Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-10-08
Was 1t Spirit
Or Illusion?
By F. A. Mitchell

delicate fingers, each becoming after
lapse of, say, half a century as large
as an athletes biceps and much hard
er to bend.
The most remarkable case of this
kind came under my observation.
will relate the story.
Donald Gregory. when he was too
young to remember the fact, became
a playmate of little girl about his
own age, Ella Marston. Their parents
places were side by side, and the chill
dren, neither having brother or sister,
were together all day. Then they
went to the same kindergarten and
afterward to the same school. Their
first and only separation was when
Donald went to college. They pined
for each other, and he neglected his
studies to write her long letters, re-
ceiving equally long replies When the
first examinations came on, though
bright fellow, he failed. This ended
his college career. He returned to his
love and was never again separated
from her till half century later, when
death claimed her.
They were married when the groom
was nineteen, the bride eighteen. A
son was born to them and a daughter.
The former lived; the latter died in
infancy. Till the son came to man
hood he remained with his parents.
Then he broke away to engage in bust
ness at another location.
Even in their youth they had few
intimate associates and after coming
to middle age dropped away from any
thing social. Those who knew them
wondered at this, for they were both
attractive and popular. Efforts to get
them into social undertakings always
failed.
Mrs. Gregory died at seventy. 1t
was year after this that l made the
acquaintance of their son, now a man
of nearly fifty. Strange 1t is that with
his parents happy married life before
him he never married. When his
mother died he persuaded his father to
| come to live with him. | had made
/ George Grcgory's acquaintance some
| time before this. and when his father
appeared on the scene George and |,
! both bachelors, were intimate, being
ut his house frequently.
When | was introduced to his father
| saw 4 handsome old gentleman with
a ford complexion and white hair and
mustache. 1t struck me that if
were a woman | would fall in love
with him no matter what was his age
George told me of the close relation
ship between his father and his late
mother. and when the latter died he
feared his father would lose his rea
son. But his father seemed to settle
down to an acceptance of his fate and
in a measure apparently ceased to
grieve. His son noticed something
about him which he communicated to
no one | discovered it for myself
One day when going to George
Gregory's house | saw his father put
ting his night key into the door. He
opened it, stepped back as if waiting
for some one to enter, then went in
himself. The matter made but little
impression on me till later | heard
the old gentleman talking to himself
in the library. AT first, thinking that
he was reading aloud, ! permitted my
self to overhear him. ] soon became
aware that he was talking to some one
whom he called my dear" The two
episodes together set me to wondering.
and narrated them to his son. George
sighed and said:
$50 you have noticed it. | have
known that Of which you have seen
evidence ever since father came to live
with me, He ever has my mother
with him-just how don't know.
Whether he sees her spirit, whether he
fances that it is present with him.
whether he hears her replies when he
talks to her-all this Is a puzzle to me-
| have often heard him talking to her
as you heard him, and he says the
same things to her that he was used to
saying while she lived, only they are
more endearing. He was always dur.
ing her life as gallant to her as when
they were young lovers, and when he
fancies she Is with him he will not sit
while she stands, will not go through
doorway without waiting till she has
gone before him. | have seen him
come into the house after having been
out of an evening and remove her
wraps as tenderIy as he ever did while
he 1, IA ,.ot
a way of sometimes walking with her
hand in hand. and since her death
have often seen him swinging his arm
through the empty air as | often saw
him do it when | was a boy"
do you observe" asked, whether
after apparently being with her he Is
more or less gloomy?"
He is never what we call gloomy
, though there Is certain sadness al
ways in his eyes. 1t seems to me thai
Providence, in whose sight such lover
like lives as were his and my mothers
. must be acceptable. has made some
physical change in his brain which
causes an illusion to comfort him till
, the day shall come when he will be re-
united to her"
did 1t ever occur to you,' asked
Nthat the strong affection between him
and your mother has enabled him tC
see and commune with her spirit?
sit has" was the reply, but don't
know"
Since then the same door has closed
behind Donald Gregory that closed
behind his wife.
Doesn't Wash Them.
n Snicklefritz-I know a man who new
III nr MnSheS his hands before hreak On st