The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-09-04
Mark Twain andsTel'pathy.

Several years ago I made campaign
on the platform with Mr.. George W.
Cable. In Montreal we were honored
with reception. 1t began at2 in the
afternoon in a long drawing-room in
the Windsor Hotel. Mr.. Cable and 1
stood at one end Of this room, and theS
ladies and gentlemen entered it at tt
other end, crossed it at that end, them
came up the long left hand side, shook
hands with us, said word or two,
and passed on, in the usual way. My
sight is Of telescope sort, and E
presently recognized familiar facAs
among the throng of'ssrangers driftiny
in at the distant door, and I said to
myself, with surprise and high gratit-
cation "That is Mrs. R. | had for.
gotten that she was a Canadian.
She had been a great friend of mine
in Carson City, New, in the early
days. I had not seen her or heard OF
her for 20 years; had not been
thinking about her; there was moth
ing to suggest her to ME, nothing to
bring her to my mind; in fact, to me
she had long ago ceased to exist, and
had disappeared from my conscious
ness. But I knew her instantly; and
I saw her so clearly that I was able to-
note some of the particulars Of her
dress, and did note them, and they
remained in my mind. / was impa-
tient for her to come. In the midst
Of the hand-shakings [ Isnatched Gimp
ses of her and noted her progress with
the slow-moving file across the end OF
the room, then 1 saw her start up the
side, and this gave me fall front
view of her face. I saw her last when
she was within 25 feet of me. For an
hour I kept thinking she must still be
in the room somewhere and would
come at last, but I was disappointed.
When arrived in the lecture hall
that evening someone said "Come
into the waiting-room there friend
of yours there who wants to see you.
You'll not be introduced-you are to
do the recognizing without help, if
you can"
I said to myself: "It is Mrs. r. 3;
I shan't have any trouble"
These were perhaps 10 ladies pres
ent, all seated. In the midst Of them
was Mrs. r., as I had expected. She.
was dressed exactly as she was when
I had seen her in the afternoon. l.
went forward and shook hands with
her and called her by name, and said:
''I knew you the moment you ap-
peared at the reception this afternoon: /
She looked surprised, and said:
"But was not at the reception. /
have just arrived from Quebec, and
have not been in town an hour" -
It was my turn to be surprised now.
I said: IT can't help it. I give you :
my word of honor that it is as I say.
I saw you at the reception, and you
were dressed precisely as you are now.
When they told me moment ago that
I should find a friend in this room,
your image rose before me, dress and
all, just as I had seen you at the re-
ception."
Those are the facts. She was not at s
the reception at all, or anywhere near
it but I saw her there nevertheless,
and most clearly and Enthusiastically.
To that I could make oath. How is
one to explain this ? Twas not think
ing Of her at the time; had not
thought of her for years. But she
had been thinking Of me, no doubt;
did her thought fit through leagues Of :
air to me, and bring with it that clear
and pleasant vision of herself III
think so. That was and remains my
sole experience in the matter Of appar-
itions-I mean apparitions that come
when one is (ostensibly) awake. I
could have been asleep for moment;
the apparition could have been the
creature of a dream. Still,- that>is
nothing to the point; the feature Of
interest is the happening of the thing
just at that time, instead Of at an
earlier or later time, which is argu-
ment that it's origin lay in thought
transference.
.e---ci