1872.] Notices of Books. 241 
A young lady, Miss V., while at her aunt’s country mansion, 
was, owing to press of visitors, asked to occupy a room believed 
to be haunted. Miss V. accepted it willingly, being quite fearless. 
Awaking in the night, she saw in her room a woman in old- 
fashioned dress, who, after a little while, came towards her, and 
seemed to try in vain to speak. Miss V. became frightened, 
drew the clothes over her face, and when she looked again the 
figure had disappeared. She then jumped up, and found the 
door of her room locked on the inside. With the light of day 
the impression somewhat faded; she began to think “she must 
have imagined or dreamt it, and ina short time thought no more 
of the ghost. Some time afterwards Miss V. met with a friend 
interested in spiritualism, and had with her several séances. At 
one of them an alleged spirit announced herself as Sarah Clarke, 
a name unknown to both ladies. A communication was then 
received to the effect that she had many years ago been house- 
keeper in Miss V.’s family, and had ‘vainly endeavoured to com- 
municate with the young lady while she was staying in the old 
mansion; that her object was to confess a crime of which she 
had been guilty, and to ask her old mistress’s pardon for it. She 
had stolen some family plate, and begged Miss V. to tell her 
aunt, and beg for her forgiveness. Next time Miss V. visited 
her aunt, she ascertained that Sarah Clarke had been housekeeper 
in the family thirty or forty years before,—that some plate had 
mysteriously disappeared, but that Sarah was much trusted, and 
was never suspected. The aunt declared that if Sarah Clarke 
had taken it she freely forgave her. From that time the 
haunted chamber was free from all disturbance. Mr. Owen 
comments on this, as follows: ‘‘ Knowing the standing of the 
parties I am able to vouch for the truth of this story. Let us 
consider what it discloses as to the next world. ‘There is re- 
pentance there as here. There is restless regret and sorrow for 
grave sin committed while here. There is anxious desire for 
pardon from those whom the spirit wronged during earth-life. 
In other words, the natural effects of evil doing follow us to our 
next phase of life; and, in that phase of life as in the present, 
we amend, and attain to better things by virtue of repentance. 
Another corollary is, that when such spiritual 
phenomena present themselves, an endeavour to establish com- 
munication with the manifesting spirit may result in benefit, 
alike to a denizen of the other world and a disturbed inhabitant 
of this. In this way Mrs. Propert (see p. 224), getting rid of the 
midnight foot-falls, might have been in quiet possession of her 
villa at this day. I invite attention also to the strong proof of 
identity furnished by Miss V.’s story. The name of the house- 
keeper was unknown to both ladies when her (alleged) spirit gave 
the message. There was nothing to suggest such a name or 
such a confession as was made. Yet on enquiry both name and 
confession were found to correspond with facts that had taken 
VOL. If. (N-S.) ; 2 
