Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-01-20
A NEW JERSEY SERRRSS.
AN OLD woNA. VINO ~ THE SENSATION oJ
THRIVING AGRtCULTuEAL CuyNuSITy.

""Vut "hoin all the neIghbOrs for
miles around are excited, and whose
lame promises to spread throughout
the central portion Of the State Al
ready the news Of the wonderful now-
er OF prophecy which she Possesses has
reached the ears Of the quiet farmers
III the upper counties, and small par
ties come every day or two 10 visit
her. Her name il Clark, and she j.
probably about sixty.iivc years old.
Born III liunterdon county, she has.
since her marriage, forty.three years
ago, resided in various parts Of Hun.
terdon and Warren COUNTIES. The
first indication Of the power which
she is believed TO possess appeared in
early life, during "A Methodist revival.
From a girl she had been Of an emo.
tlonal disposition, readily moved TO
tears, and sometimes completely pros
trated by an appeal from the pulpit.
IL was during these nervous moments
that she seemed imbucd with the Gift
Of remarkable foresight, and made
! predictions about the future veal or
Voc of her family and friends. Many
OF these prophecies are said 10 have
been literally fulfilled. Her temper
ament and power Of iorctelling filled
all her friends with a certain awe,
which has always existed. Mrs. Clark
Is sensible woman, however, and cn-
| dcayorcd a. best she could 10 drive
away all fear Of herself and her pow
crs, although maintaining her belief
in some wonderful gift bestowed upon
her. Wherever she lived, sooner or
later, reports would be circulated re-
Z -pectlng her nature, and she would be
called upon to exercise her wisdom.
As the years passed her nervous at.
tacks were understood to have become
more frequent, and therefore her pro-
/ phetic uttcrances have been more num-
erous. Settling, some time ago, in her
present home, .hc Is known by every
man, woman and child in the vicinity,
and scarcely a person lives within a
circuit Of ten miles who ha. not had
his or her history rccounted and for.
tune told If they came when the old
lady was in robust health they some.
times failed TO procure what they wish
ed, for she then bad neither the incl.
nation nor the talent 10 remove the
veil from the future. There are some.
of course, who deridc the whole thing.
and laugh at Mr.. Clark's predictions.
but the majority Of the rural folks,
being more or Jess super,iitious, have
great faith in her saying-. Several
cases Of extreme melancholy and sick
ness are said 10 have been produced
through unpleasant disclosure, made
hy the old lady 10 the victims. aud
others have recovered from long ill.,
ness when inspired with hope by an
interview with the prophecies. The
neighbors are usually loud in her
praises, and declare in the most IN.
qualified way that she has told them
circumstances in their lives she could
not possibly have learned in the or.
dinary course Of events. Hence their
extreme faith in her predictions.
Young men seek her advice regarding
marriage. and, being given a dcscrip-
tIou of their swecihearts, boldly lay
siege 10 the damsel whose features she
portrays, confidently expecting favor.
able response. Maidens Of rustic beauty
seek this oracle 10 ascertain the con.
duct Of their lovers, and many a coun-
try lad Is believed to have been re-
pulsed by some hidcous revelation of
bis life during one Of the nervous
spells. Industrious hu.bandmcn in.
qulre as to the prospect. for their
crops, and the wayside grocer consults
her a. TO the size Of his next invoice
of merchandise.
While many Of her clients insist
that her power Is that of the spiritual.
ist or clairvoyant, the old lady herself /
protests against such an accusation. /
She makes no pretcntions TO be under /
the guide of an Indian chief or great I
spirit of some kind, nor does she re. |
sort to any mysterious incantations. /
Her mode of procedure Is by means
of the palms Of her hands or the veins
of the temples. She requests her Wis
itor to hold out the hand before her
with the palm upwards and then die.
tates what seems to her to be the truth
by reading the arrangement of the
veins. Her utterances come freely,
seeming to require little study. Once
in n while she hesitates, and will some.
times place her hands upon the in.
quirer's head. Considering the mum.
ber Of persons consulting her, there is
very little repetition about her pre-
dictioDs, Her happiest faculty seems
TO be the right use Of names, both past
aud future, and the graphic descrip.
tons of places and persons. The age
of the woman and the continual strain
upon her nerves renders her life very
uncertain and seems to increase the
- IL. Il 4 r 4