Seeing Or Sensing Dead People: Imagination Or Reality?

A few quickies from my cuttings file where people clain they have experienced seeing someone who has died. Imagination or perhaps a reality?

Four years ago I awoke in a panic about a friend whom I had not seen for some years. He was quite well known and I often thought about him, but never in panic.

I rushed to the computer to discover he had died in the night. I am still amazed by this as I am a sceptical person

~ Katymay

My brother was killed 40 years ago, aged 21, when he took a short cut over the railway line. The following night, I woke up and I saw him as clear as anything, lying on the floor with his back to the sideboard.

~ Perfect 10

During the worst five days of my serious illness, my late father appeared in a recurring dream on five consecutive nights. During the dream we laughed like drains together.

These dreams were very comforting.

My mind was doing what it could to get me through a hard time. Some might say the old boy was helping from the 'other side', but there's no reason why I should believe this.

~ Peter

I guess though it doesn't really matter if it is imagination or reality if it comforts the bereaved.

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A Very Strange Ghostly Happening

Lake Temiskaming

Mr William J McMillan tells of a strange thing that is alleged to have happened when he was working in the Klock Lumber Company's camp in the Quinze River district.

"Our camp known as the Douglas Farm was situated at Lake Expanse, about 53 miles in from Lake Temiskaming. It was an extremely isolated section of the north country, with only one other camp within miles of us. That was what was known as McLachlin's Ni**er Point Farm, at the mouth of the Lonely river.

"Well, one evening after supper, as was our usual custom, we all set out to feed our horses and bed them down for the night. One of the teamsters who was attending to this duty was Walter Mitchell, who, I think hailed from some little village in Glengarry county. The rest of us had finished our jobs and were just getting settled down in the bunk house for a gab feast before turning in for the night, when the door burst open and in rushed Mitchell, looking as white as a ghost and trembling from head to foot.

"When he had partially regained his composure he told us a story to the effect that while he was on his way to the granary he saw a figure approaching at a rapid rate of speed. When the figure drew even with him he saw that it was his mother. She passed by him without uttering a word and faded into the darkness. For a moment he was too dumfounded to do anything but stare after the receding apparition. Then he rushed back to the shanty to relate the strange story.

"But the strangest part of it all was that three days later, Mitchell received a telegram notifying him that his mother had died at precisely the same time as he claimed to have seen her appear on the path beside him."

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Saw A Ghost In A Vacant Store - Mystery Solved At Last

There's always an explanation some will say ... ghosts are only imaginary. The debate has rumbled on for hundreds of years. Here's a ghostly story I found from 1898 - where the mystery is solved.

The residents on and near Racine Street in the vicinity of Brady and Kenwaunee Streets, Milwaukee have had a ghost scare recently which culminated in alarming the whole neighbourhood.

Adjoining Greib's drug store at 851 Racine Street, there is a vacant store which a short time ago was occupied by an undertaker. In the front window there was formerly displayed a casket to show passers-by the nature of the business transacted within. As usual in all establishments of the kind many times corpses were brought to the place for embalming.

A few night ago [November 1898] a servant girl employed in the neighbourhood, ran to the house where she works and stated positively that there was a ghost in the window where the casket had been. She was terribly frightened and solemnly affirmed that she had seen the figure of an old man curled up as if lying in an imaginary coffin. His face was the face of death.

The man of the house called a friend and investigated the store. They saw nothing to arouse any curiosity or create any fear.

The report, however, that a ghost had been seen spread and on several occasions the figure was noticed by others. Young ladies have noticed the being and ran away with shrieks. Men and women have had creepy feelings as they felt the presence of some uncanny thing.

Noises were often heard in the store. The tramping of feet and heavy breathing as if of a dying man. Groans and, according to the tale of one frightened child, the rattling of chains.

Last night one of the young ladies who live in the neighbourhood saw the figure. She was certain that the little old man was there in the window curled up as if in a casket. She ran home and spread the alarm.

Later the young lady, with six of her friends, proposed that they all go around and see if the ghost was still in the window. The proposition was accepted and accordingly they passed the place. There it was as sure as they were themselves!

