An account

In answer to the first question as to whether we ever had such an impression at any other time, for myself I can answer 'No,' decidedly, and my sister cannot remember anything of the kind. The second question was, did we connect the impression with our deceased relation at the time? For myself, I can answer, 'Yes' ; my sister has described her thoughts at that praticular moment in the enclosed letter. ■ ^ The third question, ' Was there a strong bond of affection ? ' Yes. St/iu Fourth question, 'Can we be sure that the impression in each mind exactly corresponded in time ? ' I am quite certain that, whatever produced this unusual f eehng, we both experienced it at the same moment, although perhaps in a different way, being so unlike in temperament ; I remember looking at my watch on awakening, to know the time. Fifth question, 'How long did the impression last?' For some seconds; the impression on my mind was that some unusual presence, something not material, was near. The enclosure, from Mrs. Welch, of 5, Colleton Crescent, Exeter, was as follows : — In August last, I was sleeping in the room with my sister. I think it was the third night after our father's death, and he was lying in a room below. I was aroused out of my sleep with a feeling as if some person had entered the room, and come as far as the foot of the bed when I awoke. I am particularly nervous at all times, of course after the recent event more so than usual ; yet when I awoke, I did not feel the slightest fear, and only wished I could see the time, as I instantly thought I should hear of something having happened at that moment — the more so as our step-mother, we knew, was in a veiy precarious state. My sister awoke at the same time, and on my telling her of my sensations she told me she had felt the same, although she is not in the least of a nervous temperament. In reply to a question whether such an impression was unique in her experience, Mrs. Welch says : — . - <> T never experienced the same feelings before, that I can recollect. c^r i-^--^-'-^-^— ■ (316) In May, 1851, I and my husband, the late E. M. Ward, R.A., / , , ^ ^ had a curious experience which we were at a loss to account for, though it , /'/ .^^^ became a subject of frequent conversation, and every effort was made to ' ; find for it a fitting and rational explanation. We were living at No. 33, Harewood Square. It was in the month ^'^''^* of May, and my husband and I had been to a quiet gathering of friends in the neighbourhood ; we returned about 1 2 o'c