Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-25

was very earnest or eager In what she was
about 1t was uniformly remarked that the
more distinct and material to the sight the
double was, the more stiff and anguid was the
living person; and in proportion as the double
faded, did the real individual resume her pow
erS.
She herself, however, was totally uncon-
scous of the phenomenon she at first became
aware of it only from the report of others, and
she usually detected it by the looks of the per.
sons present. She never herself saw the ap-
pearance, nor seemed to notice the species of
rigid apathy which crept over her at the times
as it was seen by others.
During the eighteen months, throughout
which my informant had an opportunity of
witnessing this phenomenon and of hearing it
through others, no example came to her know
ledge OF the appearance Of the figure at any
considerable distance-as of several miles
from the real person. Sometimes it appeared
but not far off, during their walks in the
nelghoorhood; more frequently, however,
within doors. Every servant in the house had
seen IT, 1t was, apparently, perceptible to all
persons, without distinction of age or sex.
1t will be readily supposed that so extraor.
binary a phenomenon could not continue to
show Itself, for more than year. in such an
institution, without injury to its prosperity.
In point Of fact, as soon as it was completely
proved, by the double appearance Of Made.
molselIe Sagee before the class, and afterward
before the whole school, that there was no
Imagination IN the case the matter began to
reach the ears of the parents. Some of the
more timid among the girls, also became
much excited, and evinced great alarm when
ever they happened to witness so strange and
lneXphcable a thing. The natural result was
that their parents began to scruple about leav-
ing them under such an influence. One after
another, as they went home for the holidays,
they failed to return and though the true
reason was not assigned to the directors they
knew it well. Being strictly upright and con-
sclentlous men, however, and very unwilling
that wellconducted, diligent, and competent
teacher should lose her position on account of
a popularity that was entirely beyond her
control-a misfortune, not a fault-they perse-
vered in retaining her, until, at the end of
eighteen months, the number of pupils had
decreased from forty-twO to twelve. 1t then
became apparent that either the teacher or the
institution must be sacrificed and, with much
reluctance, and many expressions of regret on
the part OF those to whom her amiable quail
ties had endeared her, Mademoiselle Sagee
was dismissed
The poor girl was in despair. "Ah!'' Mad
emolselle de Gudenstubbe heard her excam,
soon after the decision reached her) "Ah! the
nineteenth time 1t is very, very hard to
bearp When asked what she meant by such
an exclamation, she reluctantly confessed that
previous to her engagement at Neuwelcke she
had been teacher in eighteen different schools,
having entered the first when only sixteen
years of age, and that, on account of the
strange and alarming phenomenon which at
tached to her, she had lost after a compare
lively brief sojourn, one situation after an
other. AS, however, her employers were in
every other respect well satisfied with her she
obtained in each case favorable testimonials as
to her conduct and abilities. Dependent en-
tirely on her labor for support, the poor girl
had been compelled to avail herself of these
i'll search of livelihood, in places where the
cause OF her dismissal was not known; even
though she felt assured, from experience, that
few months could not fail again to dis
close it.
After she left Neuwelcke, she went to live,
for time, in the neighborhood with sister
ln-iaw, who had several quite young children.
Thlther the popularity pursued her Made
mOiselle de Guldenstubbe, going to see her
there, learned that the children of three or
four years of age all knew of it; being in the
habit of saying that "they saw two Aunt EN-
lies
Subsequently she set out for the interior of
Russia, and Mademoiselle de Guldenstubbe
lost sight of her entirely.
That lady was not able to inform me whether
the phenomenon had shown itself during Mad
emoiselle Sagee's infancy, or previous to her
sixteenth year, nor whether, in the case of
any of her ancestors, similar popularity had
appeared.
had the above particulars from Mademoi.
selle de Guldenstubbe herself and she kindly
gave me permission to publish it, with every
particular Of name, place, and date. She re-
manned as pupil at Neuwecke during the
whole time that Mademoselle Sagee was
teacher there. No one therefore, could have
had a better opportunity of observing the case
in all its details.