Part 2 (2/2)
”This lady, at my request, wrote down a statement of the event and signed it.
”This was the first occasion upon which I tried an experiment of this kind, and its complete success startled me very much.
”Besides exercising my power of volition very strongly, I put forth an effort which I cannot find words to describe. I was conscious of a mysterious influence of some sort permeating in my body, and had a distinct impression that I was exercising some force with which I had been hitherto unacquainted, but which I can now at certain times set in motion at will.
”S. H. B.”
The account given by Miss Verity is as follows:--
”January 18th, 1883.
”On a certain Sunday evening, about twelve months since, at our house in Hogarth Road, Kensington, I distinctly saw Mr B. in my room, about one o'clock. I was perfectly awake and was much terrified. I awoke my sister by screaming, and she saw the apparition herself. Three days after, when I saw Mr B., I told him what had happened; but it was some time before I could recover from the shock I had received, and the remembrance is too vivid to be ever erased from my memory.
”L. S. Verity.”
Miss E. C. Verity says:
”I remember the occurrence of the event described by my sister in the annexed paragraph, and her description is quite correct.
I saw the apparition which she saw, at the same time and under the same circ.u.mstances.
”E. C. Verity.”
”The witnesses (comments Gurney) have been very carefully cross-examined by the present writer. There is not the slightest doubt that their mention of the occurrence to S. H.
B. was spontaneous. They had not at first intended to mention it; but when they saw him their sense of its oddness overcame their resolution. Miss Verity is a perfectly sober-minded and sensible witness, with no love of marvels, and with a considerable dread and dislike of this particular form of marvel.”
On another occasion the agent announced privately to the investigator that he would project himself at a stated time. He did so; and the lady wrote as follows:--
”44 Norland Square, W.
”On Sat.u.r.day night, March 22nd, 1884, at about midnight, I had a distinct impression that Mr S. H. B. was present in my room, and I distinctly saw him whilst I was quite widely awake. He came towards me, and stroked my hair. I _voluntarily_ gave him this information when he called to see me on Wednesday, April 2nd, telling him the time and the circ.u.mstances of the apparition, without any suggestion on his part. The appearance in my room was most vivid and quite unmistakable.
”L. S. Verity.”
Mr B.'s own account runs thus:
”On Sat.u.r.day, March 22nd, I determined to make my presence perceptible to Miss V., at 44 Norland Square, Notting Hill, at twelve midnight, and as I had previously arranged with Mr Gurney that I should post him a letter on the evening on which I tried my next experiment (stating the time and other particulars), I sent a note to acquaint him with the above facts.
”About ten days afterwards I called upon Miss V., and she voluntarily told me that on March 22nd, at twelve o'clock midnight, she had seen me so vividly in her room (whilst widely awake) that her nerves had been much shaken, and she had been obliged to send for a doctor in the morning.
”S. H. B.”
Another case of a similar nature is reported by the American branch of the Society for Psychical Research:
”On July 5th, 1887, I left my house in Lakewood to go to New York to spend a few days. My wife was not feeling well when I left, and after I had started I looked back and saw her standing in the door looking disconsolate and sad at my leaving. The picture haunted me all day, and at night, before I went to bed, I thought I would try to find out, if possible, her condition. I had undressed, and was sitting on the edge of the bed, when I covered my face with my hands and willed myself in Lakewood at home to see if I could see her. After a little while I seemed to be standing in her room before the bed, and saw her lying there looking much better. I felt satisfied she was better, and so spent the week more comfortably regarding her condition. On Sat.u.r.day I went home. When she saw me she remarked: 'I don't know whether I am glad to see you or not, for I thought something had happened to you. I saw you standing in front of the bed the night (about 8.30 or before 9) you left, and as plain as could be, and I have been worrying myself about you ever since. I sent to the office and to the depot daily to get some message from you.' After explaining my effort to find out her condition, everything became plain to her. She had seen me when I was trying to see her and find out her condition. I thought at the time I was going to see her and make her see me.
”B. F. Sinclair.”
<script>