Some five years ago we had a little puppy about six months old.  I used to train him to always go round the back way to come into the house.  One day he got hurt and run over, being instantly killed by a street car.  A day or two after the accident I was going in my front door and I saw the dog go up the steps in front of me, as plain as I ever saw him in my life.  It seemed he knew that I had taught him he must not go in the front way, because he would go a few steps and then turn round and look at me, as though he wanted to see how I was taking it, and I positively saw him go to the full length of the hall into the house, a distance of about twenty feet, before he disappeared.  I saw him do this at least three times in two months that we stayed in that flat.  I told at least a half-dozen people of the incident at the time it happened, and I can vouch for its authenticity.

     I remain, yours truly,

                    “MAJILTON”
    (Chas. A. Thompson, Chicago, Ill., U.S.A.).

Letter 9

Mrs. Vincent Taylor’s Experience.  A Spirit Purr

One evening in February, 1906, my son and I were quietly reading, in full gaslight, our small grey cat lying on the sofa a short distance from where I sat.  Suddenly I saw on my knee a large red and white cat which belonged to us in India, which was a very dear family friend and as fond of us as a child.

On leaving India we were obliged to give him to a friend, and in the end he shared the usual fate of pets in that country, making a meal for some wild animal.

“Rufie-Oofie,” in his spirit shape, purred vigorously, rubbing his head against me and giving every sign of delight at seeing us again.  I did not speak, but in a few minutes my son looked up and said, “Mother, Rufie-Oofie is on your knee,” when the spirit cat jumped down and went to him to be petted.  Then he returned to me, and walked along the sofa to where our present cat, “Kim,” was asleep.  The spirit cat, with a look of almost human fun, patted Kim’s head, the latter awaking with a start.  Rufie-Oofie continued to make playful dabs at Kim’s ears, Kim following each movement with glaring eyes, distinctly seeing and realizing that another cat was invading his sofa, but not in the least angry with him and quite ready to play.  After a few minutes the spirit cat came back to my knee, whereupon the earth cat displayed jealousy which Rufie-Oofie resented, but before they came to actual “words” the spirit cat retired behind the veil.

“ARJUeNA.”

Letter 10

SIR,

The following notes of psychological experiences with animals may be of interest:—­