Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-15
A Strange case.

A writer III the StauDton JTndicotor
signing himself Henry Cotton, supplies
the following marvellous narrative:
When living in Richmond in '73 on
reading the Enquirer" my eye fell on
the following paragraph:
lie have the authority Of that re-
spectacle journal the london Lancet"
for this story so we give it. Its never
theless remarkably tishy: A man in a
certain neighborhood had three daugh-
tiers. Wishing for son, he made the
solemn promise if the next child should
be 4 girl. he neyer. would speak to her.
The next child proved to be a son as he
wished. But, curiously enough. he
never would speak to his father, al
though he lived thirty-fye years with
him. He always talked freely with his
mother and sisters, but with no one
else until his father died, when be talk
ed readily with every one. He was
called Dumb Eli"
called on the editor Of that Journal,
and assured him that there was neither
fish nor fable about it. that l had lived
in the same place with him and knew
ali about it, they then requested ne to
write up this remarkable visitation for
them, which I did. The Rev. DR.. Ben
nett. editor of the Richmond Chris
tan Advocate" then wished me to
give it to the readers Of his journal. and
at the time | vas interviewed By several
about it.
Now the facts Of this mysterious case
are these: In a small agricultural VII
lage N Somersetshire called Baltoas-
borough, lived & man BY the name of
Robert Virgins who had inherited the
small farm he lived on through many
| generations, and was very anxious for
son to carry on the same IN perpetu
y, but as lie lad lived all his life with
out the fear, or the knowledge Of the
| Judgments Of Coo; God decreed it
otherwise, tor there were three daugh-
| tiers corn unto him in quick succession.
on each OF which occasions he became
q perfect tiend, ard with the most dread
fal catks, would vow that If the next
was a grl, be would never speak to II
as long as he lived, aud noS mark the
awful judgment that followed. The
fourth proved to be son. but that
father never heard the sound Of that
soa's voice, although he lived thirty
| 6ge Years with him, unless tie hid HIM
self IN some secret place whilst he was
conTersing with his mother. or his SIS
tiers, and that was not very often. for he
always knew when he was listening,
though he cid not see him, and Instant
| y stop. Reader, you ask how is this
Talk to his mother and sisters, but not
to any one else: Ask an offended God,
for there IS no one but him that can tell.
AZ all events. ne attended the village
school Tor years, and went through the
ordinary course Of life by the name Of
Dumb Eli, without any enc ever hear
ing him speak until,his father died. And
here, kind reader, is another wonder for
you. When the breath had left the old
mans body, he was working ali alone
in place, at least two miles from any
human being to tell him, he instantly
started at the top of his speed for home,
and in running through the village to
every one he saw he would shout,
! father is dead" and from that moment
he had the fuency Of speech freely. lie
was then about thirty-fYe years old;
would converse very freely about his
long silence, but could not give any
cause, more than he knew when any
one was listening to hear him talk, and
would lose the power Of utterante he
knew not how. And when I left him
in the year ~, the old man had been
! Cipnd ehN1y. Snvnn raavc ao1 JN,,r,.}, II: