The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-04-07

| Ilme visited poor man VINO was dy-
ing of very painful disease and was
daily expecting his death. Upon
calling one morning to see his poor
friend, his wife informed him that she
thought he would have died during
the night, and, consequently, she and
her friends unfastened every lock in
the house. On inquiring the reason,
he was Informed that any hole or
lock fastened was supposed to cause
uneasiness to, and hinder the depart
ure Of, the soul. This is a common
superstition in France and Germany,
and exists even among the Chinese,
who make hole in the roof to let out
the soul at death. This practice
originated in the conception of the
soul as being somewhat material and
substantial. Indeed, even to this day,
German peasant considers it wrong
to slam door for fear Of accidentally
pinching a soul in it. In some parts
Of Holland, when a child is dying,
persons shade it from the parents
gaze with their hands, the soul being
believed to linger IN the body as long
as sympathetic eye is fixed upon it.
In Germany there is notion that if
any one who sheds tears over expiring
friend does but wipe them off he en-
hances the difficulty of deaths last
struggle.
Another very common superstition
IS that death announces its approach
by certain mysterious noises. These,
too, it is said, are sometimes caused by
the dying persons themselves, who
make known their departure to their
friends in such strange sounds.
Countless instances are on record of
such supposed forebodings of
death. Occasionally, too, we even
hear Of the credulous actually looking
for them, believing strongly in their
reality. A curious example of folk
lore is, perhaps, still in the memory
of some of our readers, namely, that
in connection with the death of Mr..
Smith, the eminent Assyriologist.
This famous scholar died at Aleppo,
on the 10th of August, 1876, at or
about the hour of six in the afternoon.
On the same day, and between three
quarters of an hour and an hour later,
friend and fellow-worker of Mr..
Smith s-Dr. Delitzch-was passing
within stones throw of the house in
which Mr.. Smith lived while in Lon
don, when he suddenly heard his own
name uttered aloud in ''most pierre
ing cry" which, says the DAILY News
September 18th, 1870, thrilled him
to the marrow. The fact impressed
him so strongly that he looked at his
watch, noted the hour, and although
he did not mention the circumstance
at the time, recorded it in his note
book.
Again, Mrs. Grove relates that on
board one of her Majesty's ships lying
off Portsmouth, the officers being one
day at the mess-table, young lieuten-
ant suddenly laid down his knife and
fork, pushed away his plate, and
turned extremely pale. He then rose
from the table, covered his face with
his hands, and retired. The president
OF the mess, supposing him to be i'll
sent to make inquiries. At first he
was unwilling to reply; but on being
pressed, he confessed that he had beer
seized by sudden and irresistible i'm.
preston that brother he had il
India was dead. He died." said he
ION the 18th Of August, at six o'clock
| am perfectly convinced Of it." NJ
rsument could overthrow his convic.
ton, which in due course Of time wa:
verified to the letter.
Events of this kind, in the minds Of
| 10 b
sympathy and harmony between two
personalities, while others explain
them as simply the result Of ''fancy
and coincidence" Any one, it is ar
gued, "* may fall into brown study
and emerge from it with stare ant
the notion he heard his name spoken
That is the part of fancy, and tn,
) simultaneous event, death, is the par
of coincidence Against this it will
always be argued That these coinci
dences are too many to be accidental
, and this position will, says writer il
; the Daily Neaos, always be met b,
! efforts to weaken the evidence for eacl
) individual case, and so to reduce th
cumulative evidence to nothing. TAX
| ing into consideration, however, tn
5 countless instances which are OF
E record Of this kind-many too on evi
: dence beyond impeachment-we must
5 while giving them the credence the,
{ deserve, honestly admit that they ar
= beyond the limits of human explana
: ton.
= Again, the wrath, or spectral ar
a pearance Of a person shortly to die,