SECOND LIGHT-OR WHAT ?

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1525, 5 April 1887, Page 3

SECOND LIGHT-OR WHAT ?

The following etrango story ia publlebed In the Nelson " Evening Mail " „ "A very etrange Btory ia connection with the late fatal accident to poor yonng Allan Hord, and one that is ce:t»inly worthy of publication, has been told us by Mr Canton, a well-known and highly reaped able farmer living at Hope. By way of pefectf, it must be explained that Mrs Canton's maiden name was houerts, aud that Bbc bad a brother named J< m who was a horde trainer at Blenheim, aud was at the Delßon rao^B two years ago m charge of the horEeß Jero and Fatellito. From here he returned to Blenheim, and a few months later dibd there m the hospital. Roberts had taken Allan Herd m hand, and was v*ry fond of the lad who was with .him for Borne year*, aud always called him ' Jack.' Mrs Canton had ulao tab en a great liking to yonng Herd, and invariably spoke of him as ' Jem's bey. 1 So much by way of introduction. On Thursday last Mr Canton was m town, and left on the return home m the afternoon, be called a* the Turf Hotel on his way out, where he had a glass of beer, and between that and hia own house did r>ot see a soul to speak to, everybody being on tbe raoeoourße. He reached home shortly before 6 o'clock, knowing nothing of whah had occurred at the race, m which be tonic little or no interest On hi* arrival at home he found his wife trembling all over. «nd it wan app» rent th t Bhe had ! fen cry "g a g^od det»l. He aek< d her what, vas the matter, and la reply she ftat ;d thet o'n< was sure Boui«tl)-i:(/ had happened to 'Jem's boy ' Be laughed at her fearo, and told her nrt to worry herself but she pcrais ed m B'«tir g that ehe was certain he hud met with an accident, Mr Canton then proceeded to question her more cl sely as to th« gr und fur her feara. wlnti tho made thtt following remnrkfibk* statement : — " I was fi't'ng. quietly m the room when suddenly I saw my dead brother J-im and the boy vb real life The boy was on horseback and riding very slcwiy alone and not iv j«ckey drto?, and JVm was following and I. adi-.'g another horse. All wa« perfectly silent, until I disirotly hearc Jem call out ' Jaok, Jack ' and the ho.v then turned slowly and 1" kod round, and ihen both disappeared. Both of th^m wer^ to st painfully near 'o me. I was terribly frightened, for I felh sure that s m«'t. ing was wrong with the boy and 1 got up from my work and wont out." Mr Canton called at our < ffioe yesterday afternoon and told his story, and as hi wan naturally enough a little excited over it, we asked bim to put his statement m writing after talking ovor the matter with his ttifo, and ascertaining from her exnetly what it was that she saw, and at what time. The result appears In tbe foregoing statement, to which Mk Canton has added the following : — 11 Tho time thnt I felt my brother and the boy were with me was as near as possible the timo when the accident happened to Herd. I bad not even thought about him before I was sitting quiet m tho loom, and was sewing at the time." Via have only to add that "either Mrs Canton nor her husband knew anything whatever of the ncoidont until the following morning, for the lattor poch poohed his wife's story, and attached so little Importance to it, that ho tooV no trouble to make enquiries of any of bis neighbors. He was, however, considerably etartled when early tho next morning he met Mr Oolemar, who lives clobo by, and learned from him what had ocourred. That the Btory as told to us i< absolutely correct we have no doubt whatever. Both Mr and Mrs Canton ore well known as Bteady, hardworking, respectablo Bottlers, and certainly would be the last people to weave a. web of fiction.