The record-union., 1893-01-11
A TOKEN OF DEATH.
Case of Mental TeIegraphy at Day.
ton, Ohio,
How Mothers Demise Affected Her
Daughters Family Many Miles
Away from Her.

y h..
j. L. Davis to a st. Louis Globe Democrat
reporter. at is case of genuine spirit
ual telegraphy as deem it. rn make a
story of it.
In 1875 I was married in Dayton, Ohio.
My wife was the daughter of a we'll -to-do
farmer who resided in that vicinity, where
l was buying wool at that time. Mywile
was one of three children, and the only
daughter. l will say here, and you will
see how it figures in my story later on,
that my wife was very attentive and
hard-working girl, aud l know that her
parents loved her best of all. After we
We're married we removed to Terra Haute
Ind, and l took charge OF a very large
Woolen mill as manager. Ny wife's
parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Schauab, removed
to Western Pennsylvania, very close to
Red Bank. We did well in Terre Haute
1 bought an interest in a WOolen mill
there myself, built good home and
raised large family. After about five
years OF absence my wife desired to re-
visit her parents, and nothing would do
but that we must go. Travelling eastward
or westward in 1851 was not what ii is to-
day l assure you. 1t meant that | must
torsake my business Tor many weeks;
that all the family must be taken along
for the sake OF safety, and that cost a large
outlay of money. Ne paid the visit and
the bills, and finally returned home
AT the time of parting from her mother
my wife said that she felt just as though
she should never see her again. The
whole parting scene was rather sad, now
that | recall it.
We'll, we returned to Terre Haute,
and for eight or nine years my wife cor
responded regularly with her parents.
Along about lS7l letter came from home
saying that her mother was i'll. but not
seriously so. Still it worried my wife a
great deal, and set her 10 thinking seri-
ously OF going home again. The weight
OF business and family affairs had grown
by this time 10 such an extent that it re-
quired constant attention. My family was
large one, ten children in all. and nv
wife was an excellent manager, so that in
view OF the constant need OF her | was Sc
riously opposed to her going. ANYHOW,
she wrote letter saying that she would
come home II they needed her, but that
she hoped all would be well without. A
few days after l mailed this letter-it was
in the winter time and snowing-I came
home from the mill and prepared to en-
JOY myself as l usually did of winter
evenings. We had supper, and my wife
Strengthened things. She put the chill
dren 10 bed, that is the little ones, and we
sat alone in the sitting-room. | was
reading my paper and she was knitting,
as she always did, before the fire.
About 10 O'clock she stirred in her chair
and said:
"'Do you hear some one walking?'
Il said No. for l didn't. l felt at once
that that was queer question for her to
ask, Tor 1t was showing outside rather
heavily. 1t was one OF those soft, wet
snowstorms, and it would take a rather
heavy walker to be heard on a gravel
walk. l said, Why, it's showing out.
You certainly did not hear any one walk
Just then she said:
Listen; some ones tapping on the
window
BAH said, half nettled at what 1
deemed her odd tancies, 1 don't hear any
one l arose from my chair just to sat
isty myself and her, and opened the side
door TO which the gravel path led.
looked, but no one was there. 1t was
simply showing heavily, and no boot
marks were visible. l turned back, fully
assured that it was all her imagination.
For little while nothing happened. |
got interested in some newspaper tale,
and she again rocked to and fro in her
chair, when all at once l heard tapping
on the window pane. My wife heard it,
too. She stopped and looked at me with
that triumphant glance of. There now, /
told you so;' coupled with wide-eyed
surprise. We listened. 1t came again
once, twice, three times. / dropped nv
paper and opened the door. My wife
came and looked over my shoulder into
the darkness. There was not sign Of
any one, although had reached the door
quickly, and no footsteps We're in the
snow. l remember saying, Wen, that's
queer and shutting the door. Then we
sat down to discuss the matter. 1t was
rather serious question | assure you,
although | was not and am not now seri-
ously given to a belief in the supernat-
ural. We talked OF the matter, 1 dare
say, ten minutes, when all at once my
wife said:
There it is again.
Before | could realize what it was, a
low, mournful sound came without. not
from the ground, [ thought, but from the
lower branches of tree that stood a little
distance from the door. 1t was Just like
woman crying in most Woful bitter
ness. Oh, that cry was simply awful! 1t
was lust long, low, human wall that
seemed to contain the bitterest sorrow.
l was almost dumblounded. 1 thought
my wife would faint, but she only sat
still, very pale, and looked at me. Finally
| got up and went to the door. 1t was
the same story as before. There was not
a sign Of any ones presence.
My wife took it at once for what il
was-a token. She said that she knew
something must have happened at home;
mother was worse or dead, but she could
hardly think OF that. Four days later a
letter came to my office for her. 1t was
not black bound, for they couldn't buy
mourning paper out in the country,
and maybe they didn't care to. But it
was from home, and l felt that il must
bring news of death. | opened it. and
sure enough it told of her mothers end,
how b. 9 o'clock on the night that the
omen came her mother had died from a
sudden Inflammation, and that her dying
exclamation was, OH [ want to see Sa-
rah'-that IS my wife's first name. |
withheld the letter for ten days, or until
L thought her nervousness had passed
away, and that she had stength enough
to bear the n9WS. Then | broke the It'd
ings to her, and gave her the letter. 1t
was cruel blow. and it seemed cruel on
my part TO withhold the news so long;
but l still think it was best
Not long after, to appease her anger
and satisfy her longings, l took her home
again, where she visited her father and
the grave of her mother. But aside from
all that | firmly believe in tokens now.
have had some other queer unexplaina-
bic things TO happen since then, all of
which have confirmed me in the belief
that there is something that passes be-
tween those who have strong bonds OF
affection between them, that in moments
of extreme JOY or sorrow flies like an ar
row with the news, and we cali them
tokens"
Electric Cigar Lighting.
A sign in front of a downtown cigar
II