The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-10-11
LIqHT At LAST.
What Dying People Say They See.


people on toeir deethbea ray they 500
In an article in TIE Contemporary Review
she gives theoe interesting accounts Of
what dying people see:
A few variations of such.observations,
chosen from q great number which have
been communicated TO the writer, will
serve to show more exactly the point
which 1T is desired should be established
by larger concurrence. of testimony
The following are given in the words of a
friend on whose accuracy every reliance
may be placed:
81 have heard numberless instances Of
dying persons showing Enthusiastically by
their gestures, and sometimes by their
words, that they saw in the moment Of
dissolution what could not be seen by
those around them. On three occasions
facts of this nature came distinctly with
in my own knowledge, and ] will. there
fore, limit myself to a diets i Of that which
] can give on my oDn authority, although
the circumstances were not so stril ing
as many Others known to me, which | be
lieve TO be equally true
was watching one night beside a
poor mfn dying Of consumption his case
was hopeless. but there was no appear
snce OF the end being very near; he was
in full possession of his senses, able to
talk with strong voice, and not in the
least drow-y lie had slept through the
day, and was so wake.ul that had been
conve. sing with him on ordinary subjects
to while away the long hours Suddenly,
while we were thus talking quietly TO
gether, Ie became silent, and nxed his
eyes on one particular spot in the room,
which was entirely vacant, even of iurni-
trre. At the same time look Of the
greatest delight changed the whole ex-
preston OF his face. aud, after a rhoment
Of what seemed to be intense scrutiny, he
said to me, in joyous tone: There is
jim Jim was little son whom he had
lost the year before, and whom l had
lown we'll brit he diving man bad a
son living. nan d John, for whom be had
sent, and concluded j. was of John he
E'as speaking, arG that he thought be
heard him arriving, so | answered
No; John has not been able to come 7"
The man .urned to me impatiently, and
said " ! do not mean John. | know he
is not here it is Jim, my little lame Jim;
surely you remember him"
YES ! sail, / remember dear little
Jim vi died last year, quite we'll"
Don't yol see him then? There he
IS, sad the man, pointing to the vacont
place on which his eyes were fixed, and
when | did not answer, he reI aated al
l. ost fretfully, Don't you see him stand
i1g there p
answered that / could not see him,
though i felt perfectly convinced that
something was visible to the sick man
which / could not perceive. When
gave him this answer he seemed quite
amazed, and turned round TO look at me
with ia glance Of indignation. As his
eyes met mi le, saw that film seemed
to pass over them, the light OF intelli-
gence died away, he gave gentle sigh.
and expired. He did not live five min
utes from the time be first saw There is
JIM although there had been no sign of
approaching death previous to that mo-
ment.
THE second case was that Of a boy
about fourteen years of age, dying also of
decline. He was a refined, highly edu-
Gated child. who throughout his long i'll
ness had looked foIwerd with much hope
and longing to the new life to which he
believed he was hastening On bright
summer morning it became evident that
he had reached his lss hour lie lost
the power OF speech, chiefly from weak
ness, but he was pc .fectly sensible, and
made his wishes known to US by his IN
telligent looks. He was sitting propped
up in bed, and had been lool ing rather
sadly at the bright ST. lshile pl iying on
the trees outside the open W hdow for
some time. He had turned away from
this scene, however, and was facing the
end OF the room, where there was moth
ing whatever bat a closed door, when all
in a moi.ent the whole expression OF his
face changed to one Of the most wonder
ing rapture which made his halEclosed
eyes open to their utmost extent, while
his lips parted with q Smile Of ecstacy il
was impossible TO doubt that some glori-
Gus sight was visible to him. and from the
movement of his eyes it was plain that
il was not one, but many objects on which
be gazed, for his look passed from end to
end OF what seemed TO be the vacant wall
before him, going backward and forward
with every increasing delight manifested
in bis whole aspect. His mother then
asked him il what he saw some wonder
iul sight beyond the confines of this
world, to give her token that it was so
by pressing her hand. He at once took
her hand and pressed il mSaningly, Civ
ing thereby an intelligent affirmative to
her question, though unable to speak.
As he did so a change passed over his
face, his eyes closed, and in a few min
utes he was6gone.
THE third case. which was that Of my
own brother, Yves very similar to this last.
He was an elderly mau, dying of a pain
ful disease, but one which never for a
moment obscured his faculties. Although
it was known 90 be incursble, he had
been told that he might live some months,
when somewhat suddenly the summons
came on a dark January morning. 1t
had been seen in the course of the night
that he was sinking but for some time
he had been perfectly silent and motion
less, apparently in a state of stuDor; his
eyes closed. and his breathing scarcely
perceptible. As the tardy dawn of the
winter morning revealed the rigid fea-
lures of the countenance from which life
and intelligence seemed to have quite de
parted, those who watched him felt un-
certain whether he still lived but sud
denly, while they bent over him to ascer-
tain the truth, he opened his eyes wide,
and gazed eagerly upward with such an
unmistakable expression of wonder and
JOY that thrill of awe passed through
all who witnessed it. His whole face
grew bright with a strange gladness,
while the eloquent eyes seemed literally
to shine as it rejecting some light on
which they gazed he remained in this
attitude OF delighted surprise for some
minutes, then in a moment the eyelids
fell, the head dropped forward, and, with
one long breath the spirit departed.
A different kind of case 10 those above
narrated by my friend was that of a
young girl known to me who had passed
thro lgh the miserable experience of a
sinful life at Aldershot and then had
tried to drown herself in the river Avon.
near Clifton. She was in some way saved
L. !. 4 L 4 4 Z.