The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-05

~~~S
Was 1t her spirit which had sought me
to cast farewell glance at her son?
"Of course 1 left for Chicago on the
next train. On my arrival at home
learned that my mother was stricken
with an attack of apoplexy on the
morning Of her last day on earth. To
ward evening she partially recovered
No. 49, E.G.;lJ was gathered around ner
bedside excepting my youngest sister,
Annie, and myself. At half past eight
she fell into trance-like condition,
from which she recovered as the clock
struck nine. She then looked at every
one present, kissed her husband and
children, and with the remark: L have
seen George and ANNIE expired.
Il have no comments to make on the
connection existing between the vision
In the railroad car and my lamented
mothers trance. 1t is one of those
things which the human mind can not
comprehend; and the mystery will seem
still more profound to you. when you
have heard the story Of my sister, whose
experience was even more star Ting than
mine"
THE DAUGHTERS STORY.
EVERY word George has told you
believe to be true" said Miss Annie
Smith, who was persuaded to supple.
ment her brothers narrative.
cat the time of mothers death l
was visiting friend in Northern lndi-
ana. On the 18th of October 1 received
letter from mother in which she in
formed me of many things of personal
interest, and added, in postscript, that
1 need be in no hurry to return as her
health had never been better. She
spoke cheerfully of domestic affairs,
told about several calls she had made
the day before, and teased me not a
little about certain young man who,
as you know, will soon be my husband.
my visit had been very pleasant,
and Immediately after reading the let
ter informed my friend that I could
spend another week with her.
"a local fire company was to give an
outdoor concert, the last of the season,
on the evening of the 18th. AS early as
seven o'clock large crowd was gathered
around the music stand, in the court
house park, and at half past seven my
friend suggested that we walk down to
the park, listen to the music and take a
dish of ice cream, which was to be
served in the wide corridor of the court
house.
1.-THE suggestion met the approval of
every one In the house. and a few min
utes later we had joined the throng at the
courthouse. Several gentlemen known
to my friend asked permi ssion to join
our party and we were soon enjoying
ourselves to our hearts content.
''The music was really good, the band
which furnished it having won several
prizes at different contests. The men,
bers of the fire company, clad in bright
red shirts, gaudy belts and flaming he'll
NETS, went through their evolutions to
the satisfaction of everybody. Enthusi-
asm grew loud on all sides and an invi-
tation to buy ice cream received a
hearty response.
Among those who entered the court
house was our party. We filed one side
of long table, and as the gentlemen
were very liberal in giving their orders
it looked as though we would occupy our
seats for some time.
''The conversation was general. The
gentleman sitting next to me, a lawyer
Of some note, related some of his ex-
periences in the backwoods counties of
Indiana, and drew funny pictures of the
typical Hoosier and his peculiar WAYS
until laughter drowned the remarks of
the other speakers.
81 had a splendid time. The sur
roundings were so novel to one who had
never spent any length of time in a
country community, and the CONVERSE
ton, which brought me face to face with
men who had lived among class of
people about whom 1 had read and
heard so much, afforded me unbounded
amusement.
Judge M, the lawyer 1 men,
toned few moments ago, was just tell
ing very funny story, and as he had
the faculty of making a ridiculous thing
still more ludicrous by assuming the
facial expressions of his heroes and
heroines I watched his face intently.
'Suddenly my sight grew dim, my
Surroundings seemed to change and l
found myself in my mothers room at
home. saw her lying on her bed,
gasping for breath, the color of death
on her face, her eyes dimmed by q
CLASSY vapor. 1 walked to the side of
the bed, took her hand and lent down
to kiss her lips. She suffered me to do
as I pleased, and uttered, in a faint
whisper, the words: Goodbye, Annie.
God bless you
''In the same instant nv sight re-
turned, heard the words spoken by my
neighbor as plainly as before. saw the
dirty walls of the courthouse corridor,
and unconsciously laughed as merrily
as the rest.
''The reaction set in, however, and as
the clock in the courthouse tower
struck nine, fell from my chair in
swoon.
kind hands cared for me, and when
J. recovered l was in my room at my
friends house. related my expert
once. It was considered extraordinary,
but ascribed to ordinary causes. The
excitement of the evening, the cool at
mosphere, the transition from the pure
air of the park to the stufy corridor,
and many other circumstances were
cited to prove that my indisposition and
the flight Of my reason, as they termed
it, were brought on by natural causes.
81 did not dispute their arguments,
but rather hoped against hope that they
might be- unanswerable.