Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/166

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146
Telepathic Hallucinations

much rarer. The following instance of this type may be quoted. The case, it will be seen, exceeds the limit of ten years for the interval between event and record which we had set before ourselves as a standard, but the narrative bears on the face of it the impress of accuracy.

No. 41. From the Rev. Charles L. Tweedale, F. R. A. S.[1]

Weston Vicarage, Nr. Otley, Yorkhsire,
July 24th, 1996
On the night of January 10th, 1879, I had retired early to rest. I awoke out of my first sleep to find the moon shining into my room. As I awoke my eyes were directed towards the panels of a cupboard, or wardrobe, built into the east wall of my room, and situated in the north-east corner. I watched the moonlight on the panels. As I gazed I suddenly saw a face form on the panels of the cupboard or wardrobe. Indistinct at first, it gradually became clearer until it was perfectly distinct as in life, when I saw the face of my grandmother. What particularly struck me at the moment and burnt itself into my recollection was the fact that the face wore an old-fashioned frilled or goffered cap. I gazed at it for a few seconds, during which it was as plain as the living face, when it faded gradually into the moonlight and was gone. I was not alarmed, but, thinking that I had been deceived by the moonlight and that it was an illusion, I turned over and went off to sleep again. In the morning when at breakfast I began telling the experience of the night to my parents. I had got well into my story, when, to my surprise, my father suddenly sprang up from his seat at the table and leaving his food almost untouched hurriedly left the room. As he walked towards the door I gazed after him in amazement, saying to mother, "Whatever is the matter with father?" She raised her hand to enjoin silence. When the door had closed I again repeated my question. She replied, "Well, Charles, it
  1. Journal, S. P. R., November, 1906.