The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-09
SAW HIS DEAD FRIENDS FORM
GhoStly story Related by Judge Phil
lips Of the Illinois supreme Court.


From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat
jesse ]. Phillips. one of the Judges of
the Illinois state supreme court. re-eIect-
ed recently, told a strange story not long
ago of his experience with a 'spook." II
was told at Hillsboro H., his home Tor
many years, and which is situated not
far from the uncanny place where the
spirit from the other world appeared
Many years ago he had a friend who was
TO him as Jonathan to David. Together
they discussed almost every theme of
science, philosophy and ethics They paid
one another frequent visits. Their homes
were in towns several miles distant. On
one of these visits the judge noticed that
his friend seemed to be in unusually ro-
bust health, and he remarked about It.
He was much surprised 70 see his friend
grow suddenly serious, and say. Il shall
look you In the face again before 1 die"
Nonsense! replied the Judge, don't talk
oil dying! You are good for a dozen years
yet m more likely to die than you are
Ills friend smiled and began a more cheer
iul subject of conversation. but as the time
came to say goo1-by he repeated his re-
mark, Remember" he said. II have
promised | viii look YOU in the face again
before / die"
Days and weeks passed on, and Judge
Phillips soon forgot the speech. for he
was not man who placed much faith in
warnings, signs and the like. One sum
mer day his thoughts were far away from
death or ghosts. He was riding with a
friends over the smooth country roads Of
Montgomery county. They talked of the
beautiful landscape, Of golden wheat
green waving oats and forest trees be-
yond The judge was driving. His COM
panion was In the midst of remark,
when suddenly the judge dropped the lines.
Look he whispered. There, over the
dashboard" he said.
II see nothing" said his companion.
What do you mean?"
Judge Phillips sat as II spellbound.
though his companion was unable TO see
anything but the empty air. Before him,
Tor several minutes, there stood the inn
age of his old friend. who had said: II
shall look you In the face again before /
die lie was there, life size. face. arms
ana shoulders, as II he were standing on
air, just In front Of the dashboard.
Judge Phillips does not often tell the
story. but when he does he says: II never
saw human being more plainly than /
saw MIN standing there before me and
looking Ia my face" How long the vision
lasted he could not tell. but at last h
seemed TO melt into air. and the Judge
picked up the lines and drove on.
His friend was inclined TO laugh at him.
ana ne himself made no attempt 70 ac-
count for the strange happening. But
early next morning he received n telo.
gram announcing that on the day before.
AZ the very time when he was taking ~
drive. his friend had died suddenly.
Was % r. wnrning7 DID his friend have
a prcmonlfion when be said. Il shall iooir
you in the face again7' Judge phtiiip-
cannot explain the story. It's narratlen
affects him deeply. and he probably hag
not told % 10 more than half dozen
persons though u occurred years aro
lie D. not "a aplritualat. ana no one uouil
De- render than be- 90 diacountonanoa the
cheap deiuHl0na which ore aometlrnos calf.
~ npirltunlisrn. The only deduction
which BE- admits having drawn from ~
weird Incident o. q nerafipe one. which
he states iu Do habtuniiy careful man.
ner ~ am noe prepared 30 aHy" 81 hls
conclusion. "thaf che dead. under some
Norid."