Finally one of them went close to the window and looked in. There was nothing there. The being had disappeared. But on a second look there was a figure of an old man in the dark corner of the store crouching as if in pain. He turned his head and looked straight at her. The girl ran away shrieking.

They found a police officer, but he thought they were fooling him and declined to return with them to the store. Upon their insistence, however, he approached the place and he too, started back, for there in the window was the ghostly figure again.

Pulling himself together and encouraged by the fact that even ghosts must respect the majesty of the law, he came close to the window and was more than astounded to see the figure turn and look straight at him. Then it arose and disappeared in to the darkness.

The officer tried the door and the being came from its hiding place and unlocked the door ...

... it was the janitor of the place. He sleeps in the window because there is no bed there. The neighbourhood had become quieted and the haunted store will no longer be a place of fear and trembling.

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Maureen Was Scared Of The Ghost Wearing Only A Shirt

A ghostly tale today from Maureen, who sent me this after reading Best Of Friends: Daisy The Ghost And Jasper The Dog. The difference being that Maureen was frightened by her experience whereas Daisy was a gentle, almost loving ghost.

My family, that's me, husband and five year old child, were going on holiday and flying from London's Heathrow Airport, which is about a 200 mile journey from where we live.

By coincidence a friend told us his father had died and we could use his now empty flat [apartment] to stay overnight. It was only about 10 minutes from the airport. What's more we could also leave our car there as well.

We thought this was great as the flight was early in the morning and it would save us on parking fees and getting up very early to travel to Heathrow.

The flat was quite small but perfect for a night's sleep. In the evening we put our son to bed and, after watching a little television, decided to have an early night. I used the bathroom first and settled into bed with my book. The bedroom was virtually opposite the bathroom and I left the door open while my husband showered.

I was reading away and glanced up and saw what I took to be my husband walking down the hall-way. It looked like he was just wearing his shirt and nothing else, which was a bit odd, but I thought no more about it. I imagined he was going to the kitchen for a drink of water or something.

I got back to my book and then heard a noise from the bathroom. This puzzled me and then my husband came out of the bathroom door, wearing a towel around his waist, a shiver went down my spine, "Where's your shirt?" I asked.

He looked strangely at me (nothing unusual there) and said, "Why?"

"Well you were wearing it a few minutes ago when you went to the kitchen."

"What are you talking about? I've been in the bathroom, not the kitchen," he snapped.

Another shiver went down my spine as I explained what I'd seen: the man in a shirt. My husband went and searched the flat but everything was secure, all the doors and windows locked. "Your imagination," he said.

Then we heard our son cry out, "Mum, there's an orange floating in my room."

We both rushed to his room, next to ours, and he was standing on the bed pointing at what appeared to be an orange globe. This travelled along the wall and then suddenly disappeared.

"The man in his nightshirt left it here," said our son. He was trembling with fear.

Again my husband searched the flat but, as before, all was secure. I think even he was a bit spooked by now. The three of us got into bed, leaving the hall light on, and tried to sleep. In the morning we were glad when our taxi arrived to take us to our flight terminal.

We were going to stop at the flat overnight again after our holiday but, instead, we picked up our car from the car park and made our way home. No way was I going inside that flat again.

We told our friend about the incident but he just laughed and joked that it was probably his dad wondering what we were doing there. As for the globe, maybe a reflection from passing traffic.

I don't know what or who it was but I know what I saw.

~ Maureen

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Best Of Friends: Daisy The Ghost And Jasper The Dog

A ghost story today but a nice gentle one. A ghost, a mirage or just imagination? Betty Collins isn't sure but is convinced she saw something.

This spooked me briefly when it first happened but now I feel quite relaxed about it.

I live in Devon, England and three months ago moved into an old cottage with a lovely big garden at the rear which is perfect for me and my dog Jasper.

I was in the conservatory at the back of the cottage having some lunch and Jasper was outside. He was sitting still and looked to be quite happy. Both of us contented, we got on with what we were doing, me eating bread and cheese while reading a magazine and him sitting in the fresh air.

I glanced up from my magazine and couldn't believe what I saw. There was a young girl, maybe about nine or ten years old and she was stroking Jasper's head. Some guard dog I thought!

