The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-03-25
WHAT WAS 1T !?

DIR. HILBERT has shown that spectre.
are nothing more than ideas or recollected
images of the mind, (which in certain
states of bodily indisposition have beer
rendered more vivid than actual impress
sion, and that the picturesof the "mind',
eye" are more vivid than the pictures O.
the body's eye. Sir David Brewster, in
his Natural Magic" goes further than
this, and shows that the "mind's eye u
is actually the body's eye, and that the
retina is the common tablet on which
both classes of impressions are painted,
and by means of which they receive their
visual existence under the same optical
laws. He thinks that this is not only
true in the case of spectral illusions, but
that it holds good of all ideas recalled
by the memory or created by the imag-
ination, and that it may be regarded as
the fundamental law in the science OF
pneumatology.
Robert Dale Owen, in his FOOTBALLS
on the Boundary of Another World -
tells marvellous story Of coincidence
that one can hardly believe were brought
about by no other agency than chance.
Mr.. Owen says that the story was COM
municated to him in July, 1859, by Capt.
j. S. Clarke of the schooner John Hal
lock, then lying in Rutgers ship, who had
it direct from Mr.. Bruce himself. He
adds that the John Hallock was then
trading between New York and Santiago.
Mr.. Robert Bruce, born at Torbay, in
the south of England, and there bred up
to seafaring life, in 1928, when about
thirty years old, was first mate on bark
trading between Liverpool and st. John,
N. B. On one OF her voyages bound
westward, being then five or six weeks
out and having neared the eastern por-
ton of the banks of Newfoundland, the
captain and mate had been on deck at
noon, taking an observation of the sun;
after which they both descended to cal
culate their days work. The cabin, a
small one, was Immediately at the stern
of the vessel, and the short stairway de-
scending to it ran athwartships. Imme-
diately opposite to this stairway, just be-
yond small square landing, was the
mates state room and from that land
ing there were two doors, close to each
other, the one opening aft into the cabin,
the other fronting the stairway into the
state room.
The desk was in the forward part of
the room, close to the door; so that any
one sitting at it and looking over his
shoulder could see into the cabin. The
mate, absorbed in his calculations, which
did not result as he expected, varying
considerably from the dead reckoning,
had not noticed the captains motions.
Having completed his calculations, he
called out, without looking around, az
make our latitude and longitude so and
so. Can that be right? How is yours ?"
AS there was no reply, he repeated his
question, glancing over his shoulder and
seeing, as he thought, the captain busy
writing on his slate. Still no answer.
Thereupon he arose; and, as he fronted
the cabin door, the figure he had mis-
taken for the captain, raised its head and
disclosed to the astonished mate the
features of an entire stranger. Bruce
was not coward but, as he met that
fixed gaze looking upon him in grave
silence, and became assured that it was
no one whom he had ever seen, it was
too much for him; he rushed up to the
deck in such evident alarm that it in
stantly attracted the captains attention.
Why, Mr.. Bruce" said the latter,
"what in the world is the matter with
your"
"The matter, sir? Who is that at
your desk?"
"No one, that know Of"
"But there is, sir there's a stranger
there"
"A stranger! Why, man, you must
be dreaming. You must have seen the
steward there or the second mate Who
else would venture down without or
ders ?'
But, sir, he was sitting in your arm
chair, fronting the door, writing on your
slate. Then he looked up full in my
face; and, ifever I saw man plainly and
distinctly in this world, saw him."
"Him. Who?"
"God knows, sir; l don't l saw a
man, and man I never saw in my life
before"
"You must be going crazy, Mr..
Bruce. A stranger, and we nearly six
weeks out"
al know, sir; but then | saw him."
- Go down and see who it is"
Bruce hesitated. al never was be-
lever in ghosts" he said, "but if the
truth must be told, sir, I'd rather not
face it alone"
"Come, come, man. Go down at once,
and don't make fool of yourself before
the crew."
al hope you've always found me will
ing to do what's reasonable" Bruce re-
piled, changing color; "but if it's all the
same to you, sir, I'd rather we should go
down together"
The captain descended the stairs, and
the mate followed him. Nobody in the
cabin! They examined the state-rooms.
Not soul to be found ,
"WelI, Mr.. Bruce" said the captain,
" did not I tell you you had been dream
ing?"
cts all very well to say so, sir; but if
didn't see that man writing ON your
slate, may ! never see my home and
e