The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-16
WHAT WAS 1T.


WHAT WAS 1T.
The clock struck eleven. 1t was a wild
night in February and the cold was bitter.
Sieet and wind ragged, tearing their way I'M
restrained through the wide. deserted
streets. rafting window panes, slamming
shutters and doors, shrieking, whistling
and moaning in the chimneys and through
the bare trees. But the mad anger of the
storm king made the little library, with it's
piano and organ, with its books and pic
lures, its bright lamp and glowing fire, only
cosier and warmer, and tempted me, after
my wife had retired. to spend another hour
over book. l lighted cigar, took one of
Clark Russells sea stories from the shells,
and settled myself comfortably upon the
lounge. l had read for about fifteen min
utes, when, without any explainable cause,
a curious consciousness stole over me that
I was no longer alone. Whence comes this
premonition of bodily presence before sight
or hearing has announced such presence?
Ia it not that the spirit sees before the
mind formulates! Or does thought speak
to thought before the sluggish nerves Of
flesh can be aroused into action? l laid
my book upon a little round table that
stood close to the lounge, and went into the
adjoining room, in which the gas was still
burning, but found no one. Smiling at my
nervousness. l retraced my steps. Opposite
the lounge upon which had been reclining,
on the other side of the table, stood rock.
ing chair, a little wicker affair, ornamented
with blue ribbons, a favorite with my wife.
That chair was rocking! For a moment the
thought of an earthquake sent the
blood rushing to my brain. The
recent shocks at Charleston and
in Italy may have made my mind suscept
i've to this thought, but as I glanced at the
chandelier. at the pictures and curtains,
noting that they remained quiet, I realized
that it was no seismic disturbance that had
set that chair in motion. Puzzled, l ad-
vanced and laid my hand upon one of the
arms to steady it. The chair was occupied
Close your eyes, reader, touch an empty
rocking-chair repeat the experiment with
the same chair, after some one has seated
himself in it, and you will understand why
l knew that the chair was occupied. l
stood motionless. l could see absolutely
nothing, and yet felt that it was occupied
and saw that it was rocking. l
am very matter-of-fact man. Supersti-
ton has never gained the slightest foot
hold in my mental frame. have always
laughed at Spiritualism, and have often
declared that if a miracle happened before
my very eyes, still would deny the miracle,
believing that that which seems miraculous
has always a perfectly reasonable and nat
ural origin, could we but trace it. Yet
confess that, Notwithstanding my former
skepticisms, did not feel quite at ease
with that swaying chair before me, know
ing that it was occupied, yet seeing nothing.
I had laid my open book page downward.
Suddenly the book lifted itself from the
little table, lowered a moment in front of
held before the face of a reader, l heard
the short. sharp sound as of leaf being
torn quickly, and then the book closed
itself, or was closed, and resumed its
former place. This is all nonsense, I
said to myself, u am lying upon the
ing all this, l must wake and go to bed.'
But it would not do. l still held my cigar;
! now placed it between my lips and not
only saw and tasted, but smelled its smoke.
Does one ever exercise the sense of smell in
dream without an actual existent causei
reached forth to grasp whatever might be
in that chair. A cool hand-nay, skeptica
reader, it was not cold one.-a cool, soft
living hand seized my right one. another
my left, and there l stood, a little
to one side, yet almost in front
apparently daintily formed but wholly in
visible hands. l felt myself growing pale
lips and throat became parched, my hear
beat furiously, and yet l knew it was no
fear that thus took possession or me. i
was rather the expectation of l knew moi
what OF something strange unknown, mys
ferrous, which l thought must presently
happen, blended with feeling like curl
osity as to the ultimate solution of thu
enigma before me, and which kept me mo
tionless and spellbound. My right hant
was now gently lifted and laid upon heaC
"a woman's head-for l could plainly fee
mass of soft hair. which seemed to b,
gathered on the top in kind of wreath thu
head itself resting against the back of tn,
chair. How many minutes this lasted / dc
not know. Again the clock struck-half pas
eleven. At the same instant my one hanl
was released; the other, supported by tn,
invisible head of my strange visitor. fell t,
my side. the chair rocked violently for
moment as if some one had risen and lef
1t. and then knew was alone l touche,
the chair. felt 1t all over, turned it upsid
down--lt was empty. l fastened to tn
door, the windows. all were closed an,
locked securely. nor do ! now know whethe
l expected either of them to be open. Out
side the storm still ragged ferceIy. l turned
to the table, took up my book and sourh
the page which had been reading. Pas
46 of An Ocean Free Lance" Seaside edi
ton was torn from the top to the middle G
the third column which begins with tn
words: Your confession certainly su,
prises me. sir. l do not believe in appar
tions. but l really do not know why the
shouldn't be believed i'm This is all
have to tell. 1t was my first uncanny an
inexplicable experience. What to make {
it know not. am told that l dreame
it. If SO. whence the torn book? am ,
careful of the cheapest book as only a rel
bookworm oAn be. and l would as SOC
think of opening the piano by splitting i
top with an axe as of willfully defacing ,
tearing a book. Moreover, NV cipa
which had lighted at II O'Clock. was sti
burning, partly consumed, at II. so, for III
consciously had smoked while nv tv
hands were 30 strangely occupied. l v,
a. vide awake. as sober. as fully in DO
session of all my mental faculties. as l a
at the moment of writing these lines, an
finally might as well state that do n
believe that there exists strong. health
+. zane person. untroubled by either b,
conscience or by bad b abits, who can N
with absolute certainty state, of an inc
vidual experience, whether he was full
awake or asleep and dreaming at the tim
Therefore, unable TO answer the profile
satisfactorily, ask again: What was iii