I then realised that the girl was in a long, white, old fashioned nightie. I got up to find out who she was and she vanished slowly before my eyes. Jasper shook his head and got up to walk towards me, furiously wagging his tail.

The girl was definitely gone. "A ghost," I thought, "no, can't be."

It puzzled me and sent a shiver up my spine. Over the next couple of days I forgot all about my ghost and never felt uneasy or frightened in the cottage.

About a week later, again at lunch time, I glanced out of the window and Jasper was lying on the grass and the girl was back. She was stroking him and I noticed she had a ring of daisies around her almost golden coloured hair. I stood as still as I could and it looked so real. Jasper was enjoying the attention.

I went to move into the garden and the girl faded away. Jasper turned his head like he was looking for her but she had disappeared.

I've seen her once more but that was now over six weeks ago and nothing since.

The cottage where I am living goes back to the mid 1800s so I'm thinking the girl must have lived there once upon a time. Her nightdress looked Victorian.

I wouldn't mind seeing her again, I call her Daisy, as she was so gentle looking and radiated goodness.

I've asked my nearest neighbours if they have heard of any ghost stories about my cottage but they looked at me like I was mad. I wonder if I'll ever see Daisy again.

~ Betty

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I Heard A Ghost On My Stairs

I have to admit that I have never seen a ghost or spirit, but I believe I have felt a presence and have noticed a lingering smell - such as my dad's blend of tobacco following his death. I've also experienced things like my father's watch stopping at the exact time my son was born. I have written about this previously, but I think I may have heard something as well ...

This happened when my wonderful mum was near to drawing her last breath. She had only days to live so it was a very emotional time. Two days before she died I was in the bathroom having an early morning shower when my wife called out that she was popping down to the local shop for something. "Won't be long," she said.

I finished my shower, and all was quiet as I dried myself, when I heard someone slowly coming up the stairs, their footsteps slow and precise. I took no real notice as I presumed it was my wife back already.

I got dressed and made my way downstairs for breakfast when I heard my wife at the front door. She told me she had just returned. "But I heard you come up the stairs," I said.

"Well it wasn't me," she laughed.

Puzzled, and a little apprehensive, I searched the house and felt quite relieved that there was nobody about. It would have been impossible for anyone to get in, as all of the doors and windows were locked - and yet I definitely heard someone coming up our stairs and passing the bathroom.

My wife did say that it was perhaps my mum paying a last visit. Then I remembered another incident from when I was a child of probably five or six.

I was home from school as I hadn't been well. We lived upstairs in a flat (apartment). Suddenly my mum and I heard slow footsteps coming up the stairs. I remember being terrified listening to the steady tread on the stairs and continuing towards our living room. Even my mum looked apprehensive.

The door opened, and it was my grandmother! The front door was unlocked so she had just walked in and up the stairs. This was the one and only time she ever visited our flat, even though we lived there for nearly thirteen years - I won't go into the reasons why.

I remember vividly to this day how, when she came through the door, I was shaking with fear because I didn't know who it could possibly be.

The steps sounded exactly the same as those on my own stairs that morning.

It may seem very fanciful, maybe I'm fooling myself, but I can't help but think that either my mother or her mother was on the stairs that day.

"Ever near us, though unseen ... 
the fair immortal spirits tread; 

For all this boundless universe is life; there are no dead." 

~ Bulwer-Lytton

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The Ghostly Woman Sat Four Feet From His Bed

The following story was described as A Modern Ghost Story by the Hartford Weekly Times. Though this was way back in 1886, so maybe not quite so modern now! The newspaper told of a Curious Coincidence of a Death and an Apparition.

Cleveland, Ohio: At about 8 o'clock on Friday morning Mrs Emily Frayne, a widow, of Hamilton, Ont., who had come to Cleveland to visit her sister, who resides on a block on Prospect Street, died very suddenly.

Frank Lamb, a fresco painter, aged 33, who occupies apartments adjoining those in which Mrs Frayne died, relates a remarkable story.

He says that between 2 and 3 o'clock on the morning in question he was awakened, and, looking across the room he saw a lady sitting about four feet from his bed.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Raising her right hand, the lady said, "Hush! Hush!" and then disappeared,

Lamb is a disbeliever in ghosts and he at once made a search of the room and examined the lock of the door. He found the door was securely fastened, and, getting in bed, he lay for ten minutes thinking about the strange occurrence.

