Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-18
A Wireless
Message From
The Dead
BY F. A. MICHEL


discoveries that, lost in wonder at
what we know, we have no time to
consider what our attained knowledge
is likely to develop in future. For
instance, we know that an electric
current may be transmitted without
any other medium than the atmos-
phere. We also know that functions of
the body, if not electric. are a force
something like electricity
When l was a boy | was constantly
finding myself saying something to
companion who would say. why,
was Just about to say that myself.
At the time | considered this a coin
cidenee. Now / believe it to be
power | possessed in receiving the
mental impressions of others by a
sort of wireless process, l studied
medicine and became a doctor. Then
during hospital work | broke down
and, though it was between winter
and spring, was obliged to go to the
country to recoup.
| stopped at a house that looked
down a valley. and the view was I'M
interrupted. | used TO sit on the porch
wrapped in rugs and enjoy the view
in the sunshine. About mile dis
tant was a house that bore evidence
of having been built in colonial times.
1t was not by any means farmhouse,
but something quite handsome. The
vol laf rlaatt1iar Sfvlp
involving a porch with pillars.
One night i was awakened by the
sound of wheels stopping right under
my window and thought l heard some
one call "Doctori' ] raised the sash
and put my head out through the win
dow. A man in wagon asked me IL
/ was a doctor. and | said l was,
whereupon he begged me TO come with
him at once. | dressed myself unwill
ingly, went downstairs and got into
the wagon with him. / asked him to
tell me about the nature of the case l
was expected to treat but could get
nothing out of him. He seemed entire
ly absorbed in some powerful emo
ton.
We were but few minutes in reach
ing our destination, drawing up before
a house with pillars from the porch to
the roof. I inferred that | had come
to the house about which l had SO
often dreamed. The door was opened
by woman in a short petticoat full
at the hips, a kerchief across her
bosom and q dainty cap ON her head.
She looked very much troubled.
Come upstairs" she said.
/ followed her up winding stair
case, and the woman opened q door
with glass knob. / entered the sick
room to see young woman lying on
a bed with four high posts surmount-
ed by canopy. On one side of her
was man holding one of her hands;
on the othA side was a young girl
holding the other. These two looked
at me with that mute appeal a doctor
is SO often obliged to meet
AS drew near the bed the girl with
the invalid pulled down the bedclothes,
and / saw at once from blood stains
and temporary bandages that my pa
tent had been wounded. | was not a
surgeon. but felt obliged to perform a
surgeons part l examined the wound
and saw that it was near the heart, so
near that wondered that the wound
ed woman lived. There was nothing
that / could do for her except bind up
the wound in a more professional man
ner and await results.
pracanfIu cow bor .xne, a-1 -
tween gasps she said to the man be-
side her:
you are convinced of the unjustness
of your suspicions?"
Eyes, yes; forgive me-"
81 forgive you. Goodby."
She fell back dead.
Amid wall of those present re-
tired from the room. Notwithstand-
ing the tragical circumstances. | could
not but notice the costume of those
in the house. What singular per-
sonsr' l said to myself. Not content
with living in a colonial house, they
adopt the colonial costume" This
was especially marked in their collars,
which were like those l had seen in
pictures of Americas early settlers. l
was ushered out by the woman who
received me and driven back to my
home, where | went to bed, remaining
half awake. half asleep, for the rest
of the night.
Now, there was something uncanny
about my visit, and / hesitated to talk
about it to those in the house | asked
If any of the family had heard a wag-
on stop before the house during the
night, but no one had heard any such
sound. This induced me to maintain
a reserve about my visit. Presently
yentured to ask who lived In the
house with pillars and was told that
no one lived there 1t had been un-
occupied for many years. The last
tenant had vacated some thirty years
before. asked if anything peculiar
had taken place there. but no one had
heard OF anything unusual. But be-
fore returning to the city 1 heard
from very old resident of the region