The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-02-02
Dual Individuality.

most incredible on record. 1t is thus
related:
Some years since a ship carpenter,
at Sunderland, England, turned lee
turer. His name was Anthony j.
Oliver, and the subject of his lectures
was mesmerism. He was a great
reader and an extraordinary mes
merle operator, and when be made
his first appearance in public, bis
manifestations of the odylic force as
tonished bis audience.
HIS progress through the towns of
the North Of England was one con-
tinued harvest of shekels. Old and
Young, of both sexes-doctors. law
yers, clergymen and scientists went
to scof at, but were spell bound by
his mesmeric power. Among others
10 New Castle, Miss Jennie Robson
WIS a profound admirer of Mr.. Oil
yer. So great was his influence over
her, that by the force of mis- will, be
could, at the distance of q mile or
over. induce the mesmeric sleep and
compel her to proceed TO him. This
extraordinary fact IA demonstrated
in the presence of a committee of
scientific experts, when collision was
cut Of the question. On one Of these
occasions she climbed a garden wall
seven feet in height and fell headfore-
most to the ground. She was taken
up s~enseless, and medical attendance
was summoned, but in vain. She
lay for six weeks in a condition bor-
dering upon death. just here it may
be well 20 digress for a moment Mr..
Oliver afterwards studied medicine
in the Newcastle College Of medi-
cine. After the war was ended in
these United States, be, with q mum
Der Of his English friends, settled in
Virginia Every newspaper reader
remembers his tragic end. He be-
trayed 81 sristocratie Eirginian's
daughter, and her father shot Oliver
in cold blood. v hen Miss Robson
recovered her consciousness she was
blind and deaf, and she continued so
for Eve or six weeks. The sense OF
bearing returned suddenly, but sight
returned more gradually, but in the
end perfectly. The most extraordi-
nary feature Of the case, however,
was the fact that SIZE had lost all rec
objection Of her former life. She did
not know q letter of the alphabet,
and she could not play an air on the
piano forte. Her father and mother
" ere strangers to her. Her pet dog
was angrily thrust away. She was
ignorant Of the use Of knives and
forks. She was simply q new born
infant, with this difference, that she
could acquire knowledge rapidly
Her education was commenced anew,
Arithmetic, history, geography, mu-
sic and French were eagerly studied,
and q circle of friends was gradually
formed. Here again was an abnor.
nal fastidiousness. The friends OF
her former self were distateful, and q
young gentleman who had loved her,
and whom she had treated with cruel
ridicule, suddenly became her prime
favorite. 1t soon became known that
Mr.. George Henderson and Miss Jen-
ny Robson were engaged. The
young mans parents consulted DR..
Glib, the doctor consulted DR.. Forbes
Winslow, and TIE young people were
urgently advised to postpone the nup-
tials. Parental opposition precipitat.
ed the union. \ runaway match
made them man and wife in May
1856. At the birth of their first son,
the poor mother remained uncon.
scious for three weeks. Similar symp.
tons followed the birth of daughter
in 1850. One morning she awoke in
her former natural state, without any
intimation from memory or conscious
ness that anything unusual had hap.
pened. The four years of her mar
ried life were to her as though they
had never been. She shrieked with
rage when her husband approached
She designated her children "some.
body's little brats.' The house wa:
strange to her. She did not recog
nize her own dresses or her OWL
handwriting. She took up life again
at the precise point where she had
left it when she fell into the mesmerit
slumber and tried to scale the garden
wall. Existence with her husband
was uncomfortable, and she was taker
back to her mother. Parental inter
ference resulted in a judicial separa
ton between the husband and wife
Miss Jennie Robson, as she agar
called herself, was annoyed by any
reference to her abnormal individual
ity, and FER parents yielded to be-
entreaties to leave the town, and re
side in the south of England Near
Dartsmoutb, she gained all her form
er health and spirits. Possessing
graceful form and q pretty face, sh,
soon became the focus of masculine
admiration, and finally a wealthy
young farmer offered his hand
Here Robson, in spite of Jennie's en-
treaties insisted that Frederick HooI
should be informed of her previou:
mental arrangement and marriage
The poor fellow was too deeply il
love TO fear consequences. Then
new obstacle arose in q legal form
Her husband heard of her intended
marriage, and threatened Frederick
Hood and Jennie with proceedings
if the match was consummated.-
Whcreupon Mr.. Hood with Jenny
emigrated TO this country. Soon af
ter the pair proceeded TO Southern
Minnesota and established themselve:
on o fruitful farm. But, alas, misfor
tune overlook them. In August las
Mr.. Hood was ont driving with biz
wife in 4 buggy, when the horse ran
away, the vehicle was upset, anC
Mrs. Hood was thrown violently Il
the ground, receiving a severe con
: fusion on the back Of the head. She
remained unconscious for two weeks
When she recovered consciousness il
was even as be feared. "She did moi
know me from Adam as be express
ed it, land | could no more convince
her that l was her husband than ]
could stop the earth in its orbit
Whenever he approached her she re
pulsed him with anger for spiritiDg
her away from home. All her old