Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-11-26

E In an essay entitled "Notes on
Ghosts and Gobhns" in his recently
published volume, THE Borda-land of
Science" Richard Proctor gives an in.
stance of optical illusion experienced by
himself. which aptly illustrates the way
in which belief in the appearance Of a
ghost might originate in u supers,i,ious
age, or IL any case where the person
experiencing the illusion happened 10
have weak nerves or feeble wits. Mr..
Proctor's mother lad died some months
before the time of which he writes
he was then 4 Cambridge student and
the scene CT the occurrence was his col.
lege
Il had on one evening been particu-
hrly, | may say unreasonahlv. low-spi..
itea. had SIT broodinc for hours over
dismal thoughts. These thoughts had
followed me to bed. and went to sleep
still under their influence. cannc, re-
member my dreams l did dream, and
my dreams Were melancholy: bu; aI-
though | had 4 perfectly clear remem-
hrancc Of their tenor on first waking,
they had passed altogether from rccol-
lection the next morning. II is to be
noted Eowove-. tLat l was under IN in.
tiuence Of sorrowful dreams when I
awoke. At this time the light O: n
wanin-, moon was shining iuto tie
room. | opened my ewes, anl saw with
out surprise or any Conscious feeling of
fear. my mother standing ~ the foot of
the bed. she was not in her habi. as
she lived hut clothed in white samitc,
mvstic, wonderful Her face was pale.
though not with the pallo~ of life; her
EXPRESSION sorrowful, ana tears which
glistened in the moonlight, stood IN
her eyes. And now stray.e n,eut Il
condition followed &y reason told me
that l was deceived by appearances; the
figure / SAW was neither my mothers
spirit ror an unreal vision
felt certain | was not looking at n
'phantom Of the brain which would
show itself without and felt equally
certain that no really existent spirit was
there before ne. Yet the longer |
looked, tEe more perfect appearance
the picture. / ra"kcd my memory t.
recal! any objects in my bedroom which
could tc mistaken fo.a sErouled ghost,
but my memory was lusy recalling the
features Of TIE dad, and nv brain
against tie action OF my willD was ira
eng those features il the fcure which
Stood before lie. The G,Ce"tion grew
more aud more complete, until / could
have sTokcn aloud rs to n living person.
Meantime. my mind had suggested. AMI
at once rejected, the idea If n trick
PLAYED ne by one OF nv college friends.
| felt perfect assurance that whatever it
was which stood before me. il was not
u breathing creature sclf.restraincd into
absolute Stiffness.
How long | remained gazing ut tho
figure / cannot remcu hcr. hut ] krow
tha. l continued stcadfast!v looking at
il until | had assured myself that (to
NY mind, in its probably unhealthy
cordition) the picture was rcrfec: in all
rcsTeCts.
AT last I raised my head from the
pillow, intending 10 draw nearer to the
mysterious figure. But it was quits
ulLec, ssa~v. I had not raised my head
thr.c inches hcfor,. TIE ghost was gone,
ard in It's riace-or rather, not in it's
place, but iivc or six feet further away
hung my college surrlicr." The tears
which glistened in lie moonlight" Mr.
Proctor accounts for in this way -
"Ovcr my surr'i,e, had hung my row.
ing bclt, and the silvered buckles (part-
" concealed by the folds Of tie sur
p.ice) sho@e in the moonlight"