ABOUT GHOSTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 431, 13 February 1909, Page 10

ABOUT GHOSTS.

MRi' W: T. Sf EAb'S STORY OF A SPIRIT ■•;..;■.;';.-.■; ;:'.,'PHpTooRAPH.-.-;,':,'-,v,i \v;v ! KILMii) AT KBIBERLEYi r - >■: ■-.:. The.: remarkable story of ,a : :"spirit photograph", is contained , in an article entitled "How-I Know - th'at • the-Dead Return," written." by. Mr.. W...T. Stead in the. "Fortnightly .Review.",. ,- ..-;. : .' A.:- 1 , i.,-;. ; :,, ! ; ' ''The supreme: test of, an authentic spirit photograph,",. ho says,' "is that a plainly recognisable portrait of a doad. person shall .be obtained oy. a.photographer r-.wko;'' knows nothing whatever-of,,the'existence of : such' a person; and-that; no visible forrn. ; shall be seen:.by:the.sitter,;in front;'of.--the'.camera.". ...Thb photographer;who. makes these photo-: graphs, of the invisible, for „ him ■is "an , , old and father 'illiterate-man, Mr. Stead says, to'.whom;. this;. faculty [ was .at ijne-V time..a seriousi'■hindrance to his':' busi-'. ness.".;Ho\.is clairvoyant and clairaudiont. •..-. ■'■■'■: During the'war'in. South Afnoa'the spirit of an. old;Boor.'entered; , this;man's studio with Mr... Stead arid.:a; companion; .Mr. Stead sat down.iit-front..of the camera, : and an exposure .was made: :'■ •,■'.,-. ■:■?■/ ■'■■' .-.:; "Neither my* frioiid nor I," lie says, "cbuld; see .any other person in the .room- but tho. photographer.'; and ■'■" oursolycs... Before . the . plate' was .-removed T asked the photographer 'if. he-could; speak to the old Boor. and.'if-he would answer any question if I asked him.", . ■ "Idbn'tkriow," said the old' man: '"I can :try."-V-Uiw,:i-;'--- /;/;,■. -;-.i-: ■:: : ■•"•:•:.! 'Ask "him. , : what his name' is," . said Mr. Steady::;;:;•;;■ v;:.-:;;-;;;■;/,;.; :; The';pho{bgrapher appeared iol-put a.inentat'g'iiestion,' 'arid .'.to", listeri'.for'/ii.'reply/.Then ihe.said,'."He'.says'nig.nariie is Piet'Bqtha'.": I; 1 i % know; Philip; Louis/ Chris,'and I.do,not'know-how ;mahy other'-'BotHas;- But Pibt. I :nbyer heard :of.'^;;;''-;";:::;-;.j-' :, .:>''. ■ :■■■;.-;*;■/• 'Jr.',-; ' ::;. '''That's- what ho. says hie name .is,", the • old'mari.replied.'; -V: ■; '.''__■" ■:... ,:.';-,.":.;'....:;.'...;. .. ~Wheh I thb; ; plate .was • developed. >.a tall,.bearded man was;seen .standing, behind Mr.;: Stead; .who Raited until: the war \ came; tov an end and General■Botba'came.to.London.. He I sent the photograph to .General Botha: by /Sir. 'Fischer;-Prime'Minister of the.Orango.;Free, State:. Next Wessels.Variother;Free ..State\delegete,' came to. see him. ; .. ■ ':■;.{, V- ;.:,. ':': a near : relative; of'mine, , ' said. have ,gbt. his. portrait; ;hangirig: up "'in my)house;,at home.', Be '.was; :.the-first: Boer; cpmmaridant-killedinlthe siege , '"■■'*. ..'•..A.■/• '■..•■•■.'.: :';.'i.\ ;■::,.;■: -'■':■: ;".;."And. iwhat. was his : riame.?".,v;"'. ■'■•' ■. ,f -/';," : : j - ; '.'j'-'Pietrus'.'Johanncs/Bptha,"'; said'MrlWes:selß,;;'.'.but;:*e, always called: him -Piot- Botha ifoT.-shsrtiV;^ , ;.'v;^ii'"-;V.i;-C\' : L''\;.-.:: ■:.'.:..■■•■;:::;■■,•,;!;;.•■■• ■ ;af- cHse'Vwhich : telepathy" eiplairi.'-- Nor: will; the hypothesis 'of; fraud hold water.'. , -;■ ■';

