The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-28
DR.. TALMAGE ON GHOSTS.
Call Him Early for Dinner, He Says
NstNre Will Do the Rest.

NstNre Will Do the Rest.
DIR. Talmage laughs at ghosts, and as
for such thing as being thirteenth at the
! table his only regret is, SO he declares, that
| he is not the twelfth, so that he would
stand better chance of getting a fail
| share of the choice bits
But even Dr.. Talmage occasionally
comes across some experience which, to
him, is vague and ineXplicable, and in its
uncanny suggestiveness seems to hint
| darkly at a world beyond our own-a
world of ghosts, COLLINS, gnomes and phan-
| tasmagora of sleeper's brain.
DIR. Talmage was sitting in his apart
ments day or so ago chatting pleasantly,
when his eyes ranged over toward a strik-
ing Oil painting, representing gentleman
OF the olden school. He pointed TO the
treasure, raised his finger significantly, and
said in that profound voice of his:
Il do not wish you to believe | am su-
perstitious, but there is something about
that picture that, to me, is as attractive as
it is out of the ordinary"
What is it, DR.. Talmage?"
"That picture" pursued the orator. sis
representation in oil of my late uncle, the
Rev. DIR. Samuel X. Talmage, formerly of
Oglethorpe university, Georgia. For fifty
years the portrait hung in my uncle's
ROOM 1t was much priced by him. 1t was
esteemed a splendid likeness. 1t had other
associations surrounding it which made it
especially valued in my uncles YES" The
visitor remembered that it was o. Captain
Oglethorpe who brought the obi seeds
from Africa, and FASTENED to answer:
ooh, yes"
On the night my uncle died a strange
thing happened. The friends were gath
cred around the bed. An intense silence
stilled the room. The great mystery of
death was about to again assert its domi-
nance over the children of men. There
was deep drawn sigh, and those about
the bed bowed their heads at the passing
OF soul.''
Here DR.. Talmage paused dramatically
in his recital just moment. Then he was
saying with telling effect:
At that moment suddenly the cords
holding the picture snapped asunder, and
with great crash the picture of my uncle
fell to the floor
1t was some moments before the visitor
spoke again.
Are you superstitious, DIR. Talmage?"
"On the contrary, do all can to work
against such ideas. They are absolutely
foreign to my nature. | mention the story
of the picture merely as an interesting coin
cldence. At best that is all it NAV be
called. 1t is simply coincidence. Had
my uncle died a moment later, or dav be-
fore, II you please, no significance would
have been attached to the crashing of the
picture. But coming as it did, Just at the
moment of the flight of the soul, it was a
singular circumstance"
do you believe in ghosts?"
My dear fellow, what question. Of
course not. All such manifestations as
far as supernatural significance is con-
cerned, are ridiculous. There are a great
many people, as you know, who will hest
tate to begin a journey on Friday; who
look upon the accidental splitting of salt as
a calam1tous circumstance foreboding evil:
who hear the clock strike thirteen when a
man dies; who regard the bowling of a dog
as harblnger OF death. But | have long
ago learned to look upon such things as
mere condolences, inexpEcable in them
selves. but of no more force or power than
IN themselves belong. 1t is absurd"
What is your theory"
People who are continually on the look
out for the unusual must Of necessity be
dominated by an unhealthy mind They
become nervous wrecks. They are super
sensitive about nothing They are nor
bid.
Would you sit down at table of thir-
teen, DR.. TalnaGes"
Il would, indeed. But ! would rather
be the twelfth man. IS then would stand
a chance Of getting more to eat, having
come earlier"
Have you not had great many people
come 10 you with superstitious coinci-
denceS asking YOUR advice"
MANY times. But always do nav best
to dissuade them. / laugh away their
devils. New York Recorder