Suddenly the clothing of his bed and the cover were tumbled off on the floor by some unseen power, and he fell himself to the floor.

Being angry by this time, Lamb made another search of the room without finding anybody. He then opened the door, and as he did so Mrs Hadden, the sister of Mrs Frayne came from her room into the hall saying. "My sister."

Lamb declares that he was not excited and he was perfectly sober. He cannot account for the strange occurrences.

Other people in the block who heard Lamb fall also left their rooms, and they corroborate his story as to the coincidence of his fall with Mrs Frayne's death.

The coroner has decided that the woman's death was caused by heart decease.

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The Teenage Victorian Girl Ghost Called Gretchen

When Thom and Meg Morrera bought their Norwalk home, it had been vacant for a year: prior to that the house, which was built in 1870, was rented out for about 10 years. So when the couple purchased the house seven years ago, no one ever told them about the home's other resident ...

Strange things began to happen in the house after the Morreras moved in - toilets flushed on their own, even after the plumbing mechanisms in them were replaced ... but it was two weeks before Thom Morrera literally ran into the ghost.

On his way down to the kitchen in the middle of the night, Thom met something on the stairs.

He explained: "I was on the last couple of stairs and I could feel some kind of pressure against my body. I could feel there was somebody there."

The ghost made its presence felt again when Meg left her wristwatch on the couch. When she came back to get it, the watch was gone!

The couple turned the couch and the living room inside out looking for the watch, but it never turned up. Several weeks later, however, they found the watch in the exact place where it had been originally left.

The Morreras characterise the 'spirit' as playful and inquisitive. The flushing toilets, and missing watch they chalk up to the spirit's curiosity about things the ghost had not seen before.

Morrera said, "When there are things that are unfamiliar to ghosts they want to play with them. She's never done anything that's really destructive.

The most intrusive incident was that of Meg's wristwatch, but Thom pointed out that the ghost was careful to replace it.

The couple believe their ghost is a young Victorian girl in her mid teens. They were thinking about what to call her, while husband and wife were in different parts of the country. By 'coincidence' they both came up with the same name: Gretchen.

It's theorised  that the girl has the ability to project information to them. The couple are comfortable with Gretchen and see no reason to evict her!

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The Ghostly Young Woman Hitch-Hiker

This is may be a well known ghost story, but I hadn't heard it previously. I have, though, heard similar tales, so perhaps somewhere along the line they all merge into one.

The westbound bridge near the Sumter and Richland county lines is said to be haunted by a ghostly hitch-hiker following a woman's death, near the entrance to the bridge.

The hitch-hiker waits on the bridge and requests a ride. If a driver stops she gets into the vehicle's back seat and says she is trying to get to Columbia to see her sick mother, who lives in Pickens Street. Once the vehicle leaves the bridge on the Richland County side the woman disappears.

A couple travelling to Columbia reportedly (Source: The Item Vol 112, No.17) picked up the woman in 1968. After a short time the wife turned to talk to the passenger in their back seat to find that she had vanished.

The wife fainted and it's said that while she was being revived, the husband decided to check out the address the ghostly figure had given him.

He arrived at the house and was greeted by an elderly lady who immediately said, "I know why you are here. You picked up a young lady in the swamp. My daughter was killed in an accident in the Wateree swamp several years ago, and each year on the anniversary of the accident, she appears to passers-by."

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He Saw His Dead Friend

A Vintage Photo of Collins Street, Melbourne

A short post of how a reader says he 'saw' a good friend who had died.

"Early in November, as I was walking up Collins Street, in Melbourne, about 4pm in the afternoon, I was amazed to see, among a number of people on the other side of the street, a very good friend, whom I believed to be in New Zealand at the time.

I ran across the street to speak to kim, and, as I neared the other side, it seemed to me as if a hand was passed for an instant before my eyes. In that moment my friend was gone, and though I looked everywhere around, I did not see him again.

A few days later I learned that my friend had died that very day and hour I had seen him."

