Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-01-31
GENUINE GHOSTS.
Story of a Young Man Who Several
Times Each Week Saw His
Double.

A local physician with slight lean
ing toward spiritualism was met by q
reporter yesterday, who, in casual
sort of way, asked him whether he had
heard of the story, now going the
rounds of the press, concerning the
Philadelphia bride. who sued her hus-
band for divorce, because she saw his
double in the room almost every
night Immediately after y o'clock.
You will remember the groom him.
self admitted seeing the double on such
occasions, but said he was in sort of
a trance at the time, and was perfectly
helpless either to arouse himself or 90
to his wife's assistance" said the re-
porter.
Yes, / have read an account of that
affair, and though three or four years
ago | should be inclined to laugh at it
as piece Of foolishness or look upon
it in the light of q horrible nightmare,
| must confess that, taking all the cir
cumstances into consideration, / must
believe every word of it. The news
paper account of the bride leaving her
bed and approaching the shadow at
the glass may be exaggerated some
what, but from investigation Of other
cases of similar nature [ am forced to
the confession that | am confirmed in
my belief that the account was truth
full one"
And you firmly believe that while
the groom was in bed, cold and appar-
emily lifeless, his double, lbs exact cOun-
terpart was in front of the bureau glass,
shaving himself?''
''Indeed | do.
''What reason have you for thinking
SOP"
Il could cite several reasons; but
let me state to you something which
happened in this very city only two
years ago, and | think | can convince
you that / have some reason to believe
in this strange occurrence. A hand
somely dressed lady of good standing
in society called upon me, accompanied
by her 18-year-old son, who was to all
appearances, perfectly healthy and as
bright as any boy of his age could be.
The lady unheSitatingly said that she
did not know as | could help her any,
but she continued, L have tried hard
to believe that he is troubled with some
disease of a peculiar nature which per-
haps, can be cured She finally told
me that two or three times every week,
in the dead of night, while sleeping
in his chamber, her son apparently
faints away, and with eyes wide open
stares at perfect counterpart of him.
self of shadOwy nature stalking into
the room. The mysterious figure walks
up and down the room, remains there
oh
es as the traditional ghosts are said to
do.
The boy was perfectly able to re-
count his experience when he regained
consciousness, and once or twice, other
members OF the household, believing
the boys story to be nothing but a
dream or nightmare, went to bed with
him, and they went through the same
experience as the Philadelphia bride
you speak OF. The boy was us cold as
death as his image stalked into the
chamber and vanished.
Did you effect cure?"
''Certanly not. 1t is incurable. 1T
is not disease, but something which I
cannot explain. The person affected
is lifeless. His spirit leaves him and
takes 4 shadowy form"
Then you believe in spiritualism?"
How can | do Otherwise?" | slept
with the boy one night for the purpose
Of convincing myself, and shall never
forget that night as long as l live. 1
thought the matter over from time to
time, looked up several authorities on
such matters, and the result is that l
know as much about it now as l did
when l started. To sum it up, it is not
q disease or an optical illusion, but =
stubborn, indisputable fact, and more
than that l cannot say. There may be
some people inclined to laugh at that
Philadelphia story; but look at it in
more serious light, and worthy of any
amount Of study and Investigation. ;,