The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-09-21
AN OPTICAL ILLUSION.


what "a Lawyer S@w One Night.
During the earlier years of nay prac-
tice as a lawyer was engaged upon the
trial of a case which absorbed my IN
divided attention for something over four
days. I was obliged to work in my
Office far into each night in preparation
for the next day.
Tt was upon the night of the third
day of the trial that the incident of
which I write occuEed. / had locked
my Office door upon coming In from
tea to avoid interruption, and had
toiled incessaDtly and alone until after
midnight, scarcely looking up from the
papers and figures before me.
at last laid down my pen, and wheel-
ing In my chair, was surprised to see
standing in the middle of the room, and
only few feet from the opposite side of
my desk, human figure OF singular ap-
pearance.
It was that of a man at least six feet
In height, broad-shouldered and strongly
built. The head was covered with
military hat, and the coat, buttOned to
the throat, was that of an army officer.
He stood facing me, and seemed as II
respectfully waiting for me to finish WHIST
1 WIS about before addressing me.
I remember that at first sight of him
felt no sensation of fear; indeed, my first
emotion was rather one Of pleasure, ion !
was weary and lonely.
[ babe the stranger q good evening,
and requested him to be seated. He
neither spoke nor stirred, but stood as
before, looking silently into my face.
The features and expression of his
countenance, the outline of his figure,
the very colors of his dress, even to the
gilt of his shoulder-straps and buttons,
had the distIDotness and the apparent
reality of actual presence.
l now perceived that I Was enjoying
pleasant and vivid optical illusion. l
had made the subject something of
study in my youth, and had at times
been favored with similar manifestations,
especially upon going to bed in dark
room after having overtaxed my eyes by
reading, but never with any 50 clear and
distinct as this
So I determined to experiment little
not with the spectre, for that would be
impossible, but with myself. sat per
fectly still, for L knew that If l should
change the position of my eyes by SO
much as the breadth of finger the
shadow would vanish. First L scru-
timzed it with the utmost possible care,
from the head downward as nearly to the
feet as L could see.
Everything was perfect, even to the
eagle upon his buttons. l now tried its
density. SO far as l could by my sight.
[ found that I could see through it and
distinguish objects beyond, as one sees
the liked stars through tho tail of a
comet. [ read distinctly the name |
'.Lluupe" upon Il large map which hung
On the opposite wall, locking all the |
while directly through the body of the |
uppsrl-'ou.
! would have passed my hand or cane |
through II, but l knew the instant / 1
sholId rise to approach it, it would van |
ISL therefore resolved upon the only
other experiment possible for me there. |
Ia p small drawer which stood open |
at nay right hand hay my |
pistol. [ could lay my hand on the |
wes,on without In the least moving my |
body or my head 4 bullet, passing |
from where l sat through the Elusive
iigura, could only, after piercing the
map [ have mentioned, knock some
.hips OF p!astering from o solid brick |
Kali; and inasmuch rs no person or
hing could be endangered, determined
to Lulaor my fancy.
1 cooked my pistol and fired, being
cry careful not to move my head or !
)odv. My aim was directly through the
Jreua, IF the apparition, but even if I
lad shot entirely wide l appTehend that
I,3 elIoc5 would have been the same.
filu Illusion vanished Immediately.
l could not observe how; I could not |
tee it IaIe nor go; it simply was not
heru The instant the pistol flashed,
he place where the vision had appeared
to the eye rs vacant as the air.
1t vas merely an optical illusion, re-
ultilg from an excited and somewhat
eyered condition Of the nerves, an
election not uncommon to persons In
he habit Of exhaustive mental appliea-
ion, and Is III no sense alarming, but Is
kindly Warming thai the person needs
est
The superstitiors Of hundred years
go would have called it ghost or COB
IN; those Of to-day would call it q
spirit, While In scripture times il
gould have been called ''heavenly
ision," or an appearance of the Angel
# the Lord--in the uniform of BrigR-
Iier General It was simply the over
asking of a neIve.--INeI0 York Com
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