~ George Quarry

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Her Uncle Visited Her From Beyond The Grave

The question with today's post is: Did Susan's uncle contact her from beyond the grave? Or maybe it was all a simple 'coincidence' - if there is such a thing, of course.

My uncle was a lovely, caring man and was a Manchester United [English soccer club] supporter.

When he died it was the day before Remembrance Day, and I visited the chapel of rest to say a last goodbye. Uncle was dressed in a black suit and tie with a white shirt, and it struck me how drab it all looked.

So I took a poppy I was wearing and pinned it to Uncle's lapel. Then I kissed him on the cheek and left.

Fast forward two years and I was sitting watching Manchester United playing in a Champions League match on TV. There was only me in the room but my son was upstairs watching the game.

The door to the hall was open and out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw my son standing there. I turned to speak but there was no one there - just a glow of light on the floor.

This happened four times over the next 20 minutes or so, until eventually I got up and shouted up to my son, asking him if he'd been down. He said he hadn't. I returned to the lounge and continued to watch the game, still aware of the glow on the door,

There was a huge vase of silk poppies - my favourite flower - in the room. Suddenly one of the poppy heads fell off the flowers and onto the floor. I was quite shocked as I was the only person in the room and had not moved.

I phoned my sister's friend who is a psychic medium, and he asked me whose anniversary was around that time, I said my Uncle's.

Then he asked what I had given him in the chapel of rest. I was stunned, as it had been a poppy!

I ended the conversation and said: "Come in, Uncle, and watch the game." A few minutes later, when I turned round, the glow had gone from the door,

~ Susan Johns

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Contacted By Her Deceased Husband

I've published several posts recently of examples where the deceased have seemingly contacted their loved ones. Here's another short example.

After a long and happy marriage, my darling husband died. Five months later, I was sitting in my kitchen with the door to the hall open when the temperature in the bungalow dropped (it was a lovely, sunny day).

When I looked up, I could see an outline similar in size to my husband.

I spoke to him and told him how I loved him and missed him. After a short while, he put out his arms towards me ... and then he disappeared, and the temperature returned to normal.

I have never dismissed the thought of an afterlife, nor have I really believed in it, but I do know now that my beloved is waiting for me, so I have no fear of dying.

~ Yvonne Morman

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The Ghostly Sales Assistant

Here's a tale about the famous London store, Harrods, and a ghostly sales assistant.

"Many years ago my wife and I had finished decorating our small flat in Greenwich, South London. The only item we were still searching for was a bedspread.

One Saturday morning, we visited the Harrods bedding department. Right there as we walked in was the absolute perfect bedspread at a cost of £80. This was thirty years ago, so heaven knows what the cost would be today.

A foreign sales assistant, possibly Italian, was so helpful in explaining what a lovely item it was, although she agreed 'it was a lot of money'. She suggested that we go and have a coffee upstairs and think about it, which we did.

We made the decision to purchase the bedspread but the assistant was nowhere to be seen. As she had been so helpful, we decided to return to the store a little later to give the same assistant the sale, in case she had been on commission.

On our return, there were two other sales assistants standing by the till in conversation. My wife and I asked them if 'the Italian sales lady was available'.

To our astonishment, the reply was: 'I'm really sorry to tell you, but she passed away a year ago to the day ... and we were just talking about her.'

We never said anything but we did purchase the bedspread.

The bedspread is long gone now. However, before it was disposed of a small piece was cut from the end and framed as a reminder of what happened.

I still have the item in my possession."

~ Paul Caragati

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Here's a little unexplainable item I read in the Daily Mail of March 21 this year. I say unexplainable, but to some it will be explainable.

"My cousin died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 60. A few days later, I was sitting in the kitchen writing my book. I'm a numerologist and I was writing about repeated digits such as 111, 222, 333 and so on.

Suddenly I heard my cousin's voice. He said, "Count the days." I didn't understand when he meant and then he repeated; "Count the days." This time he said it, I somehow understood that he wanted me to count how many days he had been alive.

Using the website timeanddate.com, I entered his date of birth and his date of death. I was stunnded when I saw the result.

He had lived for exactly 22,222 days!"