I MYSTERipiIS APPARIf ION:tO A * , ; "p.'CLERfc YidAN.- ; ■;;-};: /:;": : : i ■'■ !; -Three persons'/at.East Uudhain'.'-Vicaragej, iNorfolk," -declare thfey.havo.seen the "ghost"/ ,oi-.th«i-;yioar; ; of the parish,' who'lsjat present l atvAJgiers (say_s.tho;'i)aily Mail'';of January: ty- : •'■'-■■:■':"; ■' i -'yi'': l ':''".:.\:-r": .'; ■''.. ~ ;, W''/' ':,'.-■■.■'->':■-'■ ■'■'< ftThe.vision the housekeeper^'a maidservant,-and the- acting;vica'r>the Key B: -vßrtickj ;■■ >-.> •-• -S- , ~■-:.' :;.. v ■:; - ■. ;".v '•■ :■■ ir: r; : r ■/; ■■■•:-,, ghoßtj-;' :Siitferea:-uijury;.iii-;a receiit"-.railway' ;accident in Algeria, and ' : &b- a oonseque'n'ce heis;nowua,:tue v firitieh- hospital :'-at Algiers.-'. ~-'A l'he housekeeper, i\lrs.. .Huutleyi seen- by.' 'a .represehtahve;of the;.'.' Dally Mai/, , '.said .that ;law■ on Bo'xmg: Day.'afternoott ' she-: went j to ; .in:'the ■■btud; ..when' 'sho ' ■ ;l)r;-Astley, 'the iJaWnito the:\yiMpw.C!f ; ; .; : . ;v ,;;, vw^K'y; ■;.•.":• ;, '''Her.had'.no-'liatiOn and; was. smiling^ , 'shp a,.piece «f.paper;in his ; .hand.-: .1; thought-he. had ooine. home unexpectedly ; .cpmflhV■ : Hβ■■;be^6n^^^p.mβ ; ■wittthe■■■pßpbl;■• ;ans;:tji|}n;^nt' i iiito..a-Jittle recess;outside'the ,^niow.; l |,T6oiild!:flbt7make/6iii!:--jirliy;he :! 'ditl' $*?*'>. r She,then , called: a-servantiiarid asked'her. if ;she:saw anyon6,.-,"Why,'.'.-said the'girlj "it's : ; jDr.-AsUey!'!,f ;Shevthen-callediMri BfoiM?~. ■..The /.actingi.'Jvicar . : i.s .an- elderly l -'.inan,.iwh6' "has seen only-pn'cei'--,!" -. * : ' •.•■' i i :::;'When;vl::wasi:callcd-,into' th'orstudy!* 'heBaid/;!'I deafly saw the;figure, which -I.'recognised; as:ihat.,pf/ Dr. : 't Ho seemed vtq be'sitting.'in.a'chair, books before fhim.;'.:X ; vnbticed: his-Cuddesdon: collaiy. ■■and-vhisiiwaj;-;of,:weafing his .watcH-chain ■straight,acrossxhiE,waistcoat-high lip. The ■figuro-.liadithe:appearance' of.a reflection 'iir "a:.iniirpr. :vTh€>; .time 1 was abbut>'4.4o. ; '-With ;no:ligli't!ini.the-'robin, : see tho fi"-ure quite'clearlj'.-'i.-li-gradually yanisliea.-^^""■"■ ■' " .; j A/i'curipys:' f act ■; is.'-thatVif "■' Ijad, ;;boenr sitting'iri'.-his' usual "place.iii his atudy' with.a'.light; in; the room a>.reflection would' havo': appeared ::invthe;;'wmdow/:makmg::]iim ;appeaiv;esactly, :i as>Mr:- Brock■ describes^. ;: " ';: j)r.';Astley.with;:Mfß:;Astley-left' England ;.on ; :;P«emb'er;'.:10;! ! \ cbaplaihcy: ; it .■Biskra': for.- the- :yrin'te'r < months ". .The-.train'-in;':which :hei ; .was travelling■'■ibh' :Uecember:.(.l6 'i roni Algiers .came into -icollisipn:with;.;a goods';train, land/-the car 'in' which.Dr..and',ills. Astley.'were-'seated- was embankment. ''.Dr;' Astley was - severely -.bruised-.- arid' Mrs. ■ Astley 'had ; a ;leg.broken and , an-injury^to ; heri ; face.'■ •>■:■ .■■', ■ t/'P 10 : "P ail f Mail's'* vccrresponaeriV ■telegraplis.tnat at.1.40' on- Boxing afternoon : Dr.' Astley ;was.;]yihg in. bed talking with'the Rev. -.Herbert-.-.C..'Muriel,- ;■ English, ! chaplain at Algiers ); ;who' was; seated 'on. a chair near : him.? ;,The .talk;;was about various subjects, :' J B^: o ? ;ri ' 3t } l ' n S hayinga oonnection; with;< the' .yisibU: at thd .vicarage.-.': .w ■■-.-■;. -. .■/