HAUNTED BY GHOST OF YOURSELF.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3137, 2 October 1922, Page 2

HAUNTED BY GHOST OF YOURSELF.

The report published in English newspapers to the effect that a North-Country gentleman, Mr Morris Howson, has, according to his own statement, for years been persistently haunted, for years been persistently haunted, day and night, by his own "ghost," has led a London paper to make investigations into ghostly visitations, and it declares that Mr How-son-is bv no means the first person who has had' the strange and terrifying experience of being shadowed by his own spectre and meeting it face to face. As long ago as the days of Catherine the Great of Russia, this mysterious phenomenon was known; for not only did Catherine see her own spectral double seated on her throne, but all her courtiers present on the occasion also saw it and trembled at the

sight. - The strange and dramatic story is told by Mr Andrew hang. "In'the exercise of his duties as one of the pages in waiting, the Comte de ltobaupierre one day followed his august mistress into the throne room of the palace. When the Empress, accompanied by the high officers of the Court and the ladies of her household, came in sight of the chair of state, which she was about to occupy, she stopped suddenlv and, to the horror and astonished awe of her courtiers, pointed to a- visionary being seated on her throne.

"The occupant of the chair was an exact counterpart of herself. All saw it and trembled. After a moment of dead silence the great Catherine ordered her guard to advance and fire on the apparation. The order was obeyed; a mirror beside the throne was shattered ; the vision disappeared and the Empress, with no sign of emotion, took the chair from wnich her semblance had passed away." A still more remarkable story is told by a Count Trydar-Burshernsky, who, like Mr Howson, was haunted by his ancestral double for many years. His first glimpse of it was when, one day. he was looking at himself in a mirror and was astonished to see a "misty luminous face, the exact image of his own." apparently regarding its own reflection in the morror. On turning round to look at the intruder he saw nothing; but the moment he faced the mirror again, the spectral face was clearly reflected on a level with his own. Again and again this experience was repeated, the face always vanishing when he removed has eves "from the looking-glass. On the next occasion, when dancing at a ball, not only he, but many others present, saw a shadowry figure, his exact counterpart to the minutest details of his dress, accompanying him round the room. In his walks, when riding, driving, or hunting, at the theatre, and at his own .table, the same figure was seen repeatedly, either by his side or following closely behind him. Goethe related how on one occasion he found himself suddenly face to face with his exact presentment, "shadowy, vague, but unmistakably myself, in every detail except my clothes; for the visionary figure was dressed in a costume unfamiliar to me. Strange to say. some years later, 1 found myself on exactly "the same spot and in the very costume my double had 1 worn !" And Shelley told a story no less mysterious of an experience in Italy. He was working in his study overlooking the Bay of Speiza when, looking up. he saw an apparition cross the room and pass out of it into the corridor. His curiosity conquering his "strange sense of fear and awe," he followed the spectre, which turned round and faced him. when to his amazement he saw that it was the very image of himself. For a moment the ghostly visitant looked at him with eyes of sadness; then, uttering the words (in Italian) "Be satisfied!" it vanished.

More amazing still is a story told by Mr Owen in a book called "Footfalls." Some years ago an Ohio farmer built a new house, which was separated by a ravine from the ono he had occupied. One afternoon, about five o'clock, his wife saw his eldest daughter, Rhoda, aged sixteen, holding the youngest, Lucy, aged four, in her arms. Rhoda was sitting in a rocking-chair within the kitchen door of the new house. She called the attention of another sister to what she saw, and was startled to hear that Rhoda and Lucy were upstairs in the old house.

They were sent for at once, and on coming downstairs, they saw, to their amazement, their exact doubles sitting on the doorstep of the new house. They were ideintical to the most minute detail of their dress. After watching them for five minutes, the father started to cross the ravine in order to solve the mystery. Hardly had he descended the ravine when the visionary Rhoda rose from the rocking-chair, with the child in her arms, and lay down op '

threshold. There she remained for a moment or two, and then apparently sank into the earth. When the father reached the house no trace could bo found of any human being. Still more numerous are the cases in which the "astral bodies'' of living persons have been seen and recognised bv others, in some cases far removed from physical bodies to which they belonged. Not many years ago, on two consecutive days', when it was proved that he was at his home, ill in bed, Dr Mark Anthony MacDonnell. M.P. for Queen's County, was seen in the precincts of the House of Commons by several fellow-members who knew him well, and who were all prepared to swear that he had been there. And still more amazing, not only was Dr MacDonnell's spirit in attend ance at the House, but it actually walked into the division lobby and recorded its vote, as may be seen to-day on reference to the division-lists.

Sceptics may scoff as they will: but there is no doubt that on these two davs Dr MacDonnell never left Ins bedroom; and that the M.P.'s had no doubt whatever that they saw him m the House and also m the divisionlobbv.

A similar story is told by Sir Carne Rasch. who was also seen in the House at the very time he was ill in lied at home,

Sir Arthur Hayter, one of those who saw him. said: "I am positive that I. saw Sir Carne Rasch. It wa? struck by two peculiarities —his extreme pallor and his un-himselfislmess: and by the fact, that he occupied a seat remote from his usual place. I was impressed by the remarkable, striking, and altogether unusual presentment of the member for the Chelmsford Division. I do not say that it was eerie, but it attracted iiivoluntary and irresistible attention."

Sir Gilbert Parker, who also saw Sir Game's double and was equally positive of its identity, said: "When Rasch accepted mv nod with what looked very much like a glare, and met my kindly inquiry with silence, I was a little surprised. And when be suddenly and silentlv vanished. I put my hand to my head in utter bewilderment and asked myself if it were possible that poor Rasch, whose illness had been reported in the papers, had died."