Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-08


From Robert Dale Owens "Footfals.nl
SUPERNATURAL ExRBnIENCE OF
BARON DRQULDENSTUBBE AP-
ARITION IN THE RUE ST. IAzARE 3.
In March Of the year 1854, the Baron de
Guldenstuhbe was residing alone in apart
ments, at No % Rue St. Lazare Paris
On the 18th Of that month"; returning
thither from an evening party, after midnight
he retired to rest; finding himself unable to
sleep, he lit q candle and began to read. Very
soon his attention was drawn from the book
by experiencing first one electric shock, ther
another, until the sensation was eight or ten
times repeated. This greatly surprised him
and effectnally precluded all disposition to
sleep; he rose, donned warm dressing-gown,
and lit fire in the adjoining saloon.
Returning few minutes afterward, with
out a candle, in search of a pocket-handker-
chief, 10 the bedroom he observed, by light
coming through the open door of the saloon,
Just before the chimney (which was situated
in corner of the room, at the opposite di-
agonal from the entrance door, what seemed
like o. dim column of grayish vapor, slightly
luminous. 1t attracted his notice for mo-
ment; but, deeming it merely some effect Of
reflected light from the lamps in the court
yard, he thought no more Of IT,, and re-en-
tered the parlor. -f
After time, as the fire burned badly, he
returned to the bedchamber to procure q
fagot. This time the appearance in front OF
the Fireplace arrested hisattention. Itreached
nearly TO the ceiling of the apartment, which
was fully twelve feet high. Its color had
changed from gray to blue-that shade Of
blue which shows itself when spirits of wine
are burned. II was also more distinctly
marked, and somewhat more luminous than
at FIRST As the Baron gazed at it, in some
surprise, there gradually grew into sight,
within it, the figure of a man. The outlines
ut FIRST were vague, and the color blue, like
the column, only of u darker shade. The
Baron looked upon it as hallucination, but
continued TO examine it steadily from a dis
tance of some thirteen or fourteen feet.
Gradually the outlines of the figure be-
came marked, the features began to assume
exact form, and the whole to take the color
of human flesh and dress. Finally there stood
within the column, and reaching about half
way to the top, the figure of tall, portly old
man, with fresh color, blue eyes, snow
white hair thin white whiskers, but without
beard or moustache; and dressed with some
care. He seemed to wear white cravat
and long white waistcoat, high stiff shirt
collar and long black frock-coat, thrown
back from his chest, as is the wont of corpu-
lennt people like him in hot weather He
appeared to lean on heavy white cane.
After few minutes the figure detached itself
from the column and advanced, seeming to
hoat slowly through the room, till within
about three feet of its wondering occupant
There it stopped, put up its hand as in form
of salutation, and slightly bowed.
The Baron's impulse when ut first ap-
preached had been to ring the bell So per
fectly distinct was the vision, so absolutely
material seemed the figure before him, that
he could scarcely resist the impression that
some stranger (for the features were wholly
unknown to him) had invaded his apartment.
But the age and friendly demeanor of the
intruder arrested his hand. Whether from
this world or the other, there seemed nothing
hostile or formidable in the appearance that
presented itself -rafI Hrrt
After time, the figure moved toward the
bed, which was to the right of the entrance
door and Immediately opposite the fireplace
then, turning TO the left, returned to the spot
before the fireplace, where it had first ap-
peared, then advanced a second time toward
the Baron. And this round it continued to
make (stopping, however, at intervals) as
often as eight or ten times The Baron
heard no sound, either of voice OF footstep.
The last time itreturned to the fireplace,
after facing the Baron, it remained stationary
there. BY slow degrees the outlines lost
their distinctness; and, as the figure faded,
inclosing 1t as before. This time, however,
it was much more luminous--the light being
sufficient to enable the Baron to distinguish
small print, as he ascertained by picking up u
Bible that lay on his dressing-table and read
ing from it arverse or two. He showed me
the copy: it was in minipn type Very
gradually the light faded, seeming to flicker
up at intervals, like a lamp dying out. n
From the time the figure appeared until it
hao To far fka
there elapsed about ten minutes; 80 that the
witness of this remarkable apparition had
the amplest opportunity to examine it. When
1t turned toward the fireplace, he distinctly
saw its back. He experienced little or no
alarm, being chiefly occupied during the
period Of its stay in seeking to ascertain
whether it was a mere hallueination or an
objective reality. On two previous occasions
during his life he had seen somewhat similar
apparitions--less distinct, however, and pass
ing away more rapidly; and, as they were of
persons whom in life he had known, he had
regarded them as subjective only; the off
spring, probably, Of his imagination, during
an abnormal state of the nervous system.
Pondering over this matter, he went to bed.
and, after q time, to sleep. In dream, the
same figure he had just seen again appeared
TO him, dressed exactly as before. 1t seemed
to sit down on the side Of the bed ; and, as II
in reply TO the reflections that had been occu-
pying the Barons mind before he retired to
rest, he thought he heard it say to him, in
subtance; Hitherto you have not believed
in the reality Of apparitions, considering them
only the recalings Of memory; and since you
have seen q stranger, you can not consider it
the production of former ideasp The Baron
assented, in dream, to this reasoning; but the
phantom gave him no clue as to what its
name or condition in life has been, ~ +.
The next morning, meeting the wife of the
concierge Madame Matthew, who had been
in the habit OF attending to his rooms, he
inquired OF her who had been their former
occupant, adding that his reason for making
the inquiry was, that the night before he
had seen in his bedroom an apparitiop. AT
first the woman seemed much frightened and
little disposed TO be communicative; but
when pressed on the subject, she admitted
that the last person who had resided in the
apartments now occupied by the baron was
the father Of the lady who was the proprietor
of the house-a certain Monsieur Oaron. who
bad formerly filled the office Of mayor in the
provinces OF Champagne He had died about
twoyears before, and the rooms had remained
vacant from that time until taken BY the
Her description ofhim, not only as 10 per-
Eonal appearance, but in each particular part
OF dress, eorrespondedsin the minutest man
ner 70 what the Baron had seen. A white
waistcoat coming down very low a white
cravat, long black frock coat these he hal
e.itqally wore, his stature was above the mid
eie mght and he was eorpulent; his eyes
blue, his hair aud whiskers white; and he
wore neither beard nor ,morstache, His age
was between sixty and seventy. Even the
amaIIEf Docultarlffau 49,, ~ a ,...,., a. IL :.