual discussion proceeded. An in
innate friend. however. stepped round to
his house. which was Immediately adjoin-
ing the society's rooms, and brought
back the melancholy intelligence that he
was that evening considerably worse
and, in fact, was then considered to be in
a rapidly dying state. This information
threw gloom over their dis.
cussions, which, however, were sustained
with some spirit on very exciting topic
of the day. In the midst of their deliber-
ations, about midnight. the door of the
room was quietly opened. and in stalked a
figure, clad only in shirt, pale and hag-
gard, and with silent and steady pace
stepped gently into the vacant chair
Here. in his accustomed seat, he looked
placidly around upon his friends. the
marble whiteness of his features indicat-
ing only the staid composure of recent
death. In silence he gazed upon them,
and in silence was he intently gazed at
The apparition continued a sufficient time
in the chair to assure all who were pres
ent of the reality of the vision. His
bright intellectual eye surveyed them
round a placid serenity of feature seem
cd mantling into smile when his lip quiv-
cred and, gathering his robe closer around
his bust, with fixed eyes and the mourn
full expression of departure, the figure
gently arose from its seat, looked its adieu,
glided past it's friends with feeble and
noiseless step, and vanished as a vision,
the door opening and closing upon him at
his will" Conticusrs oHanes !" Awe
struck all were-silent. and wrapt in won
der! They were entranced in breathless
suspense for several minutes, looking
in each others faces and after
the receding figure.
After an intense silence of some min
utes, when somewhat recovered from the
shock, ono member inquired of his next
associate. but inquired whisperingly-
''Did you see anything" did you 2"
was the subdued rejoinder. The society
rose in confusion but one gentleman
the same who had brought the intelligence
Of the chairman's expected dissolution
took out his watch, noted care
fully the precise instant, and, leaving the
time piece on the table, walked quickly
round to the residence of the invalid, and
was told at tho door that his friend the
president had, just a few moments before,
expired. Himself elfastounded, he returned
to his equally astonished fellow.mem-
bers. There could be no deception, no
collision. 1t was he-his own long-fa-
miliar face. or his dis-embodied spirit -
Some one, at length. after a settled pause,
had the resolution to say:
If only one of US had seen this, he
would not have been credited, but it is
that so many can have been
deceived
Others exclaimed and asked-'Was he
come to take his last leave Of them upon
earth, to bid them an eternal farewell from
his favorite and oft-accustomed seat -
And was this really an essence, disen-
thralled from its earthly tenement, fitting
on it's way to the brighter world Of ever
living Intelligence anu ..-::c,ostal mind -
The pale, attenuated. ethereal figure bore
the impress of death. and the finger of
death was fixed upon it. The company
by degrees recovered their composure,
and the whole conversation, as may be
turned upon the dreadful OBJ
ject. the actual phantom which had 80 ab-
sorbed their attention. They broke up
and went home. Next morning, their
inquiries were more minutely and person
ally by each renewed. Still the coinci-
dence was the same. The servants and
family answered them by precise account
Of his death, which happened exactly at
the time Of his appearance in the club
room. There could be little doubt before.