The Osceola times., 1883-07-28
N. Y. Mercury.

N Y. Mercury. ft. #
The following advertisement recently
appeared in London periodical: -
Crystal balls for tie uso Of astrologers,
seers and mediumistic per4ons. Can I've
had from Raphael, with instructions
complete, 2ls. Il have reduced the price,
with the instructions complete, to 21s.
am anxious that every one should inves-
tigate the matter themselves, ~ II Is one
of the tnoa extraordinary Subjects with
which we have to deal. A knowledge
of astrology is not necessary to use tho
crystal. Crystals must be sent by rail,
they canr OF be sent by post, Address,
etc. as
A representative of the Mercury inter.
viewed certain persons resident in this
city who profess TO be versed in the
philosophy of the Occult. An clderly
physician said: "The Israelites had their
Urim and Thummim, and the Lord an
swered them by this means, and by
means of the crystal answers are OBJ
tained from the spirit world. Many
learned men Of to-day are Of the opinion
that tho crystal possesses peculiar powers
of naturalization. I am acquainted
with an elderly married lady, who is a
church member, and who moves in good
society, who has had some remarkable
experience. She might possibly relate
the facts for publication in the Mercury;
but they are so very romantic that most
persons of preconceived opinions would
be dispo,ed to treat them
WITH RIDIcULE AND CONTEMPT"
Through the kind offices of the physi-
clan, the writer two days later found
himself in the parlor of a Madison ayen-
ue mansion. II was afternoon, and
violent thunderstorm WIS raging over
the city. The lady appeared to be sixty.
Her hair was iron-gray Her face was
worn and bore traces cf suffering. She
spoke in a weary, metallic tone at first,
but as she became interested in her
narrative she talked, with considerable
vivacity. In substance her remarkable
experience was ~. follows -. ,.-s -
"fHk EXPERIENCE
to which the doctor referred occurred in
Richmond, Va, when ! was eighteen or
nineteen--a good many years age. Of
course. 1t isa strange story and sad
one yet tits true. Father, mother, my
sister Sophie and L. together with two
colorcd women constituted our house,
hold, Sophie was two years older than
me. She was quiet and fair, hut was
reckless of control" The crystal ball
had history, Of which it is sufficient to
relate that it had been presented by
wise" Scoschmsn 10 her; grandfather,
and had come by direct Inheritance to
her father. As none of her family had
ever been able to see any vision by its
aid, its occult powers were held to be
mythical There had been party of
girls, and the conversation turned upon
marriage When alone she was seized
with an intense longing to see her future
husband, and simultaneously bethought
her of the crystal ball, lying in its case
in her fathers desk. Lighting wax
candle, she proceeded upstairs to her
room, locked the door, and drew down
the shades Summer lightning ileckcd
the western sky at frequent intervals.
She placed the candle on small table,
drew upa chair, and gazed intently into
the depths of the crystal. In about seven
or eight or ten minutes she heard a dull
vague, unearthly sound. The air seemed
to be filed with life, and she experienced
A suFFocATING SENSATION
She was not in the least alarmed, and
still went on looking at the crystsl--still
desiring to see her future husband and
believing that she would see bim--whcn
suddenly "she saw mans face as plain
and as natural as ever she saw face be-
fore or since. The eyes looked into
mine, and she experienced there and
then sense of humiliation and submis.
sion. 1t was the face of dark complex
ioned man, with an oval face and large
dark blue eyes with a soft and rather
sorrewful expression" A rap at the
door and her sisters voice calling her by
name drew her away from the crystal.
Frequently afterwards in the solitude of
her chamber, she looked for hours at
time for a further revelation but
NONE WAS vovcHsAFED.
Time passed on. Her family moved to
a house up the river. Not long after
ward stranger came into their neigh
borhood. He bought property further
up the James river and surrounded him
self with colored servants bought in
Richmond market. Her father called
on Mr. Turner after time, and she ac-
companied him." He was certainly a
very handsome man tall, dark, yet pale
as marble His manners were graceful,
and he made us stay long while taking
us through his grounds to see his con-
templated improvements. He informed
us that he was from New Orleans, and he
spoke like man who possessed almost
unlimited means. He was exceedingly
attentive TO me, and was, on my part
very favorably impressed with him.
saw that father was uneasy, and when
he took leave of our new heighbor, in
quired now he liked him. Ho said, Not
much, Mary, with