The New York herald., 1922-05-14
BY Rear Admiral
Caspar F. Goodrich, U. S. ".


Form.r President Naval War College;
former Commander in Chief Pacitc
Fleet; President Naval Historical
Society.
cOME will say it was an
"astral body; others will
say it was a ghost" Some
are thinking, though they have
read only thus far, that, of course,
it cannot be either, since there
can be neither "astral body" nor
ghost. / do not argue with the
latter, since I do not reveal this
story either as evidence" or as
an argument. Neither do 1
recommend either term for the
former. Those who read may
call it what they will astral
body" or "ghost." l wish to say
only that the story is true, that
those who are mentioned are
ladies and gentlemen who rank
with the highest and that, be-
cause / vouch for my friends, I
vouch for their experience. 1
tell these experiences because
they might throw some light upon
many recent matters of public
controversy.
During visit of my ship to British
waters I was guest at typical London
social gatherings dinner-at one of the
large, stately London homes. The guests
were representative. of England's best.
soldiers, statesmen, peers.
When the ladies had observed the still
prevalent English custom, and had left
the dining room that the men might chat
together, we drew together at the end of
the great dining table to exchange com
ment upon affairs of especial interest to
men.
Gradually the conversation turned to
'psychical research"-a subject nowadays
much to the fore.
The general sentiment was disapproval
of such "hanky- -panky," as the majority
chose to call spiritual manifestations"
and Hume, Doyle and others who were
apostles of spiritualism were denounced
and ridiculed. AS a stranger, and for
eigner, i thought it more becoming to
listen to the discussion than to share in
il, although in my own views / sided with
the majority.
Among the guests was Sir Francis-I
shall not quote his family name without
his permission-whom / knew slightly in
a professional way as well as socially.
He, l could not help observing, merely
injected now and then a question de-
signed to bring out more clearly some
point under discussion. His own opinion
of psychic matters he refrained from
expressing.
guished peer of the realm, turned to him
and asked:
"Sir Francis, do you think there's any
thing in this communing with departed
sr.rits? You have been so silent have
wondered if you believe-or don't"
Really, can't say" Sir Francis re-
Piled Some time ago 1 would have
secuted such possibility Even now
cannot bring myself to credit It, On the
other hand, strange things happen. When
people we don't know preach at US and
give us instances Of their experiences we
may scout at them of course. But when
something uncanny happens to people we
know-our friends, whom we know to be
sensible and reliable-then We have to
sober down and think"
"You sound mysterious, my dear Sir
Francis. Have you a good story to tell
us?"
"It's a queer story, but absolutely true.
know intimately the people concerned
in It,"
Then Sir Francis proceeded with an
extraordinary story, which l repeat sub.
stantially in his own words as well as l
can remember them:
Some time ago | attended the wedding
of two young friends, Arthur Browning
and Edith Mainwaring, both of whom
had known since childhood. Shortly af-
terward I had tea with them at their
home in London. They were very happy
and quite enthusiastic over the plans
they had made for the future. Edith had
a rather substantial income OF her own,
on which they proposed living. while
every penny from Arthur's practice as a
barrister was to be safely invested, ac-
cumulating both interest and principal
until sum had been saved sufficiently
large to enable them to acquire com.
Portable and rootny home In the country.