A MOURNER COMFORTED.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 140, 7 January 1876, Page 14

A MOURNER COMFORTED.

I- * ' ■ ■" Dr. Lee, in his interesting work, " Glimpses of the Supernatural," relates the following occurrence, which, however, is already familiar to many :

Philip Weld was a younger son of Mr James Weld, of Archer's Lodge, near Southampton, and a nephew of the late Cardinal Weld, the head of that ancient family, whose chief seat is Lulworth Castle, in Dorsetshire. He was sent by his father in 1844 to St. Edmund's College, near Ware, in Hertfordshire, for his education. He was a boy of great piety and virtue, and gave not only satisfaction to the masters of studies, but edification to all his fellowstudents. It happened that on April 16, 1846, a play-day or whole holiday, the President of the College gave the boys leave to boat upon the river at Ware. In the morning of that day Philip Weld had been to the Holy Communion at the early celebration of Mass, having just finished his retreat. In the afternoon of the same day he went with his companions and some of his masters to boat on the river, as arranged. This sport he enjoyed very much. When one of' the masters remarked that it was time to return to the College, Philip asked whether they might not have one more row. The master consented, and they rowed to the accustomed turning-point. On arriving there, and in turning the boat, Philip accidentally fell out into a very deep part of the river; and, notwithstanding that every effort was made to save him, was drowned.

His dead body was brought back to the College, and the Very Rev. Dr. Cox, the President, was immensely shocked and grieved. He was very fond of Philip ; but what was most dreadful to him was to have to break this sad news to the boy's parents. He scarcely knew what to do, whether to write by post, or to send a messenger. At last he determined to go himself to Mr. Weld, at Southampton. So he set off the same evening, and passing through London reached Southampton the next day, and drove from thence to Archer's Ledge, Mr. Weld's residence, On arriving there and being shown into his private study, Dr. Cox found Mr. Weld in tears. The latter, rising from his seat and

taking the doctor by the hand, said, "My dear sir, you need not tell me what you have come for. I know it already. Philip is dead. Yesterday I was walking with my daughter Katharine on the turnpike road, in broad daylight, and Philip appeared to us both. He was standing on the causeway with another youngjnan in a black robe by his side. My daughter was the first to perceive him. She said to me, ' Look there, Papa ! There is Philip !' I looked and saw him. I said to my daugher, *It is Philip, indeed ; but he has the look of an angel.' Not suspecting that he was dead, though greatly wondering that .he was there, I went towards him with my daughter to embrace him, but a few yards being between us ; while I was going up to him a labouring man, who was walking on the same causeway, passed between the apparition and the hedge, and as he went on I saw him pass through their apparent bodies as if they were transparent. On perceiving this lat once felt sure that they were spirits, and going forward with my daughter to touch them Philip sweetly smiled on us, and then both he and his companion vanished away. The reader may imagine how deeply affected Dr. Cox was on hearing this remarkable statement. He of course corroborated it^. by relating to the afflicted father the circumstances attendant on his son's death, which had taken place at the very hour in which he appeared to his father and sister. They all concluded that he had died in the grace of God, and that he was in happiness, because of the placid smile on his face. Dr. Cox asked Mi-. Weld who the young man was in the black robe, who had accompanied his son, and who appeared to have a most beautiful and angelic countenance, but he said that he had not the slightest idea. A few weeks afterwards, however, Mr. Weld was on a visit to the neighbourhood of Stonyhurst, in Lancashire. After hearing Mass one morning in the chapel he, while waiting for his carriage, was shown into the guest-room, where, walking up to the fireplace, he saw a picture above the chimney-piece, which, as it pleased God, represented a young man in a black robe with the very face, form, and attitude of the companion of Philip as he saw him in the vision, and beneath the picture was inscribed "S. Stanislaus Kostka," one of the greatest saints of the Jesuit order, and the one whom Philip had chosen for his patron Saint at his Confirmation. His father, overpowered with emotion, fell on his knees, shedding many tears, and thanking God for the fresh proof of his son's blessedness. For in what better company could he be than in that of his patron saint, leading him, as it were, into the presence of his Creator and his Saviour, from the dangers and temptations of this state of exile to a condition of endless blessedness and happiness ?