Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-02-25
lQortester lailp Spp.
lFrom "footalls on the Boundary of Another World
by Hon Robert Dale Owen '
HABITUAL APPARITION OF A LIVING
PERSON

There existed, in the year 1916, and is still
continued, IN Livonia, abont thirty-six miles
from Riga and mile and a half from the
small town of Womar, an institution of high
repute for the education of young ladies', ent-
tied the PensiOnnat of Neuwecke. tits under
the superintendent Of Moravian directors of
whom the principal at the time of the occur
rences about to be related, was named Buch.
There were, in that year, forty-two young
ladies residing there as boarders, chiefly
daughters OF noble Livonian families among
them Mademoisee Julie, second daughter of
the Baron de Guldentubbe, then thirteen years
of age
In this institution one of the female teach
ers at that time was Mademoiselle Emelie Sa-
gee, French lady, from DIXON. She was one
OF the Northern type-a blonde, with very fair
complexion, light blue eyes, chestnut hair,
slightly above the middle size, and of slender
figure. In character she was amiable quiet
and good tempered; not at all given to anger
or Impotence but of an anxious disposition.
and, as to her physical temperament, some
what nervously excitable. Her health was
usually good and during the year and half
that she lived as teacher at Neuwelcke she
had but one or two slight indispositions. She
was intelligent and accomplished; and the di-
rectors, during the entire period of her stay,
were perfectly satisfied with her conduct her
industry and her requirements. She was at
that time thirty-two years of age
few weeks after Mademoiselle Sagee first
arrived, singular reports began to circulate
among the pupils. When some casual inqui-
ry happened TO be made as to where she was.
one young lady would reply that she had seen
ner IN SUCH or such room; whereupon anoth-
er would say, ooh, no she can't be there :;
for have just met her on the stairway :" or
perhaps in some distant corridor. At first
they supposed it was their mistake; but as the
same thing required again and again, they be-
gan to think it very odd and finally spoke to
the other governesses about it. Whether the
teachers could at that time have furnished an
explanation or not they gave none: they
merely told the young ladies it was all fancy
and nonsense, and babe them pay no attention
to it.
But after time, things much more extraor-
binary, and which could not be set down to
Imagination or mistake, began TO occur. One
day the governeSs giving a lesson to a class of
thirteen, of whom Mademoiselle de Gulden-
stubbe was one, and was demonstrating, with
eagerness, some proposition, to il lkkratew hich
she had occasion to write with cfa1kNon a
blackboard Whileshe wasAdoinga&s and the
young ladies were looking aF her, to their con-
sternation they suddenly saw twO Mademoisee
Sagees, the one by the side of the other. They
were exactly alike; and they used the same
gestures, only the real person held bit of
chalk in her hand ard did actually write
while the double had no chalk, and only imi-
tated the motion.
This incident naturally caused great SEN
sation in the establishment. 1t was ascertain
ed on inquiry that every one of the thirteen
young ladies in the class had seen the second
figure, and that they all agreed in their de-
scrlptlon OF Its appearance and of its motions
Soon after, one of the pupils, Madtmoisee
Antione de Wrangel, having obtained permits
sion, with some others, to attend a fete ctdmpo'
ter in the neighborhood, and being engaged in
completing her toilet, Mademoiselle Sagee had
good naturally volunteered her aid and was
hooking her dress behind. The young lady
happening to turn round and to look into an
adjacent mirror, perceived two Mademoiselle
Sagees hooking her dress. The sudden appa-
rition produced SO much effect on her that she
tainted.
Months passed by, and similar phenomena
were still repeated. Sometimes, at dinner the
double appeared standing behind the teachers
chair and initiating her motions as she ate
only that its hands held no knife and fork,
and that there was no appearance of food the
figure alone was repeated. All the pupils and
servants noticed this.
1t was only occasionally however, that the
double appeared to initiate the motions of the
real person Sometimes when the latter rose
from CHAIR the figure would appear seated
upon it. On one occasion, MademoiSelle Sa-
gee being confined to bed with an attack of in
auenza, the young lady already mentioned,
Mademoiselle de Wrangel, was sitting by her
bedside, reading to her. Suddenly the gov
erness became stiff and pale; and seeming as
if about to faint the young lady, alarmed, ask
ed if she was worse. She replied that she
was not, but in a very feeble and languid voice
few seconds atterward Mademoisele de
Wrnnupl bgDDpninU IN ito
distinctly the figure of the governess walking
up and down the apartment. This time the
young lady had sufficient selfcontrol to re-
main quiet, and even to make no remark to
the patient Soon afterwards she came down
stairs looking very pale, and related what she
had witnessed.
But the most remarkable example of this
seeming Independent action of the two figures
happened in this wise.
One day all the ladies of the institution, TO
the number of forty-two, were assembled in
the same room, engaged in embroidery. 1t
was a spacious hall on the first floor of the
principal building, and had four large win
dows, or rather glass doors, flor they opened
to the floor,) giving entrance to garden Of
some extent in front of the house. There was
long table in the center of the room; and
here it was the various classes were wont to
uaite for needle-work or similar occupation.
J
seated at the table in question, whence they
could readily see what passed in the garden
and, while engaged at their work. they had
noticed Mademoiselle .Sagee there, not far
from the house, gathering flowers, of which
she was very fond. AT the head of the table,
seated in an arm chair, (of green morocco my
informant says, she still distinctly recollects
that 1t was, sat another teacher, in charge of
the pupils. After time this lady had oeca-
IN mr. no ri "a was
left vacant. 1t remained so, however, for a
short time only; for of sudden there appear
ed seated in it the figure of Mademoiselle Sa-
gee, The young ladies Immediately looked
into the garden, and there she still was, en-.
gagged as before only they remarked that she
moved very slowly and anguidly, as a drowsy
or exhausted person might. Again they look
ed at the arm chair and there she sat, silent,
and without motion, but to the sight so palpa-
bly, real, that had they not seen her outside in
the garden, and had they not known she APP
peared in the chair without having walked into
the room, they would all have supposed it was
the lady herself. AS it was, being quite Ger.
tain It was not real person, and having he.
come, to certain extent, familiar with this
strange phenomenon, two of the boldest ap.
proached and tried to touch the figure They
averred that they did feel slight resistance
which they likened to that which a fabric OF
me muslin or Grape would offer to the touch
one OF the two then passed close in front of the
arm ehalr, and actually through a portion of the
hgure' Inc appearance however, remained.
a'ter she had done SO, for some time longer
sun seated, as before. AT last il gradually
disappeared; and then il was observed that
Mademoselle Sagee resumed. with ali her
usual activity, her task of flower gathering.
Every one OF the forty.two punils saw the
same figure in the same way.