TALES OF THE MOLYNEUX.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 160, 3 December 1872, Page 6

TALES OF THE MOLYNEUX.

A RESURRECTION BY "SPIRITS." Among the many " isms" of the day, we have spiritism ; and as its disciples are, I believe, always on the look-out for anything which may tend to confirm their madness, I beg to offer my experiences. Ido not know if they may be relished by spiritualises, but at any rate, if they do not " adorn a tale," they may serve to " point a moral." A short time ago, I had a very extraordinary but stop, I will give my recital first. A short time ago, 1 arrived in the town of C . I had

travelled thirty-two miles that day, carrying that necessary but awkward impedimenta of the digger, a swag. Like most miners, I had "mine inn": one that I generally affected when in the neighbourhood. This one 1 entered, and saluted the landlady. I informed her whence I came, and requested some refreshment and abed ; explaining at the same time that my purse contained only eighteenpence : I had moneydiV one of the Banks, but it was not available without further travelling. This information did not disturb her equanimity, which I may remark was already upset ; in fact the worthy hostess was in what is vulgarly called "a stew," the cause of which 1 was sonn enlightened upon. She told me that a strange man had come to her house the previous night, without money

apparently ; had asked for a bed and obtained it. He not having put in an appearance at dinner-time next day, she went to see what had become of him ; and found him lying dead as a door-nail; and this, she]*assured me, was a dreadful thing in a respectable house : the bother, expense, and loss of custom, she estimated at something awful. At this moment her husband entered the bar, and after the usual greetings, lie commenced

his lamentations, and asked me to go in and view the body to sec if I knew the defunct. He said he had not made the matter known yet, not knowing how his lodgers, who were numerous, might relish the fact : he also stated that he would give anything to be rid of the incubus without publicity. Rather lax morality, I thought ; but I declined to see the body until I had refreshed the inner man, as I felt rather faint and weary. I have looked on death so often, that I have come to the conclusion that a "live donkey is better than a dead lion." So, after my meal, I went to sec the unknown waif : the landlord said he was sick of him, and I believed him, and lie lot me proceed by myself to No. 0, where the body lay. I opened the door, went to the bed-side, and drew down the blanket, and immediately recognised the face as that of an old acquaintance,—Bob Mason, an engineer, a clever man but a confirmed lushington. I felt very much shocked, and uttered aloud, "Poor old Bob, and has it come to this at last ?" thinking what a sad thing it was for a man to die away from all his friends, and destitute ; when startling to relate, the eyes of the "corpse" slowly opened, and a low voice issued from the lips : " Is that you, Teddy !"—" Ye-cs," said I, and felt very like swallowing a whole potato ; it must have been my heart which had bounded up to my throat at the shock. " What game is this !" said I, as soon as I recovered composure. "Can you get me a drop of brandy ?'' said the " corpse."—" Not a drop to save your worthless carcase," I replied ; and again asked, " What game do you call this ?" He said, " I was dreadful bad, and had no money, and I thought if I feigned death they might have forced some brandy down my throat." Little foi'ee needed, 1 thought. I have heard of a man in London who used to fall down in the streets in a sham fit, and when the good Samaritans opened his vest to give him air, a placard was visible on which was printed: "Don't bleed me; give mo brandy." But I fancied that trick "capped" by the present instance. He continued to tell me in a lachrymose style, that he was ruined body and soul, and had no hope or wish but to drink, and die. " Well now," said I, looking at him sternly, " if I get you two gallons of brandy, will you go away from here, and never return I die in reality if it suits you, —but never let me hear of your being in this place again." Fie warmly protested that he would follow my instructions to the letter, if I would only be the "medium" to introduce him to the "spirits." " Well," 1 said, "you are supposed to be dead, ami dead you must remain to all in this house. I will endeavour to get the brandy, and after dark I will come to you ; you must dress, and put on that cape hanging there, and be ready to follow me without uttering a syllable ; if you do my plan is spoilt." I then left him, and saw the landlord ; I told him I knew the man, and further, I would get the "corpse" out of the house that night without anyone being the wiser. He was overjoyed, and said, " If you do this I will give you £5." I said, " I require nothing but two gallons of brandy in a keg." He immediately went

and procured the spirits. " All right," I remarked, " but let me tell you, you must manage to keep the women-folks out of the road, as the sight of the ' corpse' might produce evil consequences." He agreed to this. In about an hour it was dark, and I proceeded with the host, who carried a candle, to the room of the poor departed ; he opened the door, and an appalling vision met his terrified gaze. There was the " corpse" standing bolt upright, with the Inverness cape flowing round him like a funeral pall. One unearthly yell from the terror-stricken Boniface, and head-over-heels he went backwards ; out went the light, and with that terrible yell ringing in my ears—l awoke ; and 10, it was a dream ! the yell being tolerably well imitated by my mate at the door of the tent, rattling a tin dish, and enquiring if I was going to sleep all day. There is mystoiy. If spiritists are disgusted I cannot help it; but let spirit-drinkers beware, for such an event might come to pass if King Alcohol is too slavishly worshipped. " There are stranger tilings in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy." Hatter.