The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-05-01


two guides, became lost in binding
snowstorm. Separated from his com.
panions, fatigue, cold and hunger over
came him at last and giving up in de-
spair he lay down to die in the snow
and sleet. The peculiar warmth at
tributed to at,-by freezing, grasped
him with deceptive arms. Losing con-
sciousness for a short interval, he
emerged from the body and with a
feeling of indescribable buoyancy and
joy rose to considerable height. He
asserts that every sense was magnified
and remembers laughing at his pre-
vious fear of death, praying with earn
estness to his Maker that He might
allow him to occupy his present state
forever. Below and beyond him at an
estimated distance of six miles, he
plainly discerned his wife and friend
being driven along toward a ruined
chapel-a place described in their guide
book. The driver drops his whip,
alights from mis- box, RECEIVERS it and
the ride is continued
Just at this moment an influence un-
seen draws his attention directly below
him. His corporeal body lies in the
snow: from it and fastening itself to
the base of what he felt as his brain
the egO-the stretched fine silvery
cord. Gradually it contracts and draws
him downward; he resits with all his
will. 1t is useless. Immediately losing
consciousness, he awakes to find his
own party surrounding him, and such
restoratives being applied as the ext
gency would allow. Els wife had no.
thought of taking any excursion, on
his departure; and before relating his
experiences to anyone he questioned
her minuteIy as to every incident con-
nected with her trip. She described the
facts exactly as he saw them.
Coincident with this is the experience
of man, whose integrity Iwould hesi-
tate to question, knowing him to be in
capable of playing on the credulity of
friendship-especially on. subject of
this kind. An accident proving nearly
fatal stretched him on his bed.
Surrounded by his physicians and
family, weak from the loss of blood, he
was given up to die. Partly losing all
sense, respiration and heart action
ceased. He was pronounced dead. His
own sensations were peculiar. The
whole being seemed to contract and it
appeared to him as if he was rushing
into void of blackness shaped akin to
the mouth of some huge tunnel. The
sensation of contraction continued and
losing consciousness for moment, he
expanded, and like the bnbble from
the pipe bounded to astanding posture.
The scene in the sickroom was vividly
recalled afterward-his weeping family,
one physician lightly feeling his pulse
for possible spark of returning life,
and the nurse standing in the doorway
He experienced neither JOY nor pain.
The spectacle did not appeal to him
in any sense.
Passing directly through the nursea as
she came forward, he started out of the
house, Indifferent to those he left be-
hind. Only sense of lightness and
buoyancy attended him as he gazed up
on new world spread over natural
objects like the haze of mirage.
Walking considerable distance over
broad highway that led him up from
his old sphere, he suddenly felt tug
ging at the base of the brain. An irre-
sistable impulse to return seized him;
it drew him back. AS he entered his
home, he remembers slender gray cord
attached to his person and ending in
his own body lying amidst his friends
in his own room. There it lay-the
physical counterpart of himself, ap-
parently without life. He lost con-
sciousness again and awoke to find
himself it be said live or dead
manp As in the other case, there had
been no fever, no congestion of the
brain so conducive to haIlucination and
fancy in the sick.
Do we not mistake the sense some-
J times, and is it beyond reason to sup