Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-14
CANADIAN GHOSTS.
"reminiscences Carried to England 1y the
lnititary--Cmrioms Dreanas and A1psri-
tto.ss--Hotca London Unbelieccs. secs Peg

"Reminiscences Carried o England J7y til
| lMititayy--CmrioMs Dreams aud Apyeri
ttos.s--Hotca London UmbelSeros r.s Pes
xted---Ghosfs IN General.
[London Spectator.l
It is prcverbially difficult to prove &
negative; but it is not only difficult, but il
is impossible to disprove the existence OF
ghosts, or their occasional apparition to
mortal eyes. Even if it were possible
| (which it is not) to prove that no ghost has
over appeared on earth, science, whether
physical or metaphysical, supplies no cal
culus for the disproof of ghostly appari-
tions in the future. Wesmay even go fur
Their, and say that the progress of physical
science has made belief in ghosts easier in
stead of harder. The most advanced con-
illusions in regard to the laws of light and
sound go to show the possibility of innum-
cradle sights and sounds above us which
may be invisible and inaudible simply be-
cause we have no organs sufficiently deli
cate to apprehend them. 1t is certain
that some of the
LOWER ANIMALS FAR sURPAss Us
in that respect; SO far, indeed, in some
cases, that their superiority. did we not
know it as fact, would seem quite as in
credible as ghosts. The microscope has
discovered world of organized existence
close to us, of which the naked eye knows
nothing. Recent discoveries in the sphere
of sound are not less startling. To put an
arbitrary limit to these discoveries, and
declare dogmaticatly that science has
reached the end of its tether in such mat
tiers, is not the mark of scientific, but
rather of an arrogantly prejudiced mind.
What has science to say of the existence of
beings so ethereal as to be incapable of
apprehension by the human senses, save
only under abnormal conditions-either
by temporary exaltation of the human fac
ulties, or by such modification of the
normal laws Of spiritual substances as
shall bring them temporarily within the
cognizance of human senses? Absolutely
nothing.
We are not arguing in favor of belief
III ghosts, or III the manifestations of So
called spirituaiism. We are arguing
against the unscientific habit of mind
which would forbid, on prior grounds.
any kind of rational investigation. No
doubt, the vast majority of ghost stories
are myths, and we have never seen any ex-
hibition of ''spiritualism" which could not
be explained by siight-of-hand. But the
widespread belief in such phenomena is
surely a reason for inquiry rather than for
a dogmatic tabooing Of the whole subject.
There is residuum Of stories of super
natural. or at least preternatural charac-
ter, which cannot be easily explained
away. Take, for instance, the Wynyard
ghost story. Two brother officers, who
were also intimate friends, by name Sir
John Cope Sherbroke and Lieutenant
George Wynyard, were with their regi-
ment, the Thirty -third in Canada, toward
the end of the present century. As they
were sitting in Wynyard'a room, in broad
daylight, both of them saw tall and ex-
tremely emaciated youth standing for a
few moments in the doorway, and then
passing through the room into an adjoin-
ing bed room, out of which there was no
egress, except back through the sitting
room. sGreat God, my brotherv e1-
claimed Wynyard, and both followed the
apparition into the bed room, but saw no
more of it. They took notice of the day
and hour, which happened, as the event
proved, to have been the day and hour of
the death of a younger brother of; Lieu
tenant Wynyard, 10 whom hs was fenGly
attached.
Sir John Sherbroke, however, was an On
believer in ghosts, and persisted in hoping
that some natural explanation of the
apparition might eventually turn up. An
incident bofell him some years afterward
which promised for moment to Justify
his skepticism. After his return to Eng
land, he was one day walking along Picca-
dilly with two friends, when his attention
was suddenly arrested by a man who was
the fac simile of the mysterious apparitioh
in Canada, except that he did not look so
emaciated. Delighted at this opportunity
of verifying his skepticism, he crossed the
road and, accosting the stranger told the
story of the Canadian apparition, and
asked for an explanation. 81 have never
been in Canada" replied the stranger,
''but am not surprised at you mistaking
me for my lamented young friend, poor
Wynyard, whose ghost is said to have ap-
peared to yourself and his brother; for we
we're so like each other that we were con-
stantly mistaken, the one for the other"
The point of the story is that Sir John
Sherbroke never saw the Wynyard whose
he had seen in Canada. The
story is well known, and the present writer
once knew an cd Peninsula officer who
heard the story from Sir John Sherbroke's
own mouth.
sTOEY OF DIFFERENT KIND,
but not the less remarkable in it's way, was
related to the writer of this within the last
few weeks. Major -, an officer now in
the Guards. and well known in London So
ciety. was some years ago with his regi- |
ment in Canada. One day he received a |
letter from brother officer, then on leave
at home in Scotland. recommending to his |
good Offices young FREUD then on his !
way to Canada. Accordingly, Mr.. s.,
the young gentleman in question, was re-
ceived Hospitality by Major -, and be-
came frequent guest at the mess of the |
regiment. He appeared at breakfast one
with look of extreme detection, |
and explained, in answer to inquiries, that
he had seen IN his sleep that night his own
tombstone, with his name and the date of
his death namely, June II, 1867" ''They
have not given you long time to pre-
pare" remarked Major -, s'seeing
that this is April" This was said for the
purp SO of rallying Mr.. s. out of his
low spirits, Major - being then, as he
is now, an unbeliever in ghostly visitations.
Mr.. - gradually recovered his spirits,
and in course of time started for the
United States. On taking leave of him.