Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 December 1883 — DEATH FORETOLD. [ARTICLE]

DEATH FORETOLD.

A Very Strange Case Near Baltimore. [Baltimore Dispatch.] At the services attending the funeral of Christopher C. Brooks at Mount Olivet Cemetery, near this city, the Rev. C. E. Felton told how the young man had foretold his own death, and the pastor of the Mount Vernon Methodist Church, in commenting on it, said it was one of the exceptional phenomenal cases which point a newer and higher philosophy. Young Brooks was IT years old, and died in Brooklyn, N. Y., last Wednesday. He belonged to a prominent family here. His mother, who had been traveling in Europe, was summoned home by cablegram announcing her son’s illness. On her return she found him able to go about, and his physicians had no fears as to his perfect recovery. The youth stated, howevter, that a former teacher and friend of his, a Mr. Hall, who died about five months ago, had appeared to him in a vision and told him he would die of heart trouble Wednesday, Dec. 5, at 8 o’clock p. m. Young Brooks had never had any trouble with his heart, and his friends to whom he made the statement were in no way concerned about it. Dr. Maw, his physician, laughed at it, and said he was certain on the contrary that he would get well. The young man was, however, thoroughly impressed with the belief that he would die at the time indicated. A few days before that time he sent flowers to some friends with a note saying: “ I shall never again be able to express my appreciation of your kindness.” He<aocompan ed a lady friend to an entertainment the afternoon of Dec. 4, spent the evening in her company, and received a promise that if he wrote for her the next afternoon she would come to say good-by. His physician told the brother and mother of the youth that he would divert his mind from the subject by physical means, and Tuesday night put a fly-blister on his npck. Wednesday morning young Brooks rose as usual, ate an unusually hearty breakfast, and to all appearances was good for a long life. While taking lunch with the family as usual at 2 O’clock he complained of feeling faint, and asked to be assisted to his room. After resting in the bed a few moments he wrote to rhe young lady, and in about twenty minutes she arrived. He died in the presence of the family at 3:10 o’clock of paralysis of the heart. His physician and his mother arrived but two or three moments later, and jvere shocked to find his prediction fulfilled.