CORROBORATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES. 403 we have obtained such an aggregation of evidence as may be pronounced conclusive. It is none the less to be conceded that Kerner's story bears strong marks of authenticity. The good faith of the author has scarcely been questioned even by his opponents. His opportunities for observation were almost without precedent. "I visited Madame Hauffe, as physician," he tells us, "probably three thousand times. I frequently remained by her sick-bed hours at a time; I knew her surroundings better than she did herself; and I took unspeakable pains to follow up every rumor or suggestion of trickery, without ever detecting the slightest trace of any deception."* It is to be remarked, also, that in this example there are many strongly corroborative circumstances, beyond the perceptions of the seeress,-the knockings and clappings, heard by all; the cool breeze felt by her mother and sister; the terror of the dog; the fulfillment of the prophecy, communicated beforehand to her family, ir connection with the grandfather's death. Add to this that the same apparition was seen, at different times, by three persons, by Madame Hauffe, by her father, and by Herr Böheim. Names, dates, places, every minute incident is given. The narrative was published, on the spot, at the time. Sixteen years afterward, on the issuing of the fourth edition of his work, Dr. Kerner re-iterates in the most solemn manner his conviction of its truth. It is in vain to assert that we ought to pass lightly by such testimony as this. In the two preceding narratives, the incidents of which seem to indicate the return of the evil-doer's "Seherin von Prevorst," p. 324. careful perusal. The entire work will well repay a 404 HOW A DEBT OF THREE-AND-TENPENCE spirit to the scene of his evil deed, the deed was one of the greatest of earthly crimes,-murder. But we may find examples where the prompting motive of return. appears to be a mere short-coming of the most trivial character. Such a one is given by Dr. Binns, in his "Anatomy of Sleep." It was communicated by the Rev. Charles McKay, a Catholic priest, then resident in Scotland, in a letter addressed by him to the Countess of Shrewsbury, dated Perth, October 21, 1842. This letter was communicated by the earl to Dr. Binns, who publishes it entire, adding that "perhaps there is not a better-authenticated case on record." I extract it from the letter, as follows. THE DEBT OF THREE-AND-TENPENCE. "In July, 1838, I left Edinburgh, to take charge of the Rothshire missions. On my arrival in Perth, the principal station, I was called upon by a Presbyterian woman, (Anne Simpson by name,) who for more than a week had been in the utmost anxiety to see a priest. On asking her what she wanted with me, she answered, ‘Oh, sir, I have been terribly troubled for several nights by a person appearing to me during the night.' 'Are you a Catholic, my good woman?' 'No, sir: I am a Presbyterian.' 'Why, then, do you come to me? I am a Catholic priest.' 'But, sir, she (meaning the person that had appeared to her) desired me to go to the priest, and I have been inquiring for a priest during the last week.' Why did she wish you to go to the priest?' 'She said she owed a sum of money, and the priest would pay it.' 'What was the sum of money she owed?' 'Three-andtenpence, sir.' 'To whom did she owe it?' 'I do not know, sir.' 'Are you sure you have not been dreaming?' 'Oh, God forgive you! for she appears to me every night. I can get no rest.' 'Did you know the WAS RECOVERED. 405 · woman you say appears to you?' 'I was poorly lodged, sir, near the barracks, and I often saw and spoke to her as she went in and out to the barracks; and she called herself Maloy.' “I made inquiry, and found that a woman of that name had died who had acted as washerwoman and followed the regiment. Following up the inquiry, I found a grocer with whom she had dealt, and, on asking him if a person, a female, named Maloy owed him any thing, he turned up his books, and told me she did owe him three-and-tenpence. I paid the sum. The grocer knew nothing of her death, nor, indeed, of her character, but that she was attached to the barracks. Subsequently the Presbyterian woman came to me, saying that she was no more troubled."* It is not a plausible supposition, in this case, that for so paltry a sum a tradesman should concert with an old woman (she was past seventy years of age) to trump up a story of an apparition and impose on the good nature and credulity of a priest. Had it been such a trick, too, it is scarcely supposable that the woman should not have mentioned the grocer's name, but should have left the reverend gentleman to grope after the creditor as he best might. If the whole was related in good faith, the indication seems to be that human character may be but little altered by the death-change, sometimes preserving in another state of existence not only trifling recollections, but trivial cares. Some narratives appear to favor the supposition that not the criminal only, but the victim of his crime, may, at times, be attracted in spirit to the earthly scene of suffering. The Hydesville story may have been an ex "Anatomy of Sleep," by Edward Binns, M.D., pp. 462, 463. 406 STORY COMMUNICATED ample of this. While in Paris, in the spring of 1859, 1 obtained what appears to be another. The narrative was communicated to me by a clergyman of the Church of England, the Rev. Dr., Chaplain to the British Legation at. Having heard from a brother clergyman something of the story, I asked, by letter, to be favored with it; stating, in general terms, the purpose of my work. The request was kindly complied with, and produced an interesting contribution to this branch of the subject. THE STAINS OF BLOOD. "In the year 185– I was staying, with my wife and children, at the favorite watering-place. —. In order to attend to some affairs of my own, I determined to leave my family there for three or four days. Accordingly, on the -th of August, I took the railway, and arrived that evening, an unexpected guest, at Hall, the residence of a gentleman whose acquaintance I had recently made, and with whom my sister was then staying. "I arrived late, soon afterward went to bed, and before long fell asleep. Awaking after three or four hours, I was not surprised to find I could sleep no more; for I never rest well in a strange bed. After trying, therefore, in vain again to induce sleep, I began to arrange my plans for the day. "I had been engaged some little time in this way, when I became suddenly sensible that there was a light in the room. Turning round, I distinctly perceived a female figure; and what attracted my special attention was, that the light by which I saw it emanated from itself. I watched the figure attentively. The features were not perceptible. After moving a little distance, it disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. "My first thoughts were that there was some trick. BY A BRITISH CHAPLAIN. 407 I immediately got out of bed, struck a light, and found my bedroom-door still locked. I then carefully exa mined the walls, to ascertain if there were any other concealed means of entrance or exit; but none could I find. I drew the curtains and opened the shutters; but all outside was silent and dark, there being no moonlight. "After examining the room well in every part, I betook myself to bed and thought calmly over the whole matter. The final impression on my mind was, that I had seen something supernatural, and, if supernatural, that it was in some way connected with my wife. What was the appearance? What did it mean? Would it have appeared to me if I had been asleep instead of awake? These were questions very easy to ask and very difficult to answer. "Even if my room-door had been unlocked, or if there had been a concealed entrance to the room, a practical joke was out of the question. For, in the first place, I was not on such intimate terms with my host as to warrant such a liberty; and, secondly, even if he had been inclined to sanction so questionable a proceeding, he was too unwell at the time to permit me for a moment to entertain such a supposition. "In doubt and uncertainty I passed the rest of the night; and in the morning, descending early, I immediately told my sister what had occurred, describing to her accurately every thing connected with the appearance I had witnessed. She seemed much struck with what I told her, and replied, 'It is very odd; for you have heard, I dare say, that a lady was, some years ago, murdered in this house; but it was not in the room you slept in.' I answered, that I had never heard any thing of the kind, and was beginning to make further inquiries about the murder, when I was |