The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-08-07
WHAT WAS IT
A Child of Air That Could be Felt
and Heard. but Not Seen.

TINES OF A CAPTURED ''INvIsIBLE"-
A BROKEN WING.
Letter TO he New Yo, K World.
Mr.. Julius Saxe-the real name of the
gentleman who first observed these strange
Things L am not at liberty to give. but tina
name will be as good as any-is an artist
having a studio in one of the large studio
buildings IN this city. On the evening oil
the 10Th OF January last he was lying on a
lounge in his studio reading, when sud
denly ne heard a rustlipg behind an easel
which stood in one corner of the room. and
presently the picture that was on it fell 10
the floor. Mr.. SAKE was surprised and
went to the corner to see what was the mat
ter, but nothing was visible there beyond
what he had expected. He replaced the
picture and returned to his reading. when
again he was disturbed and thought that
he heard footsteps In the same corner of the
room as Of some one shutting along the
carpeted floor, and presently there was a
sounda as if a heavy body had stumbled
against the tall Dutch clock which stood
there against the wall. By this time, al
though he IS by no means superstitious, he
was thoroughly interested and excited, and
as nothing unusual was to be found in the
room while the strange noises continued he
stepped out and into the neighboring stu
dio and asked a well-known marine painter
the occupant OF the roOm-to come into
the studio, as most unaccountable things
were happening there. Mr.. 5. Readily ac-
companied Mr.. Sake, but nothing out of
the ordinary occurred, and after conversing
an hour or two Mr.. S. returned to his room
and Mr.. SAKE went to bed. He is a light
sleeper, and about 2 O'clock he was aroused
NV a ooncI DC ;f conoobnlr "aro DCc1, fr : IN
sleep upon a Turkish rug which lay before
cut at some distance from his CRATE fire.
The fire was bright, but he could see moths
ing, and still the noise continued. He
rose, turned up the gas, and stepped across
to the replace, but in attempting to cross
the rug he stumbled against something and
fell, yet nothing could be seen which could
have caused the mishap, while in falling he
distinctly felt a body beneath him which
moved. He was now thoroughly Fighter
ed, and ran hastily to Mr.. SIS studio, at
the door of which he pounded till its in
mate awoke, and accompanied MIR. SAKE to
his room again. The studio was well
enough lighted to enable them to see ev-
erything within it, but there vas no trace
of a burglar having been there, and GER
tainly no living thing except the two art
lists seemed to be in the room. Then a
noise was heard under the bed, and in
moving this Mr.. SIS foot struck against
something. STOPPING at once he made a
grasp in the place where the body should
have been; and to his amaZement, and GER
tainly to his horror-for, all things con
sidered. the situation was frightful enough
h seized what seemed to be a small and
delicate ankle. The being, whatever it
was, strove to tear itself from his grasp, and
a low moaning sound was heard. Mr.. s.
is a man of strong nerve, and did not re-
linquish his hold upon the ankle, and
presently Mr.. SAKE came to his assistance,
and a body, wholly invisible, yet plainly
possessed Of weight, was dragged from
under the bed, moaning and whimpering
all the while. Its strength was not beyond
that of a child Of seven or eight years, but
it struggled violently, and not until its
arms were pinioned to its SIDES did it cease
its endeavors to escape. The surface Of its
body was of velvet s%oftness, and had the
room been dark the gentlemen would IN
doubtedly have believed that they were en-
gagged with a little naked child, but since
the room was bright with light they were
wholly at a loss to account for the strange
facts, for they seemed to have mastered a
child of solid air. As they struggled with
it the walls and floor could plainly be seen
bet tween their hands which as evidently
clutched a palpablc thing. After a time
the struggles ceased, and the child. if such
it is to be called, was placed upon the bed,
both gentlemen keeping their hands upon
it. 1t breathed and sobbed, but thence
forth was perfectly passive. In passing his
hands along it's body Mr.. SAKE found at the
shoulders two organs like wings, which
could easily be moved, and one Of which
seemed to have been broken. Pity was now
mingled with wonder in the hearts Of the
two men who held this thing of air within
their power, and they tried to soothe 1t as
if it had been a human infant, but it lay
simply still and palpitating under their
hands. They drew the bed clothes over it,
and placed its head upon a pillow, where
the imprint of its form could be seen and
it's limb. be felt precisely as q mother watch
ing in the dark beside her boys bed would
feel them. The two men watched there
all night, and in the morning it was agreed
that the facts should be kept wholly quiet,
at least until it should have been decided
what was the best course to pursue in SO
! strange a matter. The child has apparent
" slept soundly after its struggles, and in
-. :; rraI op1 oivIpp q Go1pn