The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-22
A WONDERFUL GHOST STORY.

~N''-S ~ hAV AANaASGN hkV VI
seven, OF Mrs. Charles Mathews, the
mother Of the distinguished comedian,
and widow OF that eminent actor, his
father, whom shs survived thirty four
years. In connection with II 10 related
q strange story Of ghostly Interference
In the matrimonial relation Of the de.
ceased lady and her husband, that can
not fall to Interest either In ghosts or
mRtrimony. lsa 81
Mrs. Mathews was the daughter OF n
much respected gentleman named
JAG kson, who had directed his attention
10 the stage. and had studied as a pupil
Of Samuel Foote. The first vile OF Mr..
Charles Mathews, Sr., was Miss Strong,
the daughter OF a physician at Exeter.
In 1851 she exhibited signs OF a decline.
One evening towards the close Of her
brief life, Mira. Mathews sent her hus.
band TO request that Miss jackson, for
whom she had some time before con.
celved q warm regard, would visit her
on the following day. When the Young
actress arrived Mrs, Mathews, pfopped
up In bed, maintained lively conver-
Batlon till her husband came in. who
was delighted 10 find her thus able 10
sit up and talk to her friend. She told
him her present cheerlulness was the
result OF considerations which had In
duced her 10 arrange the interyiew.
AvowinR her conviction that no human
skill could prolonR her life. she advert.
ed TO her affection for Miss Jackson, and
to that young lady's unprotected state:
and then, taking her hand and that OF
Mr.. Mathews and pressing both 10 her
own feverlsh lips in solemn manner.
oopJured them 10 take compassion on
her anxiety, and pledge themselves
to become man and wife alter her
death. Their agitation was extreme,
Mr.. Mathews reprOved his wife with
some tnpeluoslty for placing him In
such dilemma, and Miss Jackson,
throwing herself upon her knees, be.
sought the pardon OF the dying woman
for her refusal 10 comply, representing
the impOSsibillty OF her RiIIanclng her
SELF to n man for whom she enter
talned no warmer feeling than that of
friendship. Shelhen quilted the cham.
Der, followed by Mr.. Mathews, who
lmplored her not to harbor y suspicion
that he had been aware OF his wIfeis
intention, which he attributed TO some-
thing like a dellrlum produced by her
leVerish state. In the May following,
Mrs. Mathews illness terminated In
death. For some time after that event
natural degree OF distance was OBJ
served between the WidOwer and Miss
jackson. By degrees, however, the
mutual coldness wore oil, aud feeling
OF regard was growing up between
them1 when circumstance occurred
still more remarkable than the dying
Woman's appeal. Mr.. Mathews AC-
count OF his impression wns AS follows:
he had gone 10 rest after very late
nights performance ut the theatre,
hnding himself too fatigued to sit
up I'LL his usual hour 10 read; but,
after he was In bed, he discovered
as will happen when persons ut,
tempt 10 sleep before their accustomed
time-that 10 close his eyes was an
imposslbllity. He had no light, nor
the means Of getting one, all the family
being In bed, but night was not absO-
lutely dark, 1t was only too dark for
the purpose OF reading; indeed, every
object was visible. Still he endeavored
to go To sleep, but his eyes refused TO
close, and In this state OF reStlessness
he remained, when suddenly u slight
rustling, as II Of hasty approach Of
something. induced him to turn his
head 10 that side OF the bed whence the
noise seemed to proceed, and there ne
clearly beheld the figure OF his late
wife, In her habit as she lived, who,
smiling sweetly upon hun, put forth
her hand as II to take his, as abe bent
forward. This was all he could relate,
for In shrinking from the contact with
the figure he beheld he threw himself
out OF bed npon the floor, where, the
falling having alarmed the house, the
landlord found hlm1n lit, On his
recovery he related the cause OF the accI-
dent, and tho whole OF the following
day he remained extremely III, and
WAS unable to quit his rOOm.' The re.
markable fact iB that at the exact hour
ut which Mr.. Matthews was thus AZ
fected vlsion ofthe same Kind occurred
to Miss Jackson. The same sleepless
effect, she says, the same cause or ter
rOr, had occasloned me to seize the bell.
rope In order 10 summon the people oil
the house, which, giving way at the
moment, l fell with II In my hand u pon
the ground. My impressions Of this
visitation, as persisted IL was, were
exactly similar 10 those OF Mr., Mat
thews. The partles with whom we
resided at the time were perfect stran-
gers to each other, and living, widely
apart, and they recounted ReveraIly 10
all about them, the extraordinary
dream, for such II will Le called ,
although my entire belief will never be-
shaken of that was rs perfectly awake
as at this moment. These persons re-
peated The story TO many before they
were requested TO meet and compare ac
counts. There could consequently, bs
no donbtoi the facts. and tie cirUu n-
stance became matter OF much gene
raj Interest among all those who know
u.s. After such a. sympathy between
the widow and the friend or the depart.
ed wife, It is not surprising that the
dying request should be fulfilled, On
the 2SEh Of March, 1868, Miss Jackson
became the wife OF Mr.. Matthews. Mrs,
Matthews died ut her residence, Che lse q
Villa. Brompton, on Tuesday, October
18th, in the tull possession OF all her IA.
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