The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1879-09-09

The 01Drined neee of 9 Dye1
WOMB "A - ker The Auio
Haye Crosses tn Atli1c-The
ShSn Of the Human Chrysalis.
The writer was present 1t . email
gathering Of earnest men in the
parlors IF well known physician on
ths West Side fen dass Aissas--ISs
conversation gradually took .
spiritaalistic turn, when the host sur
prised his hearers BY stating that be
had been praeticing medicine for over
forty years, and that he had certainly
seen the soul cidolen or spirit, Of At
least City persons during that period.
There was . general murmur Of
incredulity, and one gentleman re-
marked at was all Imagination, Of
course" The doctor repudiated that
theory. "Had been the only Wit
ness to these spectral FORMS" be said,
II might attribute the appearance to
some abnormal condition of my sys
tenn" He then related the following
curious experience, with this special
request that his name should not be
made public in connection with any
newspaper article.
About six months since he was
summoned to the bedside OF an aged
lady who had been an occasinal
patient of his. The matron's two
married daughters were present, and,
although they are both middle-aged
women, they apparently did not sus-
pect that their mother was SO Close
upon the shore of the dark river. The
extremities were cold. the features
we're pinched and pallid, the heart
alternately beat and fluttered with
labored slowness. The doctor in
formed the ladies that their
MOTHER WAS NEARING HER END,
and that all he could do would he u
exhibit a stimulant which would
afford temporary relief BY driving the
blood from the heart to the ex-
tremities.
The stimulant was administered in
teaspoonfals, with the result predict
ed. Next day, however, when he
called he found the old lady was sink
ing fast. She was quite unconscious.
Her energies appeared to he entirely
lulled. She was moved by none of
those dreams which impel the dying
life to murmur out the names Of
friends or the occupations and recol-
lections Of past life. She was leaving
the world as uDconsciously rs four
score years ago she entered it. She
lay on bed on the parlor floor, or to
be more specific, her bed was placed
in the intermediate room between the
two parlors, and separated from them
by folding doors. The doctor took q
seat near the foot of the bed. The
eldest daughter occupied similar po-
sition. There was nothing further to
be done but to wait for the end. 1t
was in the afternoon. merging toward
evening. The light in the parlor was
subdued, but sufficient to zee every
fold and wrinkle perfectly.
As the doctor and elder daughter
sat there sadly gazing, the former
began to perceive q peculiar change
in the bed-clothes. The dyin. women
Law on the further side Of the large
bed. On the side nearest him there
was q gradual upheaval of the bed
clothes, as if some form were slowly
rising from the mattress below.
Gradually thus weird expansion As
sumed the form of human being. 1t
became, in fact, the duplication of
the diving woman. There were the
features, the form, everything per-
feet, only
THE SPECTRAL OR SOUL FACE
was turned toward the dying actual
face, and about six inches from it.
The doctor gazed steadfastly at the
two forms, wondering whether the
daughters were vouchsafed the same
revelation. Suddenly she started up.
crying. "Oh. doctor! do you see
that" Immediately the vision dis
appeared. The bed-clothes subsidized.
The old lady was dead.
No remark was made by the ply.
stefan at the time, but after the
funeral, which he attended. be asked
the daughter what occasioned the sud-
den exclamation just as her mother
died. She described the appearance Of
the eldolen, its position. its ethereal
hue, Just as the doctor bad seen it.
As she remarked, ut seemed to be a
glorious image Of her mother"
"1hat," said the gray-haired physi-
clan, sis my first experience 10 soul
seeing" On being further interrogat-
ed as to his
FIRST GHOST,
he stated that when he had been only
q few years engaged in the active
practice of his profession, his only
brother was prostrated with q severe
malady. One day. after leaving his
bedside, he suddenly met him 10 the
garden. II was never so surprised in
nv life,"' said the doctor; 81 hadn't
left him an hour, and had come to-
the conclusion that he was not long
for this world. poor fellow. So l
shouted: Halo, Oick-you don't
mean to tell me you're up and OUT"
He smiled a sad, sweet smile, and. as
/ stood trans6xed. watching, he faded
gradually into thin air. rushed into
the house and found that he had Just
died"
The doctor is one of those men who
pride themselves ON the fact that
nobody can fool them, and hence his
testimony on this subject is the more
extraordinary. He aven. as has been
stated. that he has seen
at least City ghosts as these death. bed
l.