The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-20

Slgn1ncAncc, taken In connection with the
solemn event wherewith they are asso-
ciatcd? DOes our f0rerunner ON the hill
top show by his looks and actions since
he IL too far off to speak tn us-thai he be-
holds, from his =" Peak in Darien," an
Ocean yet hidden from our view!
I should hesitate altogether to affirm
I positively that such is the case; but, after
many inquiries on the subject, I am still
| more disinclined to assert the contrary.
The truth seems to be that in almost every
family or circle questions will elicit rec
objections Of death. bed scenes, wherein,
with singular recurrence, appears one very
significant incident, namely, that the
dying person, precisely at the moment of
death, and when the power of speech was
lost, or nearly lost, seemed to see some.
| thing-Or, rather, to speak more exactly.
to become conscious of something present
(for actual sight is out of questi0njeof .
very striking kind, which remained in.
visible to and unperceived by the assist
ants. Again and again this incident Is re
pcated. 1t Subscribed almost in the same
words by persons who have never heard of
similar occurrences, and who suppose
their own experience to be unique, and
have raised no theory upon it, but merely
consider it to he STRANGE" "curi0us, -
Affecting" and nothing more. It Is in
variably explained-that the dyirg per.
son is lying quietly, when, suddenly, in
the very act of expiring, he looks up
sometimes starts up in be0-and gazes on
(what appears to beg vacancy, with an ex-
preston of astOnishment, sometimes de-
veloping instantly into joy, and sometimes
cut short in the first emotion of solemn
wonder and awe. If the dying man were
to see some uttcrly-unexpectcd but in
stantly-rec0gnized vision, causing him q
great surprise, or rapturOus JOY, his face
could not better reveal the fact. The very
instant this phenomenon occurs, death il
actually taking place, and the eyes glaze
even while they gaze at the unknown
sight. If breath or two still heave the
chest, it is obvious that the soul has a.
ready departed.
A few variations of such observations,
chosen from great number which have
been communicated to the writer, will
serve to show more exactly the point
which it is desired should be established by
larger concurrence of testimony. The
following are given in the words of .
friend on whose accuracy every reliance
may be placed:
II have heard numbcrless 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 within my own
knowledge, and will therefore limit my
self to detail of that which can give
on my own authority, although the cir
cumstanccs were not 50 striking as many
others known to me, which believe to
be equally true.
~ was watching one night beside q
poor man dying of consumption; his case
was hopeless, but there was NO appear.
ance 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 drowsy. He had slept through the
day and was.so wakeful that had been
converting with him ON ordinary subjects
to while away the long hours. Suddenly,
while we were thus talking quietly TO-
gether, he became silent, and fixed his
eyes ON one particular spot in the room,
which was entirely vacant, even of flrni-
ture; at the same time look of the great
est delight changed the whole expression
of his face, and after a moment of what
seemed to be intense scrutiny of some OBJ
jcct invisible to me, he said to me, in .
joyous tone, There is Jim.' Jim was q
little son whom he had lost the year be.
fore, and whom had known we'll, but the
dying man had son still living, named
John, for whom we had sent, and I con-
cluded it was of John he was speaking,
and that he thought be heard him arriv-
ing; so answered.
"'No. John has not been able to
COME
1.-THE man turned to me impatiently
and said: I do not mean John, I know
he is not here, it is Jim, my little lame
Jim; surely you remember him!
eyes said, remember dear little
Jim who died last year, quite WE'LL
"' Don't you see him then? There he
u.s. said the man, pointing to the vacant
space on which his eyes were fixed; and
when I did not answer, he repeated al
most fretfully, Don't you see him stand
ing therei'
II answered that could not see him,
though felt perfectly convinced that
something was visible to the sick man,
which l could not perceive. When 1
gave him this answer he seemed quite
amazed, and turned round to look at me
with a glance almost Of indignation. As
his eyes met mine, / saw That q film
seemed to pass over them, the light of in
telligence died away, he gave gentle
sigh and expired. He did not live five
minutes from the time he hrst said, There
is Jim,' although there had been no sign
of approaching death previous to that mo.
ment.
"Thc second case was that of q boy
decline. He was q refined, highly.edu-
Gated child, who throughout his long ILL
ness had looked forward with much hope
and longing to the unknown life to which
he believed he was fastening. On q
bright summer morning it became evil
dent that he had reached his last hour.
He lost the power of speech, chiefly from
weakness, but he was perfectly sensible.
and made his wishes known to US by his
intelligent looks. He was sitting prOppcd
up in bed, and had been looking rather
sadly at the bright Sunshine playing on
the trees outside his open window, for
some time. He had turned away from
this scene, however, and was facing the
end of the room, where there was nothing
whatever but a closed door, when all in y
moment the whole expression of his face
changed to one of the most wondering
rapture, which made his half.clOsed eyes
open to their utmost extent, while his lips
parted with smile of perfect ecstasy; It
was impossible to doubt that some glorious
sight was visible to him, and, from the
movement of his eyes, it was plain that it
ives not one but many objects on which
he gazed, for his look passed slowly from
end to end of what seemed to be the va
cant wall before him, going back and for
ward, with ever-increasing delight mani
tested in his whole aspect. His mother
then asked him If what he saw was some
wonderful sight beyond the confines Of
this world, to give her token that it was
50, by pressing her hand. He At once
took her hand, and pressed it meaningly,
giving thereby aninfelligent affirmative TO
her question, though unable t0speak. Az
he did 80 . change passed over Mis- face,
his eyes closed, and in . few minutes he
IVES gone.
The third case, which was that of my
own brother, was very similar to this last.
He was IN elderly man dying of pain
full disease, hut one which never for .
moment 0k1ncnra6 hfa fnNr1t3oa A1tfnsr nh