Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-09-28
A CURIOUS CASE.

French. | was the Oldest Of the set, and
to think with jov of getting home again
and away from French fare and fashions.
One day. To my surprise, there came
summons from madam, and it was with
some trepidaton l obeyed it; but l need
not have feared.
my dear" she said, looking at let
ter in her hand. Il hear to-day that / am
to expect ysung lady named Lillian
Church, one of your country women, not
actually as a scholar, but a boarder,
though she will join in some Of your
studies. She is eighteen, and is betrothed;
but her doctor judges well that in the
meantime she should have perfect
change Of scene. To you, as the eldest, /
must lock to show her what kindness you
can; for Unjust tell you that there are
peculisrities about her, and you must
prevent your companions noticing them
nj cas-; TO herself"
She WAS perfectly different from what
we mad expected, bearing not trace Of
English birth about her. She was very
fully developed, and of medium height,
with face rather broad, but with hand
come features. Her hair, of which she had
great masses, was jet black, aad she had
large, dark eyes with most peculiar and
weirC expression.
After few commonplace sentences
had passed, madam asked me if L would
60 and assist Miss Church to arrange her
things; which | accordingly did, she in.
the meantime sitting by and looking on.
We were thus occupied, when looking at
her, saw her face suddenly assume the
most curious expression. All light SEEM
ed to have died out Of her eyes, her form
became somewhat rigid. and she began
to speaking mi low tone, but rapidly and
luently il French. ! WAS much alarmed;
bit at that moment madame entered to see
how We were getting on. On catching
sight OF Liian's face, she murmured to
me:
Hush ! Don't n,tice it. She's
somnsmbulist, and falls into these frances
at times. suppose she has tae dread Of
US foreigners on her mind. Whatever
you 90, 90 not rouse her, 1t IN light be IA
tall"
"Eut. madame, her eyes are OPEN"
Eyes, my dear; they always are in
such casa And then madame, think.
ing it best to lot me know the real state
of the case, though warning me not to let
Lillian know about it, told me the circum-
stances under which this young girl was
sent 20 school.
doubt whsther madame had any idea
Of the task she Wa: undertaking. Ger
tainly, if she hoped to keep Liians con
dition secret confined To tive or three,
she was disappointed, for this strange
girl used to fall into these frances at all
hours OF the day. The most remarkable
part of the case WAS that. although she
was downright stupid and deficient of in
tslligance when awake, as soon as she
fell iata these sleeps she became quite rs
remarkably clever. After having heard
her fluent conversation in the bed room,
was greatly surprised to find that she
bsen aroused from the trance and we had
gone dawn to the refectOtre for supper.
Her French was of the very badest Eng
lish schoolgirl possible. HIppening,
F.l a. A.. 1.t
ovsr French lesson, to the astonish
msnt OF our teacher she began to speak
with ease. In one oil these frances one OF
the girls noticed that the top of her
thumbs-or rather not quite the top, but
the part just opposite the nsil-was black.
She took hold of her hand. and touching
it, said: whats the matter with your
hand, Lilian?"
Lillian snatched away her hand, crying:
20 don't you hurt my eyes"
We noticed after this chat all reading
whilst in these frances was conducted by
means Of the thumbs; her eyes fixed on
vacancy, she would sit passing her
thumbs from line to line of the book.
The lessons thus learned we're never re
msnbered IN her wSking moments, but
always came back in any succeeding
trance. This popularity has seemed in
credible to most people who have heard
it, and indeed is incomfrehensibe; but
it is IN all respects nevertheless true. Size
ased sometimes 10 play the piano in these
frances; and although when awake she
could not play better than a child of
eight or ten years of age, she perform ed
very fairly in her sleep; indeed, had it
not been for the thumb difficulty, she
would have played very we'll; but she
had 10 twist her thumbs in a peculiar
manner, to prevent touching the black
spot through which she seemed to see..
Still more extraordinary were her draw
ing powers when asleep. l have still
portrait of herself done in one of these
frances, and one night she drew in cray
ons on her door an exquisite figure of an
angel. Although when awake she could
not remember the events which had TAX
en- place during her trance, in her trance
she solved the difficulties of her waking
moments. One night she was much pro-
voked at the appearance OF bonnet sent
by her milliner, MS far too small for the
fashion of those days. When she woke
the next day. she found shat she had got
up in her sleep and altered the bonnet
most skillfully by letting in some card
boa d covered with black silk.
1t was quite common thing for her to
go to bed with her masses OF raven black
hair down her back, and TO find il most