~ Hilary Carter

Another 'coincidence'
The photo at the top of the post: I saw this on Wits Intact - the caption is that the odometer reading of 22,222 was seen on the 2/22 while on the RR2222!

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The Ghost Only Seen By Women And Children

A ghostly tale from Nottinghamshire.

Families have told of how they see the ghost of a woman. It's claimed that she is the spirit of a woman who killed herself several years ago..

A local vicar was called into action and has been comforting women, who say they have seen the ghost move through their homes in an apartment block..

The ghost reaches out it's arms appealingly to women and children it meets and moves articles from tables and cupboards. Only women and children have seen the ghost..

Reginald King, whose family live in the block said, "We have children staying here. The other night the baby was asleep in it's cot, and suddenly started laughing. In the morning her sister asked if the strange woman would be coming back. She had seen her tickling the baby.".

One family want to move out of the apartment block, Leslie Weatherill, said, "My wife has seen the ghost twice. She spoke to it and asked if she could do anything to help. The ghost dtifted away without answering.".

Another little girl pointed and said to her father, "Who is that lady over there?" He saw nothing.

Wonder why only women and children can see this ghost?

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Napoleon And Josephine Appearing As Spirits Following Their Deaths

Two ghostly type stories I found about Napoleon, both connected to his death at St Helena.

The first was the emperor's vision of his dead wife Josephine. Some days prior to his own death he told Montholon, who was one of his staff, "I have just seen my dear Josephine, but she would not embrace me; she tore herself away when I tried to take her in my arms. She sat, where I thought I saw her yesterday. She was not changed, always the same, always entirely devoted to me. She told me that we were about to meet once more, never to part again."

It is noted that it was her name that Napoleon uttered when he died.

Napoleon on St Helena

The second story is an account of a ghost like person resembling Napoleon in appearance and gesture who visited Napoleon's mother in Rome about the very hour of the day he died in St Helena. The stranger spoke of Napoleon to her as if he had just quitted him and added, "At this moment he is delivered from his sufferings; he is happy."

Napoleon's mother at once spoke to those about her of this visitor, who was seen by three other persons in her palace, and a search was made of Rome for anyone resembling him, without result. She herself was convinced that it was the wraith of Napoleon. There was nothing terrifying about the vision - if it was a vision. It did not frighten her, but to the contrary, it produced in her mind ecstasy. She declared that the mysterious sighting, "Was like Napoleon in voice, figure and speech,"

Both stories discovered in old papers from the late 1800s.

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Ghostly Sightings In New York 1888

Winter In New York 1888

I like to keep up with the news, so here's an item from 1888! Ghostly sightings in New York were reported.

New York February 14, 1888. City Island in winter is a desolate spot. The sound about it is frozen inches thick, and the fishing smacks that make the summer harbour a happy scene are fast and helpless. Cold winds sweep across the flat waste. The snow lies unshovelled on the sidewalks, and half the houses are empty.

Miss Allie Sturgis, rosy cheeked and 18, who serves customers with fresh rolls on the counter of Weber's bakery, was much frightened by a spectral apparition late at night, which rapidly approached her over an adjoining field. This ghost, although it was described by Miss Sturgis as a little one, was much talked about, but now it has given place to another, a six footer.

The present ghost did not appear until the bay between the town and Hart Island was a firm and solid sheet of ice. A jolly crowd had been sledding down the only hill in town, behind the post-office. Will Darling was returning late from the sledding party, when he saw a sight that made his blood run cold.

It was on Main Street but the street was deserted and dark. What it was he never told, except that it was white and tall, and rolled along above the ground, never seeming to touch it. He ran, and did not see the thing again.

But that same night it appeared to William Applebaugh, a telegraph operator in the signal service office, and it either pushed him or frightened him, so that he fell into a snow drift on the road side. Appleburgh never seemed certain whether he fell from a push or because the creature frightened him.

Later that same night Will Drayton, son of a hardware merchant in town, caught sight of a tall, grayish white something in the street opposite Liviness's hotel. It seemed to move along about three feet from the ground, but what form its form and appearance was never told, because he never knew. He says the night was dark, and he ran after the first glance.

