East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1863-01-13
REMARKABLE AppAnITIoNs.

that in the last century there were many
who firmly believed that they had been
visited beings of supstnatural world, ol
that they had seen the spirits of depart
ed relatives and friends. One of the
best authenticated of these stories Is
that of Nicolai, an author and book
seller of Berlin. In the autumn oi
the year 1890, he tells us that he had
been afflicted with an uninterrupted Sc
rles of misfortunes, which had the effect
of casting him in very low spirits. Al
length he fell i'll, and one morning
while his wife and mother were in the
room, he saw at short distance from
the bed, form like that of a friend
whom be had lost. He asked his wife
to look at it, but she saw nothing, and
endeavored to alay his agitation. AT
four O'Clock on the afternoon of the
same day, the figure again appeared to
him. He endeavored to convince him.
self that he was laboring under SOM
delusion, occasioned by his weak health.
out IN short time numerous other
phantoms, sometimes resembling stran.
gers, but mostly acquaintances, sur.
rounded his bed. "I could" writes Nc.
OLAF, distinguish between phantoms
and real objects, and the calmness with
which | examined them enabled me to
avoid tho commission of the smallest
mistake. know exactly when il only
appeared to me that the door was open
ing, and a phantom entered the door,
and when II actually opened, and real
person entered" For long time Nico.
lal was haunted by these apparations,
not only in his own house, but when he
visited friends. They were generally
walking, took no notice of each other,
although the room was sometimes full
of them, and they moved as in market
place, where all are eager to press
through the crowd. Some had pleas
ing appearance, and none were disgust
ing or terrifying in aspect. Nicolai
heard them talking occasionally, though
all he says on this subjct is that their
speeches We're commonly short and ne
yer OF an unpleasant turn" After this
state had continued some time il was
decided to bleed the prtient, and while
'hs opS'"tivn v as being pcI Ifoi mcd nj
colal tanced shat he saw the chamber
crowded with his shadow guests. Grad
ualiy they vanished into air, and the
book seller was free. At a subsequent
period Of his life he tells us that he ex
perienced sensation as if the phan.
toms were going to reappcar, but he
saw nothing. Nothing can he clearer
than that bad state Of health had con
Jured up the spcctres, and they were
exercised by means of a few lceches.
Another extraordinary story is told
of a commission which Was appointed
after the execution of Charles | :, to sur.
vcy the kings house at Woodstock. =
One night when ali the doors were Sc
curely fastened, great black dog en-.
tered the room where they sat, "made
a dreadful bowling, overturned two or
three chairs, and vanished under the
bed" While wondering at this occur
renee they heard the furniture being
thrown about the Kings presence
chamber, and the following morning
they found the minutes of their trans;c.
tions torn to pieces and the ink glass
broken; in the night some of the beds
were tilted up so high that the occu
pants began to think their nccks would |
be broken, and then they were sudden
ly let down with such force as to shake
tho very windows and cealings. Bed.
cloth he's were stripped off, candles ex-
and all kinds of unearthly
noises were heard. Huge stones were
thrown into the bedrooms during the
night, cannon seemed to be fired of,
and DR.. Plot, in his history of Oxford.
shire, states that this spectral cannona-
ding was heard sixteen miles around the
country. The commissioners were
thoroughly terrified by this time, and
their hori or was increased on the night
of the lst November, when burning logs
Of wood were tossed into their beds,
pail-fulls of green sinking water were
thrown into their room, the furniture
was shattered and broken. cannon thun.
icred in their ears like the broadsides
of a ship Of war, and not only the com.
nissionors but every one in the neigh.
Dorhood, were frightened beyond meas
ire. Cromwell's agents could not stand
t no longer; they left the house, and
could never be prevailed upon to return.
All these "signs and wonders, were
caused, it was afterwards discovered,
,y the commissioners own secretary
me Joseph Collins. He knew all the
rap doors and secret passages in the
rouse, and, with the aid of his fellow.
servants, performed all the tricks that
lad so alarmed the commissioners.
A pamphlet published in 700 relates ,
he story of a lady who, when lyin6 i'll,
vas visited by the apparation of 70.
male relative, and heard her say" A" Ny
lear, you will recover from this fit Of
ickness, but you will most certainly die
he day you are 81 years DID," -Four q
ears afterwards the lady reached the r
&c indicated, and her husband assem-. 7
led party to try aud divert her a
houghts from the warning she had b
eceived. Her friends did all that lay b
, their power to cheer her, but they
ad not left the house many minutes be.
IRE she was seizcd with a fit and cx.
ired-no doubt from sheer exhaustion II
nd apprehension.