The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-08-14
FIFTY DISEMBODIED SPIRITS.

Ghost Stories Founded Upon Somewhat Re-
markable Facts-The Gloriaed Image of
Dying wonlal-A Spccter That Must Have
Crossed the Atlantic
New York Mercury.
The writer was present at a small gath
crng OF earnest men in the parlors of a
we'll known physician on the West Side
a few days since. The conversation grad
ually took spirualistic turn, when the
host surprised his hearers by stating that
he had been practicing medicine for over
forty years, and that he had certainly
seen the soul eidolcn, or spirit, of at least
fifty persons during that period. There
was general murmur of incredulitv,
and one gentleman remarked: ut vas
all imagination, of course" The doctor
repudiated that theory. Had been
the only witness to these spectral forms, .
he said, II mi ght attribute the appear
ance to some abnormal condition Of NV
system" He then related the following
curious experience, with the special re-
quest that his name should not be made
public in connection with any newspaper
article:
About six months since he was sum-
moned to the bedside of all aged lady
who had been an occasional patient of
his. The matron's two married daughters
were present, and, although they were
both middlc-aged women, they apparent.
~ did not suspect that their mother was
so close upon the shore of the dark river.
The extremities were cold; the features
were pinched and paid; the heart alter
natcly beat and tluttcred with labored
slowness. The doctor informed the ladies
that their mother was nearing her end,
and that ali he could do would be to ex-
hibit stimulent which would afford
temporary relief by driving the blood
from t. heart to the cxtremctics.
The stimulant was administered in tea
spoonfuls, with the result predicted.
Next day, however, when he called he
found the old lady was sinking fast She
was quite unconscious. Her energies ap-
peared to be entirely lullcd. She was
moved by none OF these dreams which
impel the dying life to murmur out the
names of friends or the occupations and
recollcctions Of past life. She was leav-
ing the world as unconsciously as four
score years ago she had entered it. She
lay on bed on the parlor floor: or, to be
more spefic, her bed was placed IN the
intermediate room between the two par
lors, and separated from them Ivy folding
doors. The doctor toox u seat near the
foot of tho bed. The eldest daughter &C.
cupied similar position. There was
nothing further to be done but to wait for
the end. It was in the afternoon, mcrp-
ing toward evening. The light in the
apartment was subdued, but sufficient to
sec every fold and wrinkle perfectly.
AS the doctor and the elder daughter
sat there sadly gazing the former began
to perceive a peculiar change in the led
clothes. The dying woman lay on the
further side Of the large bed. On the
side nearest him there was gradual ND
heaval Of the bcd-clothcs, as ifsomc form
were slowly rising from the mattress be-
low. Gradually this weird expansion as
sumed the form of !. human being. II
became, in fact, the duplication Of the
dying woman. There were the features.
the form, everything perfect; only the
spectral, or soul face, was turned to-
ward the dying, actual face, and about
six inches from it,. The doctor gazcd
stcadfastly at the two forms, wondering
whether the daughter were vouchsafcd
the same revelation. Suddenly she started
up, crying: "Oh, doctor! do you see that2'
Immediately the vision disappeared. The
bed clothes subsidized. The old lady was
dead.
No remark was made by the physician
at the time, but after the funercl, which
he attended. he asked the daughter what
occasioncd the sudden exclamation lust
as her mother died. She described the
appearance Of the eidolen, its position, its
ethereal hue, just as the doctor had seen
it. As she remarked: ut seemed to be a
glorious image Of her mother.'
THAT said the gray-haired physician,
lis my last experience in soul-seeing."
On being further Intercepted as to Ills
first ghost, he stated that when he had
only few years engaged in the active
practice of his profession, his ONLY broth
er was Frustrated with severe malady.
One day, after leaving his bedside he