On Thursday night Stephen Collins saw a strange sight in Prospect Avenue, opposite the Vail property. He could not describe the appearance, except to say it was white and tall and motionless. His home was nearby, and he quickly got indoors, and did not venture out until morning. He told the story the next day, and on top of the visions seen by others it created much talk.

Collins told them it did not stand upon the ground, It seemed suspended several feet in the air. That was all he had time to notice.

On Friday last more fuel was added to the popular flame. Eugene Hallett was coming home late at night, and a dismally dark night it was. Right opposite Flynn's ice house at the Forks he saw the same white apparition. It was a good half mile from home, but Hallett started at a hundred-yard pace. He said next morning that the white being followed him, rolling along over the ground without seeming to touch it.

The last time the spectre was seen was on Sunday night. Dave Liviness saw a ghost blacker than the night on which he saw it. He was passing Von Liehn's hotel and was not thinking of ghosts at all, when he suddenly noticed something tall and black and strange on the bathing pavilion. It was six feet tall at the very least and looked like a woman's form, except that he could see no face. He stopped, and the thing moved toward him. It seemed suspended in the air. He could see a glint of water in the dim starlight under the spectre. He was rooted to the spot in terror for a moment, but as the thing approached he gained strength and ran as never he ran before. He looked around and saw it following, and finally when he reached home he was completely exhausted.

The Justice of the Peace, Peter Martin, said, "Oh, there's ground for it, of course: something is scaring folks. If it continues, I'm going to get detectives out and sift the thing to the bottom. It won't do to have women and children scared out of their wits."

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They Saw Their Father Following His Death

Here's a couple of experiences which occurred when a loved one was at the moment of death,.

"I have had many ghost experiences, but this is the most startling of all.

One night last November I was awakened by someone kissing me on the cheek. When I opened my eyes, there stood my father, well dressed.

He said, "I am with Al."  Alfred was his dead brother’s name.

Before I could speak one word he had disappeared.

Early next morning my brother came to take me across the bay to my father’s home. He had died the night before."

Elizabeth Robinson
Seaview VA, USA

The second story I came across while trawling through some old newspapers. This is from The Afro-American, dated July 18, 1936.

"My father was very sick in bed – not able to help himself. He did not sleep well at night so one morning, after making him comfortable, he fell asleep. I went downstairs and sat down to do some mending.

My back was to the door and I was facing the window. A mirror was hanging near the window. When the door opened I looked into the mirror to see who was coming in. It was my father dressed as he usually was around the house. I kept on sewing not hearing another sound.

When I turned round to see what he was doing I remembered that he was sick in bed. I rushed upstairs to find my father had died."

Agnes H Bryan
Warren Street, Bridgeton, N.J.

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The True Story Of The Fanny Scratching Ghost Of Cock Lane

1800s Illustration of where 'Scratching Fanny' was heard in Cock Lane

The story of the Cock Lane Ghost began back in 1760, in a house near to London's famous Smithfield market and just along from St Paul's Cathedral. Cock Lane still exists today.

William Kent, a stockbroker, rented a house from the parish clerk, Richard Parsons. The arrangement was fine until 1762 when Kent's wife died and he began to court her sister, Fanny, who soon became his 'housekeeper'.

Miss Fanny and Mr Kent sealed their love by making wills and naming each other as beneficiaries. Shortly following this Kent and Parsons fell out following a disagreement over money, so Kent moved out of the property and began legal proceedings against Parsons. As this turmoil was happening Fanny fell sick and died of smallpox.

With Fanny dead Parsons hatched a cunning plan. He concocted a story saying that Kent had murdered Fanny to get his hands on the inheritance.

Now comes the ghostly bit, which became known as Scratching Fanny.

Parsons made claims that Fanny was now haunting the house in Cock Lane. He alleged that Fanny had come back as a ghost. What's more he said that she had contacted his 12 year old daughter, Elizabeth. Fanny told her that Kent had poisoned her.

The room where Scratching Fanny was heard

The story spread like wildfire and seance's were held in the house. At one time Parsons invited a committee of 20 men to witness Fanny's ghost possessing his young daughter. Elizabeth, under the influence of Fanny, declared once again that she had been poisoned and that the only way she could rest would be if Kent were hanged.

