Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-02-17
Face TO Face With an ANGEL

IuUU lU IuUU Ullu uu uHSUI'
81 have read great deal OF late
about occurrences of supernatural
character said a member OF The
theatrical profession, "but in all
my reading have not seen any
thing approaching an occurrence
that made a great stir in Hancock |
county, Ohio, thirty years ago. In
1858 L was In that county for
short time. In Orange township |
there was family by the name OF
Charles. William Charles, the
head of the family, think, was a
carpenter, and bis wife was
most estimable young woman, a
member of one of the best families
of the county. They had been mar
RED sly nr seven years, and had
one child, aged five. About the
middle of August, 1857, Mrs.
Charles suddenly became despon'
dent and low spirited. This was
all the more commented upon as
she was of a notably lively and
cheerful disposition. She would
give no reason tor her sudden
change in spirits, always giving to
her husbands appeals to be made
acquainted with the cause the one
simple reply:
"Wait. If there is any real
cause you will know in time.|
"She was fearful much of the
time, and was frequently found in
PRAYER. Her affection for her child,
always great and demonstrative, be-
came apparently still greater, but
tempered with a spirit of sadness
that was affecting to all who came
IN contact with the family. Mrs.
Charles could not bear to let the
little one out OF her sight, and the
strangest part OF the circumstances
WAS that the child seemed to know
what had made the change in her
mother, and was often heard to con-
sole her in her childish way, and to
tell her not to cry.
"As the middle OF October ap'
preached, to Mrs. Charles despon
dency was added a state OF feverisf
unrest and very apparent suffering
, under a strain of some great sus
pense, until, one day, when thu
> month was about half over, sh'
, begged her husband not to go Il
-, his work that day, bat to remain a
homo with her. He humored he
fancy, and between twelve and on
o'clock Of that day their little gr
. fell to the floor in a most unaccouD'
. able state of insensibility. Th
4, mother was near, and claspiDg be
hands to her head she exclaimed
# "My God 1t is trueP
. "Mrs. Charles fell in a faint, an
: her alarmed husband sent the sc,
II want for aid. He eplaced his uncoT
:, scious child on a bed and did whs
; he could to revive both her and b
|, wife until several neighbors arr
a ed. A doctor was sent for an
= Mrs. Charles was soon restored
consciousness, but the child r
NAMED in the trance in which
had so suddenly fallen, and new
came out of it, dying three da.
at later.
h. GAS soon as Mrs. Charles cou
re gain strength and composnre 81
Y, told a most extraordinary story.
as She said that at noon o.
ii. day In the middle OF Augr
m her little girl was playing in t
er ward. Her mother happening
ey look out at her, saw the child q
is ing earnestly up in the sky al
1T, raise her little hand up as if reac
in ing or greeting something. Nj
,st Charles could see nothing, but S
He went ont to where her child W
nd standing as if iftransfxed, and VIII
les she reached her the little one turn
to her with a abeaming face and glo
ed, ing eyes and said:
to "'Oh, mama it is an angel?
les "Mrs. Charles said feeling
is awe came over her that she col
au. not describe, and she felt that
bi. was in the presence of somethl
that struck her with awe. :
could see pothing, and IN mi
alarm took her little girl by
- hand to lead her away, but
''u' child resisted, and suddenly th
MS was revealed to the child's mot
~ the form that had been vislb.'
VI" the child even before 1t reached
'"s earth. That form was exactly
&c" those of angels she had read
~. scriptions of in the Bible and S
''.' pictured there, and she knew
'eu she stood face to face with a o
'"' senger from Heaven itself.
~" felt no fear, but was overwhelT
'"u by awe. The angel spoke to
reu and said that her little glrl We
III he called for from Heaven in
10 two months from that day,
that she would lie in trance
three days when her soul We
day leave her body. More than
her, the angel ioretold to the awe StT
und en- mother that her own d'
of would follow that of her child
to one month, mentioning the day
The hour. Then the angel slowly
. inLnL frnn, sinhl