Part 2

It should also be mentioned that in the case of those stories which are set out under headings of Counties or Towns it does not follow that the incidents related always apply to the Town or County under which they appear; they mostly indicate the place from which the story was received.

THE EDITOR.

The stories for which prizes have been awarded are as follows:—

Book No. 1. TRUE GHOST STORIES.

• Old Mother Bishop. • Out of the Everywhere. • A Strange S.O.S. • Jeanie Passes By. • Saved by the Supernatural. • A Child's Vision, and Experiences in Later Life. • A Convincing Experience. • A Horrible End. • The Wail of a Snail. • Late News.

Book No. 2. WARNINGS FROM BEYOND.

• Strange Warnings and Premonitions. • Saved by His Child. • A Persistent Warning. • A Startling Vision. • Why I Am Convinced. • Inexplicable Experiences. • An Unseen Menace. • The Phantom Organist. • Remarkable Stories of Ghosts of the Living. • A Strange Vision. • A Life-saving Vision. • Grandmother's Call. • Extraordinary Experiences Related by Nurses. • The White Friar. • A Wandering Spirit.

Tall Stories.

• The “Tallest” of the “Tall.” • That Was a Good Race. • The Musician's Ghost.

Strange Visions of Animals.

• The Dying Sealyham.

Book No. 3. UNCANNY STORIES.

• ‘One Tid 'E Get Out? • In the Quiet of the Night. • A Gruesome Treasurer. • The Butterfly Ghost. • Saved by His Own Ghost. • A Photographic Mystery. • The Flying Dutchman. • A Strange Vision and Its Sequel.

Book No. 4. GHOSTS IN THE GREAT WAR AND HAUNTED HOUSES.

• A Pal in Life and Death. • The Morning of the Ypres Big Push. • Is there an Explanation? • A Dream or a Ghost? • An Evil Presence. • A Strange Story. • Was It a Curse!

LETTERS REFERRED TO IN INTRODUCTION.

Dear Sirs,—Noting that this correspondence is transferred to you, I venture to think that I can subscribe interesting matter for the subject.

Born seventy-three years ago and passing my early youth in the country, it will be understood that story telling was a regular feature of spending evenings, and the “ghostly” variety was very prevalent, so much that my young mind was saturated with that nonsense, and to such an extent that life for me after the passing of daylight was a burden. In the dark I fancied seeing ghostly shapes and hearing ghostly sounds everywhere. An elder sister who was similarly affected and, to some extent, my mother, were the only persons who knew of my sufferings, as I would have been subject to ridicule from others, who, however, no doubt had a touch of the disease themselves. I remember my mother hushing the “entertainer” when children were present, and trying to divert the talk into other channels.

Then happily came the cure. Somehow a book came into my hand (probably borrowed by me or for me). I do not remember its title. It may have been “Ghosts Laid Bare,” “The Inexplicable Explained,” or “Common Sense Versus Superstition.” It was ghost stories again, just as I had heard them (with variation) and quite in line with what the otherwise generally intelligent Daily News has been serving us, but with this difference, that after each tale a natural explanation of it was given. It must have been done very well, fully intelligible for my about thirteen years’ mind. The effect was remarkable. I saw how I had been fooled, and to my intense relief was cured of all fear.

You will therefore understand that unless your intended book of Ghost Stories or Uncanny Incidents is to be on the same line, that is an anti-dose after each dose of poison, I for one condemn it in advance.

I note that it is not all “real” ghost stories, “The Silken Ghost,” for example, with its explanations on the line of what I have said of the cure book. “The Picture in the Fire” also, but that is so evidently “made up” that it has no place anywhere, least of all among the prize winners.

As to footsteps on the stairs and “mysterious” slamming of doors, I have heard that often as it happens in my own house, but prefer to believe they come from the adjoining house and in a natural manner rather than in the ghost inventor's ways. And why should ghosts necessarily make noises—and ordinary, natural, commonplace noises to boot?

So please stop frightening our children. Leave the ghost culture to the savages, where they originate, and if occasions occur give them a hand to get over that damned superstition. Yours truly, W. C.

This was not meant for publication, but why not? I am sure it is far superior to anything else that will appear in your book and ought to have first prize.

The following story is true, down to the minutest detail. One night I had a dream and saw an angel bending over me and folding his wings in a protective manner about my sleeping form. So vivid was the dream that I awoke—not altogether in dread because the face and posture of the angel held nothing but kindness, love and protection.

When I awoke, however, the vision did not fade just at once, and I made a cry of awe and, probably, of fear. This awoke my husband and he gently reassured me and soothed me, and, not to disturb him further, I calmed myself to sleep, determined to say nothing of my dream till next day.

After lunch on the following day, therefore, when we were having our customary half-hour's rest and chat, I opened the subject of the dream, and was about to relate it when he stopped me, saying he was sure he had seen my dream, and begged me to let him relate the dream first. I did so, and was much amazed that he had seen my dream exactly as I had done, and could relate the appearance and attitude of the angel in every particular. Did either of us think we had seen a ghost or apparition? Neither of us thought so.

The truth of the matter was that my dream had been so vivid and real that even after I awoke the impression of the vision was still on my brain and took a little time to fade away, and my husband's sympathy was so alive to my distress, and his mind as much in tune with mine, that my mind, as it were, photographed to his mind the vision which I saw.