This got the house more publicity and curious people wanted to hear Fanny Scratching. So much so, that Parsons began charging people to come inside to hear the ghostly sounds of knocking and scratching.

Cock Lane sign today

Of course there are always doubters about anything psychic, even back in the 1760s, so an investigation was started. One member of the investigative team being none other than Dr Samuel Johnson. He wrote the following about his experience of a seance held in the Cock Lane house (it's quite long and in the language of the time.)

Dr.Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

"On the night of the 1st of February many gentlemen, eminent for their rank and character were, by the invitation of the Reverend Mr. Aldrich, of Clerkenwell, assembled at his house, for the examination of the noises supposed to be made by a departed spirit, for the detection of some enormous crime.

About ten at night the gentlemen met in the chamber in which the girl, supposed to be disturbed by a spirit, had, with proper caution, been put to bed by several ladies. They sat rather more than an hour, and hearing nothing, went down stairs, when they interrogated the father of the girl, who denied, in the strongest terms, any knowledge or belief of fraud.

The supposed spirit had before publicly promised, by an affirmative knock, that it would attend one of the gentlemen into the vault under the Church of St. John, Clerkenwell, where the body is deposited, and give a token of her presence there, by a knock upon her coffin; it was therefore determined to make this trial of the existence or veracity of the supposed spirit.

While they were enquiring and deliberating, they were summoned into the girl's chamber by some ladies who were near her bed, and who had heard knocks and scratches. When the gentlemen entered, the girl declared that she felt the spirit like a mouse upon her back, and was required to hold her hands out of bed. From that time, though the spirit was very solemnly required to manifest its existence by appearance, by impression on the hand or body of any present, by scratches, knocks, or any other agency, no evidence of any preter-natural power was exhibited.

The spirit was then very seriously advertised that the person to whom the promise was made of striking the coffin, was then about to visit the vault, and that the performance of the promise was then claimed. The company at one o'clock went into the church, and the gentleman to whom the promise was made, went with another into the vault. The spirit was solemnly required to perform its promise, but nothing more than silence ensued: the person supposed to be accused by the spirit, then went down with several others, but no effect was perceived.

Upon their return they examined the girl, but could draw no confession from her. Between two and three she desired and was permitted to go home with her father. It is, therefore, the opinion of the whole assembly, that the child has some art of making or counterfeiting a particular noise, and that there is no agency of any higher cause."

~ Samuel Johnson (1762)

The findings of the investigation meant that Parsons was put on trial for fraud - remember he had been charging people to visit the house and attend seances there. He was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison.

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The Ghostly Sighting That Made Worms Crawl Up His Spine

A very long time ago, while at boarding school, Peter Lewis saw something ghostly. He describes how the experience made him feel; "Your hair stands on end. Your skin goes cold. Worms crawl up your spine. Your neck feels as though it is being clenched in an unseen grip."

Okay, so what happened?  It was at Stowe School and on a bight, clear night he went for a walk. The moon was full and as he walked along a grassy bank he saw two figures. They were headed for a big flight of steps which lead up to a portico of the boarding school.

There was no one about, everyone else was asleep, all was quiet. He must have been brave because he decided to try and confront these two people. He watched as they climbed the steps as if in deep conversation. Before he could catch up with them, however, they simply disappeared.

Lewis froze, for there was nowhere the figures could have gone. It was then that his hair stood on end ... and so on. Thinking about what he had seen he realised two things.

Firstly the two people were dressed in antique clothing. The woman had long skirts and the man a long-hanging jacket, They both wore unusual hats.

He also realised they had made no noise at all. Their footsteps were completely silent and, though talking to each other, no sound came from their lips.

His conclusion is:

"I had been watching a pair of ghosts from another century. After investigating costume history, I came to the conclusion that their dress was most like the Regency style, and that therefore they could have been the Duke and his Duchess, who inherited Stowe in that period. They had strolled up the steps as if they owned it."

Moving on 60 years following this ghostly sighting Lewis received an anniversary issue of the Stowe School magazine. In this there was another account of a similar sighting to his, Again the couple were walking along the ridge and mounted the steps before vanishing among the columns of the portico.

So it seems that other people have seen these ghosts: perhaps the Duke and Duchess from another time.

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