BY
ELLIOT O'DONNELL
AUTHOR OF
"Some Haunted Houses of England and Wales."
"Haunted Houses of London."
"True Ghost Stories," etc., etc.
LONDON
T. WERNER LAURIE
CLIFFORD'S INN
I have, from time to time, witnessed many manifestations which I believeto have been superphysical, both from the peculiarity of theirproperties, and from the effects their presence invariably produced onme—an effect I cannot associate with anything physical.
One of the first occult phenomena I remember, appeared to me when I wasabout five years of age. I was then living in a town in the West ofEngland, and had, according to the usual custom, been put to bed at sixo'clock. I had spent a very happy day, playing with my favouritetoys—soldiers—and not being in the least degree tired, was amusingmyself with planning a fresh campaign for the following morning, when Isuddenly noticed that the bedroom door (which I distinctly remembered my[p.4] nurse carefully latching) was slowly opening. Thinking this wasvery curious, but without the slightest suspicion of ghosts, I sat up inthe bed and watched.
The door continued to open, and at last I caught sight of something soextraordinary that my guilty conscience at once associated it with theDevil, with regard to whom I distinctly recollected to have spoken thatafternoon in a sceptical, and I frankly admit, very disrespectfulmanner. But far from feeling the proximity of that heat which all thosewho profess authority on Satanic matters ascribe to Satan, I feltdecidedly cold—so cold, indeed, that my hands grew numb and my teethchattered. At first I only saw two light, glittering eyes that fixedthemselves on me with an expression of diabolical glee, but I was soonable to perceive that they were set in a huge, flat face, covered withfulsome-looking yellow spots about the size of a threepenny bit. I donot remember noticing any of the other features, save the mouth, whichwas