A PHANTASM OF THE LIVING. [TO THE EDITOR OF THE
"SPECTATOR."]
Sin,—On Sunday, March 26th last, I had an experience which is, I think, worthy of record.
The verger of Holy Trinity Church, Richmond, which I have attended regularly for two years past had, I knew, been ill for some little time. I was somewhat surprised, therefore, to catch sight of him in the chancel. His figure, robed in the cassock which he always wore in church, showed dark against the white of the surpliced choir. No figure could be more familiar to me : I knew him well, not only as a regular wor- shipper in the church and occasionally assisting in the service, but as baying employed him in his private capacity as a jobbing gardener. I may explain that my seat is close to the chancel, so that I could not have mistaken some other figure for his. 'What I saw was some five or six yards from me. It struck me as a little strange that I had not seen him before—the experience occurred about ten minutes after the beginning of Prayers—and that I did not see him again. But I thought that he might have felt tired and sat down in the vestry. Anyhow, I was so convinced that I had seen him, that I said to a friend while walking home after service, "So the old verger is about again !" " No," said my friend, "he is lying very ill in the Infirmary." He died nine days after. In a brief tribute to his memory—he had served the Church for thirty-seven years—the preacher said that his last words were, "Where is the banns book ? " It had been his habit to put this on the reading-desk before the beginning of Prayers, and I was a little surprised that I had not seen him do this on the Sunday.—I am, Sir, &c.,
ALFRED J. CHURCH.
12 Denbigh Gardens, Hichmond, Surrey.
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