The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-07-15
A Remarkable Ghost Story.

The loving are the daring.
A Remarkable Ghost Story.
In the new volume, by the Rev. J. S. Wood,
of England-entitled "Man and Beast Here
and Heretofore" occurs the following remarka-
HE story. which the reader will be surprised to
see coming from distinguished clergyman of
the Church of England:
ssThere are, as we know, many persons who
cannot believe that, as they put it, the living
should be able to see the dead. Neither do |
believe it. But as the spirit lives, though the
material body no longer encloses it, surely
there can be no difficulty in believing that the
living spirit within an earthly body may see a
living spirit which has escaped from its mate
rial garment. We do not doubt that after the
death of the body the spirit will live and see
other spirits similarly freed from earth, and it
is no very great matter that the living should
see the living, though one be still enshrined
in its earthly tabernacle, and the other reieas-
ed from it.
ssThis being granted-anI it is not very much
TO grant-it necessarily follows that if the
lower animals possess spirit, they may be capa-
BILE of spiritual as we'll as material vision.
That they do possess this power, and that it
can be exercised, is shown by the story of
Balaam. There we find it definitely stated,
not only that the ass saw the angel, but that
she saw him long before her master did. Now,
the angel, being spiritual being could only
be seen with the spiritual eye and it therefore
follows that, unless the story be completely
false, the animal possessed a spirit, and saw
with the eye of that spirit.
"I should think that none who believed in
the truth of the Holy Scriptures land I again
remind the reader that this book is only inten-
ded for those who do so) could doubt that here
is case which proves that the spirit of the
spiritual angel. And if that be granted, do
not see how any one can doubt that the spirit
which saw the angel partook of his immor-
tality, Just as her outward eye, which saw ma
terial objects, partook of their mortality.
Shortly afterward the eyes of the prophet were
opened, and he also saw the angel; but it must
be remembered that the eyes of the beast had
been opened first, and that she, her master
and the angel met for the first time in the same
spiritual plane.
eI have for long time had in my possession
letter from lady, in which she narrates a
personal adventure which has singularly
close resemblance to the Scriptural story of
Balaau. It had been told me Immediately
after threw out my 'feeler' in the Common
Objects of the Country As I had at that
tality of the lower animals, I requested the
narrator to write it, so that I might possess the
statement authenticated in her own handwri-
ting; 49, .;n,o 81 +ho ooon.,ono. tha ,.au nd
her mother were living in an old country
chateau in France.
"'It was during the winter of 18- that one
evening happened to be sitting by. the side of
cheerful fire in my bedroom, busily engaged
in caressing favorite cat-the illustrious La
dy Catharine, now, alas, no more. She lay in
pensive attitude and q winkingstate Of drow-
siness in my lap:
"sAlthough my room might be without can
dies, it was perfectly illuminated by the light
of the fire. There were two doors-one be-
hind me, leading into an apartment which had
been locked for the winter, and another on the
opposite side of the room, which communica-
ted witt; the passage.
"sMama had not left me many minutes, and
the high backed, old fashioned chair which
she had occupied, remained vacant at the op-
posite corner of the fireplace. Puss, who lay
with her head on my arm, became more and
more sleepy, and pondered on the propriety
of preparing for bed.
"sOf sudden I became aware that some
thing had effected my pets equanimity. The
purring ceased, and she exhibited rapidly in
creasing SYMPTOMS Of uneasness. bent down
and endsavored to coax her into quietness
but she instantly struggled to her feet in my
lap, and splitting vehemently, with back arch
ed and tail swollen, she assumed mingled
attitude of terror and defiance.
"rThe change in her position obliged me to
raise my head; and on looking up, to my in
tie. hideous, wrinkled old bag occupied man.
mas chair. Her hands were rested on her
knees, and body was stopped forward SO as to
bring her face in close proximity with mine.
Her eyes, piercingly fierce and shining with an
oyerpowering lustre were steadfastly fixed on
me. It was as if a fend was glaring at me
through them Her dress and general appear
ance denoted her to belong to the French
BOURGEOIS; but those eyes, so wonderfully large,
and in their expression so intensely wicked,
entirely absorbed my senses, and precluded
any attention to detail. should have screamed,
but my breath was gone while that terrible
gaze 80 horribly fascinated me; could neither
Withdraw my eyes nor rise from my seat.
az had meanwhile been trying to keep q
tight hold upon the cat, but she seemed reso-
lntely determined not to remain in such an
pply neighborhood, and after some most des-
perate efforts, at last succeeded in escaping
from my grasp. Leaping over tables, chairs,
and all that came in her way, she repeatedly
threw herself, with frghtful violence, against
the top panel of the door which communica-
ted with the disused room. Then, returning
in the same frantic manner, she furiously
dashed against the door on the opposite
side.
"sMy terror was divided, and looked by
turns. now at the old woman, whose great,
staring eyes were constantly fixed on me- and
now at the cat, who was becoming every in
slant more frantic. At last the dreadful idea