Mrs. Keller’s Brother

April 14th, 1907.

I have another incident which may or may not have an interest for you. A cousin of mine has just died, and a sister who watched by his side the night previous to his death, said that all night he spoke of the woman in white who stood beside the window and how beautiful she was. Then he would say, “she is close by me now, by my pillow, don’t you see her? and all the beautiful wings?” He also spoke to her continually of the wonderful music and the flowers, and how he loved to hear and see them. All this I imagine would be explained by the sceptics [sp.] as delirium, and possibly it is not of sufficient scientific value for you to disagree with them. However I am sending it on, as you have asked for death-bed scenes of an unusual or abnormal character; and it seems to me that this might come under this head.

I have given this letter to the friend who went to Mrs. Keeler. She tells me I have reported that incident correctly, and is willing to sign her name with mine provided it is not publicly used.

Yours very truly,
Alice Caroline C——

April 17, 1907.

My Dear Dr. Hyslop:—

I am sending you my cousin’s report of the death of her brother. She will sign her name with mine, after reading what I have written. She says:

The night before my brother died I was up with him from a little after two until five o’clock. We knew that he was seriously ill, but had no idea that the end was so near. In fact he was in bed only three days before he died. While I was with him he turned to me and asked if I saw the beautiful woman in white, that stood by the window. Thinking he was delirious, and not wishing to excite him, I replied that I did. “Isn’t she beautiful!” he exclaimed. Then later, “I think you’d better close the window, I’m afraid she is cold.” Again, he said, “See, she is close to my bed now, don’t you see her? And all the wings?” He also asked me if I heard the wonderful music, and spoke of seeing flowers. I went to my room at five, and at quarter past six he called me, saying, “I think I can get up today and go into your room.” I rose and went to him, reaching him just in time to see his eyelids flutter and close. There was no struggle, nor gasp, nor anything to indicate suffering.”

This does not seem a very full account. I think if you wished to ask any questions that possibly you could get more. My cousin died of consumption.

My sister-in-law is going to send you an account of sitting with a medium, a Mrs. Cory, which was very wonderful I thought.

Sincerley yours,
Alice Caroline, C——
Maude Louise, H——

Brookline, April 24, [1907].

My Dear Dr. Hyslop,

Before recepit of your first letter I wrote off the account of my cousin’s vision as told by his sister, and sent it to her, asking her to sign it if correct. If not to write it exactly as he said it. The account made such a vivid impression on me that I felt that I could give it very nearly as she told it—if not exactly—and as she is a very young girl, I thought possibly my account might be clearer than hers would be. However I do not know what she has done. I have sent on the second letter to her, and she will answer it. She is at present visiting my brother in Castine, and as there is serious illness in the family she may be delayed in replying and possibly may not do so at all, as this thing does not appeal to her particularly. I can answer all your questions but one. My cousin who died was muscial, I think. He inherited it from both sides of the family. His cousin, Mrs. —— somewhat less. Only the irresponsibility of the very young should fail to answer your questions.

Very truly yours,
Alice Caroline C——

My Dear Dr. Hyslop,

I am forwarding the letter I wrote you of. It is possible that my cousin may write again telling of the flowers—i.e., if my cousin who died cared for them.

I am sorry to send you such a “patchy” account. If more convenient for you I will write off all the incidents again and ask my cousin to sign it.

Very truly yours,
Alice Caroline C——

Castine, [Maine]., May 9th, 1907.

Dr. James H. Hyslop,

Dear Sir:—

In response to the request of my cousin, Miss C——, Brookline, Mass., I am sending you herewith the account of my brother’s vision:

On Monday, the day before he died, his mind seemed perfectly clear and the doctor said he really seemed better than he had been for several days. My cousin sat up with him until 2 a.m. and she told me that he had spoken of seeing a beautiful woman in white standing by the window, and he also spoke of seeing wings all about him on the pillow. After two o’clock he spoke to me of the woman and asked me to close the window as she was cold. He also asked if I did not see her. He asked me several times if I did not see her, and pointed her out to me by the window. Later he asked me to open the window again. He did not call her by name, and said nothing to indicated that he recognized her, neither did he say anything that gave me an idea who she might be. The only person I can think of that might appear to him was my mother, who died two years ago, but as he did not recognize the woman as her, I do not know whether it was my mother who appeared to him, or someone else. He also said: “I shall be better tomorrow and we shall have music in the morning.” He was not particularly fond of flowers and music, and the only deceased person near to him who showed any special fondness for them was my mother. I think this covers the questions asked in your letter of April 21st.

Yours truly,
Maude Louise H——

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Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research (York: Vol. 12, October 1918), p. 586-587.