Louisiana capitolian., 1880-01-03
New York Herald.

She left in April, 1864, and took les
sons in horseback riding. Unfortn-
nately, she was thrown and had two
or three of her ribs broken. She was
otherwise badly injured, but recover
cd sufficiently, however, to get about
again. In 1865 she met with another
accident. On stepping from street
car in Brooklyn her skirt was caught
and she was dragged over the pave
mept u block. By this accident her
nervous system was so shattered that
she never recovered from it's effects.
In the early part of 1866 she would
throw herself into all sorts of cont0r-
tons. She would bring her head and
feet together and roll over the iioot
like hoop. She would stand on her
toes and spin like top. This was in
the month of February. When in this
violent state it would require several
persons to hold her. During that
month she lost all her senses, even
the sense of touch. She was then
given chloroform to relax her jaws
so that she could take food, which was
forced down her throat, buther stom-
ach would not bear it.
LIVING WITHOUT FOOD.
In May Of same year she asked for
food. A small piece of cracker and a
tcaspoonful of punch were given her.
This was tho first food she had taken
in seven weeks that she was able to
retain on her stomach. She lost her
speech that same month. She was
subject to frances during this period.
They would come and go, and when
in one she was, to all appearances,
dead. In June nOurishment was
forced by q pump into her stomach,
which made her deathly sick. As are
suit her throat closed, and she was un-
able to take any nourishment ornttcl
u sound. My first visit to her was on
March 4, 1867. I found her lying on
her right sight side, with her rig lit arm
folded under her head. Her fingers
were clinchedin the palm Of her hand.
The same was true of the other hand.
Her right hand and arm were para
lyzcd, and this was true Of her body
generally except her left arm. She
was in q trance, sighed and seemed
to be in pain. These frances, ut this
period, continued ten or twelve days.
For twelve years she has lain in one
position, for nine years in the rigid or
paralyzed state, her muscles only re-
laxing when under the influence of
chIoroform. For the last three years
her muscles have been in q flexible
state. Her sutlcrings while passing
into this new condition were extraor-
dinary. During this long sickness
there have been times when she had
not the use of one of her senses. For
days she has been, to all appearances,
dead.
SEEMING DEAD.
The slis shtest pulse could not be de-
tected. There was no evidence of
respiration. Her limbs were as cold
as ice, and had it not been for some
beat in the region of her heart she
would have been buried. During
these twelve years she has virtually
lived without food. Pieces of fruit
and water have been introduced into
her mouth, but scarcely any of them
ever made their way to her stomach.
So sensitive has been this organ that
it would not retain anything. 1t col
lapscd so that by placing the hand
upon it the spine could easily be felt.
There was no place for food. Her
heart was greatly enlarged. Severe
pains passed from it through the left
side and shoulder. With the excep-
tion of slight intervals she has been
totally blind. Her eyclids were closed
for nine years. When she passed from
the rigid to the limp state her eyes
opened and remained staring. On the
Fourth of July last the eyelids closed
again, and have remained so to the
present time. When first saw her
she had but one sense--that of touch.
With that she could read with five
times tho rapidity Of one by eyesight.
She read by running her finger over
the printed page as well in darkness
as in light. With this sense she could
discriminate the photographs of
friends, the faces of persons in the
room, &c. She never sleeps. She
does her most delicate work in the
night, preferring night to day. Her
rest is taken in the trance state, which
answers for sleep. She performs none
Of the ordinary functions Of life unless
it be that of breathing. She receives
nothing and gives out nothing, unless
it is inscnsible perspiration. Her cir
culation of blood is sluggish, and, as
consequence, there is very little ami
NAL heat. She says she cannot die,
for there is nothing to die. Such, in
brief, is her bodily condition.
MENTAL ACTIVITY.
To me her mental state is more ex-
traordinary than her physical. She
has the power of second sight. All
places are alike open to her mental
vision. Distance interposes no bar
riers. No retirement, however seclu-
dcd, but yields to her penetrated vi
sion. This power, of course, is cOn-
fined to objects and persons that in
terest her. She will dictate the con-
tents of sealed letters without q sin
gle error. She will visit the family
circles of her friends in distant towns
aud tell what they are doing and de-
scribe their personal attire. Persons
entering the house of her aunt,
whether acquaintances or strangers,
are instantly recognized. Any article
which has been mislaid she sees and
tells where it can be found. She dis
eliminates the most delicate shades of
color. She works in embroidery and
wax without any patterns. Her wax
Hounrs oro n,or1nIS Of hnou+v Cho