Hooded

Erchfont Manor, Devizes. August 31st, 1885. The appearance of a woman which I saw pass the mess-room window at Aldershot seemed to be outside, and it passed from east to west. The mess-room is on the first floor, so the woman would have been walking in the air. There has been a very nice story made out of it — like most other ghost-stories, founded on an optical illusion. [Captain Norton's vivd voce account made it tolerably clear, in my opinion, that the case was one of hallucination, not illusion. He further mentions that both Mr. Atkinson and he were satisfied that the face and form of the woman seen were familiar, though they could not at the moment identify the person. Captain Norton afterwards felt sure that the likeness was to a photograph which he was in the habit of seeing in the room of the veterinary surgeon of the regiment, representing the surgeon's deceased wife in bridal dress. Oddly enough, this man was at the time, unknown to his friends, actually dying or within a day or two of death, in the same building. But Mr, Atkinson recalls nothing about the photograph ; and the coincidence is not one to which we can attach weight.] The next instance must be reckoned as ambiguous in origin ; as, though the person whose form was seen was in an abnormal state, this had been to some extent chronic, and no reason is known why he should have exercised a telepathic agency on the day in question more than on any other. The narrator desires that her name may not be printed. October 28th, 1885. (326) In the month of November, 1843, myself, my eldest sister, and the man-servant were driving home from a small town to our parsonage in the country. The time might be about half past 4 or 5 p.m. As we came slowly up the hill by the churchyard wall, we saw a gentleman in walkingcostume going into the vestry door. We both exclaimed, ' That's papa,' and the man George said at the same moment, 'Why there's the master.' My father was then ill, and away from home many miles away. He died the following January 23rd, 1844. He wore a particular long cloak which I should have recognised anywhere, and which he had many years, and wore as a loose wrap. [What is meant clearly is that the cloak in which the figure appeared to be dressed exactly resembled that of the narrator's father.] He looked exactly like himself, and was going in by the small vestry door he used to enter the church by when going to take duty. I do not think he looked at us, but seemed intent on entering the church, and disappeared inside. We were all much frightened, and searched round the house and church but could see no one, and no one had been seen about. I recollect the occurrence as if it had been yesterday, and, as I write, see all distinctly in my mind's eye. The man-servant is dead ; my sister begs to corroborate my account.