Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-05-22
P1AQUEMINE, IBERVHLE La, MAY 22, 1850

| lnlng the DOX 10 ma was maQe OF TIN. ana
painted black; and made several experiments
to see if could produce such sound from
it as had heard the previous evening The on
ly approach to that sound was that made by
striking the box to the floor while l held it
firmly in my hand, land that as l judged, was
not sufficiently like it to be mistaken for it,
Notwithstanding the time which had easpsd
since the occurrence.
| A few moments after that event, and while
all of the persons present occupied their for
mer positions, the boy sat up in his bed as sud-
denly as before, exclaiming, ''They have set the
bed on firew and while he uttered the words,
discovered brig ght fame on the cot bed, close
to the closet door. The fame was about eigh-
teen inches long, and flashed up little more
than foot in height. Isprang instantly to the
spot, and saw piece of printed paper loosely
rolled and twisted up, about three inches in di-
ameter every part of which was on fire, and
presented that peculiar bright yellow appear
ance to be seen where similar paper, which has
been subjected to great heat, has suddenly bro
ken out into flame. --s
Ipushed the bed about six inches from the
closet door, as far as the recess would permit,
and the burning paper fell to the floor. Fol-
or rather scrape it out into the room with my
fingers, so that could get at it to smother it,
and at the same time reached forward with
my left hand for the bolster. The paper was so
far consumed, however, as to part and scatter
between my fingers, and so crowded the boil
ster down where it was. In this way extin-
guished such parts of the fame as still existed,
but only recovered one piece of the paper, and
that badly scorched. 1t was about the size. OF
dollar, and proved to be part of the Der
by Journal, newspaper corresponding in size
to the roll had seen.
then examined the bed-coyering closely,
but could not discover that it was burned or
scorched in the least. When first placed my
head over the flame, thought smeled little
sulphur, as though the paper had been lighted
| by friction match, but subsequent reflection
convinees me that it was a smell which had pro-
ceeded from the previously scattered matches,
as had passed directly oyerAthe spot where
they had been thrown, and the smell was not
more than would be discovered under such
circumstance. There was no smoke to be
seen at any time. The smell of burned paper
was however very distinct. The coverlet upon
the bed was dark-colored, and the closet
door was grained to initiate mahogany, from
which facts think should have seen the pa
per had it been in the position found it, for
minute before Isaw it on fire. ,ls-s
| An instant before the alarm and the flash was
looking upon the bed, and, noticed the covering
spread up smooth to the boys head, and his
face turned towards me. Had his. hand been
out Of bed he could scarcely have reached the
paper from the position in which he then was.
Alter the occurrence the boy got up, and passed
the night in the same bed with me, and when
there in reply to my questions as to how ne
knew of the fire so soon and why he jumped
so suddenly, he said it bnrned him-that his
hand was in the blaze-and yet he was equal
ly sure that his hand was under the coyerlet.
The next morning, soon after breakfast, and
without in the least pre-arrangement that
could discover went in company with the
Il daughter and second lady who had spent
several days in the family, to make discoveries
in the attic and garret. In rambling about, sew.
eral articles f.apparel which had been missed
, for week or more, were found. The last
room examined was store room, under the
slope of the roof, and after looking carefully
over every thing there, was about to retire
!, | from it, when the brass knob Of a door lock,
with the iron in it struck the floor with violence
) about three feet behind me. .a
Previous to this, the ladies' who. were then
standing near the door Of the room, and IN very
> strong light, had been joined by the boy and q
!. gentleman who resided in the place. AS the
i boy was nearer to me when this happened thar
+ any one else, told him he ought not to az
! such things, for had the knob struck my heao
4 the injury would have been very severe. a.
: the same time it appeared to me Impossible tna
i he could have thrown it without hitting me, 10
: / was exactly between him and the knob, witt
3 my hat in my hand and my head bent over tt
( avoid bumps against the rafters, and he wa'
q some eight feet from, and directly before me
Before he could reply, the gentleman called ou
/ that if any one threw it, did It myself tor n
Il had his eyes strongly fixed upon the other folk
n when it fell, and for two or three minutes pre-
. viously. The boy denied any knowledge OF thu
# in the same convincing manner that ne d'd IN
e match box affair the night before.
h During the same forenoon, was engaged !
J. conversation with the daughter and the lad
/ who had made one Of the party OF discover
4 up stairs. We were in the dining room.
6 stood with my back to the window and abou
: five feet from it. The ladies' stood facing tn
h window and me, and about six feet from mt
. They were side by side and about 2 feet apar
4 No one else was in the room. The daughter
right hand rested against her right side, he
!. elbow projecting towards her companion, m
! her left hand and arm were hanging nearl
: straight down.
= Suddenly the daughters right arm straigt
: tened, iniiicting an apparently severe blow
! her companion's right arm just below the shou
der, and at the sarne time she cried out, Il u
e pinched" t S. sas
D., The sleeve Of her dress being turned up
e little, there was plainly visible 9 mark close
&c resembling q severe pinch freshly made On
such as would be made by iron plyer. Tt
o shape Of the mark was similar to the letter
sr Two or three moments afterwards, i examine
LII. 11Eo md