Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1866-02-03

fancying what had alarmed him, physician,
from his duty.
On my arrival found no person present with
the patient except Mrs. Green, who informed me
that the spirits had been playing such pranks
that not a soul Dr. W. included, could be in
duced to remain. The children had been gone
for some time they were ather house.
found the patient very low, and with no
prospect of surviving the attack. He was, how
ever, quite free from pain, though very weak
While in the house / noticed many manifesto
tons of the presence of the power called spiritu-
alism Chairs and tables were moved and re-
moved, billets of wood thrown upon the fire, and
doors opened and shut without any apparent
agency. | heard struggles and unaccountable
noises, too, and felt an unusual sensation, caused
no doubt by the mysteries which surrounded
and Knocked me.
Noticing my manner, the patient observed
" It's nothing. You must get used to 1t,
Doctor"
~ should not be content unless could ex-
plain them, as well as become Indifferent to
them, replied
This opened the way to a long conversation,
during which probed my patients mind to the
bottom, but without detecting shadow of belief
Speaking of his wife, he said
You heard Helen promise to warn me of my
time to die?'
~ did--but you do not believe herr"
mo If it is possible, she will keep her
word, in spite of heaven or hell But 1T IS
simply impossible. She promised to come in
body and speak to | shall accept no other
warning from her save the literal meaning of
her words.
s1And what them"
elbow much of her body is there left, even
now, Doctor? and she has not come yet. She
promised to come from the grave. Can she
do it? No, no it is all humbug-a delusion
Poor Helen Thank God, Doctor the deyiltry
which so haunted her life, and stood between
her soul and mine, cannot reach her now"
..But if she should come You may be de-
ceiyed.'
81 cannot. Others must see her too, and hear
her shall believe no spectre, if there are such
things. Her body as it is. or will be, let that
speak if it =
From that day up to the hour of his death
was with him almost constantly, and was daily
introduced to some new and startling phenome-
non The neighbors had learned to shun the
house, and evepthe vicinity, as they would the
plague and strange stories Travelled from gossip
to gossip, acquiring more OF the marvellous at
every repetition. Nevertheless, my practice IN
creased
On the morning of March Goth, called earlier
than usual During the visit, manifestations of
a supernatural presence were more frequent, wild
and violent than ever before. was informed
that they had been exceedingly violent during
the preceding night. Their character, too, had
greatly changed Beside the moving of all NOV
able articles, the tinkling of glasses and the rat
tie of tinware, there frequent and startling
sounds as of whispered conversation, singing
and subducd laughter-all perfect limitations of
the human voice, but too low to enable me to de-
tcct the words used, if words they were. Still,
however, none Of these unusual sounds had en-
tered the sick room. They followed the footsteps
of Mrs Green like demon echo, but paused on
the threshold of that room, as if debarred by a
superior power from entering there.
found Mr. Hayden was worse, and sinking
very fast. lie had passed a bad night. Doubt
full whether he would survive to see another
morning, left him, promising to call at evening
and spend the night with him, resolved, in my
secret thoughts, to be - in at the death" If
there was TO be ghostly warning, | meant to
hear it, and if possible, to solve the strange
enigma.
The day had been exceedingly cold and stormy,
and the night had already set in, dark and dis
NAL, with fierce gale, and storm of rain and
hail, when again stood beside my patient. The
moment looked at him perceived unmistak-
able indications of the near approach of death
upon his features. He was free from pain, his
mind perfectly clear; but his life was ehbng away
with every feeble breath, like the slow burning
out of exhausted lamp. r.
Meanwhile the storm rose to a tempest and the
gloom grew black as death in the wild night
without The wind swept in tremendous gusts
through the adjoining forests, rafting the icy
branches of the trees and came waling and Shrek
ing through every crack and Granny OF the build
ing
Within. there was yet wilder connection. All
that had been said or sung, written or dreamed,
about ghostly visitatons, was then and there
enacted There was the ringing of bells, NOV
ing of furniture crash of dishes, whispers, howls,
CRYING laughter, whstling, heavy and light foot
steps. and wild music, as if in very mockery of
the Internal regions. All these sounds grew
wilder with the rising gale, and toward midnight
they were almost insuferable.
As for us three-the patient Mrs. Green and
myself-we were as silent death itself. Not
word passed lips after nine o clock. As for
state of our minds, God only knows. Mine, in
the wild world of thought and event which fol-
lowed. forgot all the past, save what have re-
called and penned, bit by bit, above. remem
Der only looking for the final catastrophe, which
grew rapidly nearer, with a constant endeavor
to concentrate all my faculties of mind and sense
upon the phenomenon which |, at least, had begun
to believe would herald the loss of my patient.
As it grew closer upon twelve o'clock, (for
upon the striking of that hour had my thoughts
fixed themselves for the expected demonstration,
my agitation became so great that it was with
extreme difficulty | could control myself.
Nearer and nearer grew the fatal moment-for
fatal knew it would be, to the patient. at least
and at last the seconds trembled on the brink
of midnight the clock began to strike-one
! | counted the strokes of the ham
mer, which seemed as though they never would
have ten-eeven-twelve | drew my
breath again. The last lingering echo of the
final stroke had died away, and yet there
no token of any presence save our own.
All was silent. The wind had lulled for mo-
ment, and not sound stirred the air within the
house. The ghost had fed.
arose and approached the bedside. The pa
tient was alive-drawing his breath very slowly
dying. The intervals between his gasps grew
longer-then he ceased to breathe altogether-he
was dead
Mrs. Green was sitting in her place. her elbows
resting on her knees, her face buried in her
hands.
closed the open mouth and pressed down the
eyelidS of the dead. Then touched her on the
shoulder.
:" 1t is over, | whispered.
THANK God - was the fervent reply.
Then we both started. There was a rustling
of the bed clothes Mr.. Hayden was sitting erect,
( bie --;ja o,ap n chest heayinp in a mi phty