The following case is from Mr. S. S. Falkinburg, of Uniontown, Ky., U.S.A., decorator and house painter.

"Sept. 12th, 1884.

(352) "The following circumstance is impressed upon my mind in a manner which will preclude its ever being forgotten by me or the members of my family interested. My little son, Arthur, who was then five years old, and the pet of his grandpapa, was playing on the floor, when I entered the house a quarter to 7 o'clock, Friday evening, July nth, 1879. I was very tired, having been receiving and paying for staves all day, and it being an exceedingly sultry evening, I lay down by Artie on the carpet, and entered into conversation with my wife - not, however, in regard to my parents. Artie, as usually was the case, came and lay down with his little head upon my left arm, when all at once he exclaimed, 'Papa! papa! Grandpa!' I cast my eyes towards the ceiling, or opened my eyes, I am not sure which, when, between me and the joists (it was an old-fashioned log-cabin), I saw the face of my father as plainly as ever I saw him in my life.1 He appeared to me to be very pale, and looked sad, as I had seen him upon my last visit to him three months previous.

I immediately spoke to my wife, who was sitting within a few feet of me, and said, ' Clara, there is something wrong at home; father is either dead or very sick.' She tried to persuade me that it was my imagination, but I could not help feeling that something was wrong. Being very tired, we soon after retired, and about 10 o'clock Artie woke me up repeating, Papa, grandpa is here.' I looked, and believe, if I remember right, got up, at any rate to get the child warm, as he complained of coldness,2 and it was very sultry weather. Next morning I expressed my determination to go at once to Indianapolis. My wife made light of it and over-persuaded me, and I did not go until Monday morning, and upon arriving at home (my father's), I found that he had been buried the day before, Sunday, July 13th.

"Now comes the mysterious part to me. After I had told my mother and brother of my vision, or whatever it may have been, they told me the following: -

"On the morning of the nth July, the day of his death, he arose early and expressed himself as feeling unusually well, and ate a hearty breakfast. He took the Bible (he was a Methodist minister), and went and remained until near noon. He ate a hearty dinner, and went to the front gate, and, looking up and down the street, remarked that he could not, or at least would not be disappointed, some one was surely coming. During the afternoon and evening he seemed restless, and went to the gate, looking down street, frequently. At last, about time for supper, he mentioned my name, and expressed his conviction that God, in His own good time, would answer his prayers in my behalf, I being at that time very wild. Mother going into the kitchen to prepare supper, he followed her and continued talking to her about myself and family, and especially Arthur, my son. Supper being over, he moved his chair near the door, and was conversing about me at the time he died. The last words were about me, and were spoken, by mother's clock, 14 minutes of 7. He did not fall, but just quit talking and was dead.

1 For a phantasm seen in a position which would in reality be impossible compare case 205'.

2 See p. 153, note.

"In answer to my inquiries, my son Arthur says he remembers the circumstances, and the impression he received upon that occasion is ineffaceable. "Samuel S. Falkinburg".

We have procured a certificate of death from the Indianapolis Board of Health, which confirms the date given.

Mrs. Falkinburg writes to us, on Sept. 12, 1884: -

"In answer to your request, I will say that I cheerfully give my recollection of the circumstance to which you refer.

"We were living in Brown County, Indiana, 50 miles south of Indianapolis, in the summer of 1879. My husband (Mr. S. S. Falkinburg) was in the employ of one John Ayers, buying staves.

"On the evening of July nth, about 6.30 o'clock, he came into the room where I was sitting, and lay down on the carpet with my little boy Arthur, complaining of being very tired and warm. Entering into conversation on some unimportant matter, Arthur went to him and lay down by his side. In a few moments my notice was attracted by hearing Arthur exclaim: 'Oh, papa, grandpa, grandpa, papa,' at the same time pointing with his little hand toward the ceiling. I looked in the direction he was pointing, but saw nothing. My husband, however, said: 'Clara, there is something wrong at home; father is either dead or very sick.' I tried to laugh him out of what I thought an idle fancy; but he insisted that he saw the face of his father looking at him from near the ceiling, and Arthur said, ' Grandpa was come, for he saw him.' That night we were awakened by Artie again calling his papa to see' grandpa'.

"A short time after my husband started (Monday) to go to Indianapolis, I received a letter calling him to the burial of his father; and some time after, in conversation wth his mother, it transpired that the time he and Artie saw the vision was within two or three minutes of the time his father died. "Clara T. Falkinburg".

Asked whether this was his sole experience of a visual hallucination, Mr. Falkinburg replied that it was. Occasionally, however, since that time he has had auditory impressions suggestive of his father's presence.

Here it may perhaps be suggested that Mr. Falkinburg's hallucination was due to the child's remark. But I know of no evidence to support such a hypothesis. Where sensory hallucinations have been traceable to verbal suggestion, as I have already mentioned, (pp. 477-8), there has either been a previous abnormal dominance of one person by another, or the effect has been worked up among a considerable number of people, in an atmosphere of emotion and excitement. Till evidence is brought, we must, I think, decline to credit the words of a child of five with such magic sway over its father's mind as is exercised by a practised mesmerist over the "subject" whose will he has annulled, or as causes the visions of a hysterical fanatic to spread to her like-minded companions.