The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1890-09-18
A PSYCHICAL MYSTERY.
Grange Warnings Of a Mothers
Sudden Death.

One may not be believer in any Of
! the forms Of mysticism now presented
to the world by societies Of psychfcal re-
search and similar semi-scientific and
semi-religious associations, yet%inci.
dents seemingly beyond human compre-
hension occur every day, are recorded
by the papers and dismissed without
second thought Sometimes a particu-
larly-striking episode attracts unusual
attention. Metaphysical quacks at
tempt to explain II, and forthwith the
intelligent part OF the public ceases to
interest itself in the phenomenon.
Knowing this to be the case, i have
always felt delicacy about giving to
the public detailed account Of the ex-
traordinary case which came under my
observation several years ago and
whose truth / have no reason to doubt,
as the two persons most interested in 1t
enjoy the confidence of the entire COM
munity in which they live.
On the 18th of October one of these
persons, whom, for convenience sake, j
will call George Smith, was on his way
from Salt Lake City, U. T., to Omaha,
Chicago suburb early in September and
was working his way eastward at the
time Of which am writing. He had
enjoyed the best of health. Business
had been better than usual, and 1t is
safe to say that on tho evening OF the
day mentioned Mr.. Smith, enjoyed per-
feet physical health and his mind was
free from worry and excitement. Hence
his story Of the strange occurrence, out
lined in tho following paragraphs, needs
no further introduction, and the -chron-
icler retires in favor of Mr.. Smith: =
THE SONS STORY.
On tho evening of October is, 1886, !
was on an overland train on my way
from Salt Lake City to Omaha. had
taken some large orders in the Mormon
capital and was in excellent spirits.
After supper two or three OF my fellow
travellers proposed game OF eucher,
in which l took hand.
I'VE might have been playing two
hours or more when l fclt--or rather
seemed to feel-the presence of friend.
looked around, but could not see any
one I knew. / asked my friends whether
they had seen any one approach me- As
had boon losing game after game they
laughed uproariously and turned my
ques ton into joke.
IA new hand was dealt and the play
progressed. The uncomfortable feeling
which had possessed me few moments
before seemed to leave me. took a
new interest In the games and won two
or three times in succession. i was con
-yersing with the gentleman occupying
the seat opposite mine and talking
rather boastfully OF the change in my
luck when soft hand was laid on my
shoulder and / heard the voice of my
mother saying: George, want YOU
II have never been superstitious and
on that evening l was perhaps freer
from fancies than at any other period OF
my life. Still, when upon turning not
only heard tho voice of my mother, but
actually saw her form standing by my
side, her hand resting on my shoulder, /
dropped my cards and became so awe
struck that speech failed me for some
minutes.
'At length / recov cred from my stu
por. l asked my companion what lad
become Of the lady who had spoken to
me. In reply they smiled. They had
neither seen nor heard any thing.
became angry, but they vowed that l
must be laboring under hallucina-
ton.
Upon reflection | was persuaded to
agree with them. How could my moth
err, from whom l had received a letter
hut n To- a hof l., .l IA 4
at her suburban home near Chicago, be
passenger on the overland train?
What could have induced her to leave
her family to make a flying trip across
the continent?
THE idea seemed preposterous. Still,
to make assurance doubIy sure, walked
!. through the train glancing'at every fe-
male passenger. My search was, OF
course, fruitless.
by accident ] looked at my watch,
whose hands pointed to 0:10. / had
not changed it to mountain time, con-
sequently the. mysterious apparition
had shown itself to me at 8 o clock Chi
cago time:
''Ipassed a troubled night The vision
haunted me, and sleep did not close my
eyes for more than five or ten minutes
at time. The apparition did not APP
pear again, however.
"'ln duo time we arrived at Omaha.
My first task was walk to the depot
telegraph Office. AS my mother had
enjoyed the best of health at the time
Of my departure from home, / addressed
a message TO her notifying her of my
safe arrival at Omaha In two hours |
received q reply: Mother died at nine
lastevening. Come home at once.'
"Died at nine! At the precise mo-
ment when she called to me in the
sleeping car OF the overland express.
For few moments my fear, or what
ever you may call the sensation, seemed
oven more painful than tho sorrow
FELT Tor tho loss Of ths best Of methsrE