The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-20
ABBY MAKSH'S PROPHECY.
what Purports 70 Have Been Written OF Co
IumbIa's Destiny over Ninety Years Ago.

ABBY MAKsH's PROPHECY.
what Purports 70 Have Been Written OF CO.
Iumb,as Destiny over Ninety Years Ago.
Editor Repu5iimp--ln your issue OF Oct
80, 1873, you published an article accredited
to the New York STIR and EMIT led Mother
Shiplon eclipscd-the destiny OF the republic
prOphesied u century agO-the wonderful
events foretod by Mrs. Abby Marsh the
smoke OF battle to follow the next presidential
campaign"
In presenting the singular prophesy OF Mrs.
Marsh to its readers, the star SAID, "The tami-
ly of DR.. Marsh, IN Albany avenue, Brooklyn,
have in their possession Il remarkable old doc
ument which has been preserved with great
care, the paper is dilapidated bit
of parchment containing verses written on
both sides, u the verse; contain a
prophecy, and were written by Mrs. Abby
Marsh in the year 1877 at her home In Sher
brook, Canada. Like all other pro-
phetlc illusions, however, 1t received but little
attention until several Of Its assertions had be-
come things of the past, and pIblic attention
was called TO their apparent fufillment. Frag.
mentary portions of the rhyme, which Mrs.
Marsh called "Tolumbia's Destiny" found
their way into Canadian newspapers, some of
the extracts being now in possession of DR..
Marsh. a reporter obtained per
mission to copy the old document for the ben
eft of the .Star.' Then follows copy of the
prophetic verses with comments on their ap
parent fulflment in the succession of the
scientific discoveries and wonderful achieve
mcnts.
The prophecies contained in Mrs. Marsh's
verses are so strikingly fulfilled that so far as
they 90, in the history of our republic and in
scientific wonders of the present time rs to
give rise to II doubt whether they were not
written after the events described had &C
tually taken place. But this doubt is again
confronted by the fact, as stated by the Star
that "it is proved beyond doubt that the lines
were III existence, and in one instance pub
lished. before Grant left the executive chair"
while the most astonishing Of all predictions
refers to Grants successor and reads:
"Rulc aitcrward shall be got
BY one who's it was not
Men shall roar and rage and rave,
But he shall have who should not have"
| wish now to refer to two of Mrs Marsh's
prophecies that were obscure when you re-
published them IN October, 1873, but which
are now becoming apparent in the light of
February, 1880. The first to which allude
refers to scientific discovery. Commenting
on that portion of the prophecy, the New
York star said: Much Of the next passage
is senseless, and clearly written in imitation of
the old wIerds. Whether the rainfaling, as
men ordain,' might not be taken for modern
weather predctioAs is a question for the indl-
vdual reader to pass upon But the individ.
ual reader knows that patent right has now
been applied for and granted, for the produc-
| ton of rain as men ordain" III
this connection | quote more fully from the
verse
But Columbia shall again
Rise, aud fairer be than then,
Brother shall with brother speak
Whom he hath not seen week;
Letters shall 90 meath the deep,
Likewise over mountain steep. (Telegraph.D
Men shall speak to brazen ears,
That shall be mouths in after years. (Phono-
graph
Words spoken shall be sent through post
SO no syllable be lost. (relephone.(
A drop OF water shall have then
The force OF many thousand men. (keely mo.
Ghosts shall guide the pillow, and rain
And snow shall fall AS men ordan,
The second prediction 10 which | allude, as
having some light cast upon 1t by events now
Transporting, has reference to the coming pres
identlal campaign. 1t reads thus:
ale who was shall be no more"
In order to show that this line applies to the
present portion of time and TO the approaching
campaign il is necessary To quote more fully
from the verses
Columbia, home of lbcrtie,
Shall not twenty rulers see,
(Mr. Hayes is the 10Th presidcntl
Ere there shall be eattc smoke
Ere peace shall seem TO be broke,
And in the waves of peril tOst,
The ancient order shall be deemed lost
"There shall be trouble manifest,
North and Snutb East and West