The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-11-30

detect whether ortnot any imrositioI
was practised. Some of tEcselattend
cd day after day, but all wero fairly
beaten, and camo away convinced
that it was PHYSICAL intellectually
and reiisiously q genuine case
Rather more than. three months since.
she and her parents stated that the
milk ceased to afford her any uonr
ishment, and that, in fact, from that
time she left off taking any sustem
ance at all, neither food nor drink
passed her lips. Visitors closely
watched her, and were convinced that
she was really living on from week
to week, without partaking Of aliy
nourishmcnt. Meanwhile, the tum.
bier continued to ring more frequent
Is, her thoughts burned Will, warmer
devotional fire. her prayers sccmcd.to
80 direct from her lips to heaven.
while her angel seemed at her beck
and call to fulfil any manifestation,
and to occasion any influence she de-
sired. TIE excitement out of doors,
and throughout many parts of the
country, was now at fever heat. =
Medical men, clcrgymen, dissenting
ministers, carriage aristocracy, gig.
cart and foot folk alike shared in the
intense desire to gaze on this extra
ordinary child. and to listen to lhe
words which fell from her with as
much weight as if shcreally had in.
disputable credentials that she was
an oracle from heaven. On being
asked whcr and how this mystic
scene would cnl, size replied, sOh
in my triumphant entrance into slo-
ry.'
Some gentlemen in Ipswich, who
had become deeplyintcrcsted in the
case, at length became interested III
the case, at length felt that il was
quite tHne-thia tssnessystematic effort
should be made to test it 10 itss IT'S fiji fiji
lest extent. Thousands Of peoIIe lad
visited the child anl 9,
~ : u. Z ? = ~ :
proposed to run an omnibus from lis.
wich ami Woodbridge to Shottisllam.
These gentlemen judged that an
eight days trial would settle the mat
ter as to whether or not she par
took of any nourishment. Accord.
insly, two females of good character
were selected the earnest en-.
treaty of the father Of the girl who
were instructed to keep watch over
her for eight days aud eight nights,
1t beng an instruction that the room
should never be left without one Of
them being present. Three weeks
since they commenced their task, re-
ceiv,ng their instructions from
medical man, and at the end of eight
days returned to Ipswich, declaring
that the child had not hal anything
to its lips during the whole term, and
that they were thoroughly convinced
it was q genuine case.
This, however, did not fully satisfy
the gentlemen alluded to; The thing
was now UNIVERSAL Y talked of in
these localities: and it was dctcrmin.
cd to spare no pains to test it TO- It's
utmost. They formed thcms; Ives in.
to committee of eight persons, and
drew up regulations for their gui.
dance; ono was that for eight days
and nights she should never be left
unmatched; AMI al her was, that
each gentleman on guard should
make a written entry Of the events
that occurred every hour, and that
he should sign his name to it. (This
committee will not make their report
until the evening Of this day. The
facts We snljoin, therefore, arc not
received direct from any Of their
number, bnt we think we may guar.
antee their strict correctness On
Saturday week, August Dist, this
watch commenced, and went on with
out the slightest thing to excite any
suspicion, excepting little restless
ness, until the evening of the follow
lug Thursday, when Mcsscrs. Pit
calrn and Burton booksellers were
relieved by TIC Rcvds. Webb and
Whltby. The former gentleman had
long been sceptic in the matter, anG
on entering the room, thonght ho dis
covered on unpleasant smell. IIt
left for an hours walk, leaving Mr.
Whltby in charge.
The father then entered, and com
| | lamcd of the want Of faith which .ht
watchers in charge manifested, anc
then suggested that they should secl
the blessings of God. He immediately
knelt down and prayed with great ap
parent carnestncss and solcmnitv, an,
at considerable lcngth. Mr.. Whit
by was close to the bed, and dur
ins the prayer noticed some aeita
ton Of the clothes. When Mr.
Webb returned, Mr.. Whitby men
toned his suspicious, and lie insistc,