Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-08-20
ton II ever se.rd. and appeared to

miiy several times and held meeting, at
their request, without hearing any thing
However, on the ssth Of May, Mr.. II.
being in the neigbborhood, and calling
OF the house of Mr.. n /; Mrs " inform
ed Mr. Ii. she bad just been to Mr. BuI-
nett's and heard the voice-nr II. i'm
mediately rode over in company with
MIR. John Shepherd. Dir. 5. wen, up to
the house FIRST, to get the children in
the house TO talk TO il, and after it com
menced upon a signal given, Mr.. III.
went up 10 the house and seated himself
in the piazza. A little boy eight or
nine years Of age, stood just inside OF
the door to ask any questions which
where suggested TO him by the compa.
ny II initiated various noises in a
whistle, such as the growing Of the
cock, cluoking ola ben, noise Of a pa
fridge, SC. and answered 3 variety of
simple questions There we're but few
that Mr.. II. could understand.
but when interpreted by the family, who
were more accustomed to bear il, he
could then trace out some reese nblance.
Some words however, we're pronounced
WY fSdfl Sutn f9 N4AALAs ~ iBf EQNeE
quill, SC. The family say, that IL gen
orally spoke much more distinctly and
could be much better understood than
on this occasion. Dir. Shepherd says
the came. 1t was understood however.
to say il knew Mr. II. pronounced his
name tOlerably distinct. said il got &C
gnainted with him there, and that Ii did
not Ike him. When Mf u. spoke and
said. II have come TO drive you away
i was understood TO reply, DO if you
dare " During the conversation With
it, which lasted about an hour. no per-
son was present exrept br Burnstt's
wife, Mr.. Shepherd aud AR. Hodges with
I've snail children. he oldest was the
little girl above mentioned. who wss in
the yard with the Iittle children. No.
n was 10 the i8vde of the house ex
eeFt the fiitie boy wbo asked the CUES
tlons. TIE reason why he was put
there 10 AK Questions vas. because for
some time il bad ceased TO speak to any
hut the children. There was also in
the kitchen, about twenty PAGES di.ts OF,
a negro woman aud an IDIOT glrl spin
ning and weaving, who could not have
heard what passed in the house. The
two older ons we're absent, at work 10
the farm Mr. 5. and Mr II. after the
conversation ended. examin ed the house
and found nothing Durng the time If
the conversation il was asked 10 sing a
song-it said ii did not know any. Mr..
Hodges whistled a sacred tune, bat il
said that wouldn't do. itthen whistled
Yankee Doodle very distinctly. When
tir. II first heard of the Circumstance
he very naturally was led to susnact
that il proceeded from some one ia the
nsigbborhood or family possessed Of the
art Of vtntriioquisn. But against thai,
opinion were the following objections.
Wig: ist. Ills certain that it's no one.
not Of the family, as no such person has
been seen Whereabouts at the times when
il was heard, and no person could be
there always without being seen %especi.
ally in the day time. sd Mr Burnett
and wife, whose word will be taken, bv
all who know them, state that no one
individual Of the family, who could pos
sibly be suspected Of such a thing. is
always present at such times They
state possibly. it has been heard when
the negro woman (the only servant
about the house, was in the field al
work. II has been heard when the two
Older sons, who are nearly grown, were
absent. as was the fact when Mr.. II.
i. IL has been heard when ell the
other children were al school. ~exceut
the two youngest, one of which is about !
three years old, the other an infant.
The ideot girl has not the intelligence
this Invisible being manifests. &C.
cording to the testimony If all who have
heard it. Furthermore D., even supposiug'
any ofthe children possessed tins tacui
ty, and had the disposition 10 carry on
deception for so long a time. 10 the
evident disquietude and distress of the
family, is II a rational supposition, that
This could be done without being suspec.
TED by the psrentsi Or would not the
individual be disposed To- try its prank,
al school, or among other children to
Tighten them, as well as at home3
There Is another circumstance which
eontradicts this supposition. About
moaths ago, Mr. Burnett, at the sug.
OF some one, put a Testament
n the place, whence toe voice a~ppear.
TO proceed. ltinstsntly lefthe place.
down into the house, and said il
"as going away. They asked why il
vas going away. 1t replied. il was OBJ
ICED 10 pa. ~ could stay 4hon