Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/163

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Telepathic Hallucinations
143

between 4 and 5 a.m. on that date Mrs. J. W. and her daughter-in-law were talking much of Miss R. and of her great kindness to them: Mrs. W. adding that she would like to offer Miss R. her corner cupboard.

In this case the "agency" of Mrs. W. would seem to be indicated by all the circumstances of the case. We have other instances in which a similar explanation is suggested. Thus Mrs. McAlpine saw a vision of her baby-nephew, six months old, at the time of his death. In this case it seems more natural to assume that the agent was some person tending the child, rather than the child itself.[1] In another case a woman dreamt of the death of a child and the arrangements for the funeral; the dream occurring more than twenty-four hours after the death.[2]

The following case of the apparition of a dog at about the time of death may, it is suggested, be similarly explained.

No. 40. From Mrs. Bagot[3]

The Palace, Hampton Court, February, 1896.
I was at Mentone in the spring of 1883, having left at home with the gardener a very favourite black and tan terrier, "Judy." I was sitting at table d'hôte with my daughter and husband and suddenly saw Judy run across the room, and exclaimed, "Why, there's Judy!" There was no dog in the room or hotel, but I distinctly saw her, and when I went
  1. Proceedings, S. P. R., vol. x., p. 281. See also the curious case related by Miss Hawkins-Dempster. Ibid. p. 261.
  2. See below, Case 42, Chapter X.
  3. Journal, S. P. R., April, 1896.