Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-22
A MEMPHIS SENSATION.
Is it a Spiritual Manifestation or
What?

Chairs Dance Around q Room and n
Chain CraWIs Like n snake4The
Mysterious Power of Woman or
Something Else.
From the Memphis Register, April 70
Living In Memphis is a lady Of good
education, pleasant manners and per-
SON, in whom lately have been develop
ed some most mysterious powers. Re
siding with her husband and family
there was nothing remarkable about
this young lady, who was and is agood
wife and mother, quietly discharging
the duties of her position, until a few
weeks since when the developments of
the powers spoken of commenced sud
denly. and have continued up to the
present time. The first Indication of
anything unusual was one day when
Mrs. NJ, as we call her, was sitting n
her parlor, and a chair commenced
knowing across the floor towards her,
and then retiring, then another chair
followed suit, advancing and retiring.
as did the first. Soon all the chairs
and tables were moving about the floor
like beingsimbued with voIition and life.
The lady was exceedingly frightened, so
much 70 as to be unable to speak, and
nearly in a faInting condition. This
phenomenon was repeated several
times, not only when the lady was
alone, but In the presence of her hus-
band, the chairs and furniture actually
dancing around the room. Other SIN
gular things occurred. The lady was
lifted out Of bed and placed in a chair
without any vOlition upon her part,
though without violence. Seriously
alarmed, a physician was consulted,
but he would give no advice in the
matter, as it was something beyond his
ken. A few friends OF the lady became
aware Of the singular power, and, as
the novelty and scare wore of,
we're permitted TO witness the
manifestations. Hearing of this sin
gular circumstance, one of the editorial
staff of the Register, who knew
the lady's husband asked permission TO
visit her and witness this furniture
dance; his request was granted HpOn
condition that in speaking or writing
upon the subject he should suppress
the namesOf the parties. In company
with friend, he visited the house, and
In the language of the Queen of Sheba.
he can say: ''The half has not been
told" The lady seated herself in the
parlor, and while an ordinary conversa-
ton was IN progress, n of the chairs
moved slowly across the floor towards
Mrs. NJ. Others followed, and oon all
the unoccupied chairs in the room were
moving through the figures of a stately
dance. The chair in which the writer
sat seemed to be possessed of life and
endeavored to move from its place, but
we kept our position in the trembling,
shaking chair. A smaIlchain that had
been accidently left on the floor, CON-
meneed crawling towards the lady,
wriggling like a snake IN It's move
ments. Mr.. N. placed his foot on the
chain, and stood upon it with his whole
weight, nearly two hundred pounds
avoirdupois, but it crawled out and
continued its course towards Mrs. NJ
Terribly frightened at this new demon
stration, she screamed, and everything
became quiet. The chairs resumed
their normal condition, the chain be-
came Once more but links of iron, and
only the astonished spectators remain
ed alive.
We have told an "Over true tale"
having In naught extenuated or ought
set down in malice. We cannot ac-
count for what we have seen, but only
tell it as we saw it.