Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-22
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Ehe Strange Poiyglos 9tfs 81
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The Strange Poiyglos Gafs 81 =
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Kew York Times.
A few people met at . private house In
Park avenue last night and gassd With
wonder at an intellectual Lulu Hurst.
This host introduced to them a young
woman apparently about 80 years old,
with fresh, rosy complexion, brown
hair and eyes, and rather difident
manners. He said that abe was an
intimate friend OF his, Mrs. Oil Of
Plainfsld, N. ]. For nearly three years,
he explained, this lady had been con.
trolled by ome marvellous and powerful
influences. " hioh gave her ready command
OF the most difficult foreign languages,
modern and dead, without any study.
She could not choose she language
she would speak at will; some
times che would rattle of lot OF
Spanish, sometimes talk French for an
hour without stopping for breath, and
ssain reel off Greek, Hebrew, Or even
Arsbid at a pace that the most Sc
oompiished dohOar fund fficulty in
following
The most extraordinary thirg about Il,
the host said iu coaolusior, vas that Mrs.
Oil had never in her life studied any
foreign language, no did abe ever speak .
word In any tongue but Buglish until tbis
strange spell came upon her.
Mrs. 0hl's natural dIfidenos deepened
to almost school girl bsshfulness rs abe
rose before her new and critical acquaint.
ances and stood upon large wolf skin
rug. Without any delay she smiled
pleasantly upon all, rolled her brown
eyes toward the osiling, and immediately
began q harangus with an imaginary
street crowd in language that no ons
present could even guess at She talked
as though thoroughly In earnest. Next
she wandered of into pathetic lullaby,
Thioh a gentleman present declared 10 be
| q Spanish love cong After another mon
oloRue In an uDknoxn language Mrs. OIL
sang tenor soiU AID alternately carried
on bAsso and soprano song dialogue,
doing sill with apparent ease.
| Then shs rested lew minutes, and,
taking pencil and paper in her hands,
rolled her eyes skyRsrd ssain. 10 an
incredibly short space Of time she bad
| fllej a foalscsp page ei,h ruricus look
| Jog ri.sFsotera that neither shs nor an,
tcdy slse in the Toou could Tssd Itlooked
| like o jumbled mixture Of photography
Chinese, and Arabic, yet certain letters
aud sign characters were very Distinct.
Mrs, Oil said that the ''spsl," as che
called II, though calling for considerable
physical exertion, seemed to refresh her
She lived at Plainfield with her mothel
(gho was In the room at the time) an
her husband, who WAS in the employ o
Pierre LorillArd She began to hav,
epells about three years ago, and La
gradually got 30 that she could command
them at will She had written in Hebrew
9, d on one occasion she put down 10
Of tslegrsphio characters which tn
village operator read at q glance, an
which proved to be some Ion
desired information about missing will
Though she had never read Shakespeare
"Julius Cesar" she once accurately II
Cited nearly the whole OF II TO be
. mother. Both she and her husband wei
sensitive about tho matter, and woul
only exhibit the strange powers to te
, soquaintances. A,Portugusse lady, wi
was among them, would not believe, |
Mrs. Oil said, that she had not acquire
, The Portuguese accent In Portugal. 81
received liks enoomiums from gsntiems
familiar with the languages for h
French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Greel
xnd Arabic accent.
Mrs. Oil said, in response to que
tion, that 1t made no difference to h
9 whether she sang soprano, baritone
tenor. The only peculiar sensations 90
!: neoted with the whole affair were aroui
her throat and chest. Her mind vi
clear all the time, she said, and she "a
all the people about her, but her attic
}, tention was wholly occupied with q
strange characters in fantastic gsrbs wi
came before her eyes, and who seemed
!. speak through her. Another peouli
!, feature OF the strange influence und
II which Mrs. Oil did these ridioulo
things, her mother said, WAS her wondt
full Influence over dumb animals. 8
wonld ride iearlsssly an untamed o.
and successfully capture an angry bu
/: which had chased q soarced man acrosi
ten.Rore lot. She wss afraid OF nothi
but spiders. Rata and mice were b
10 pets. Mrs. OIL offered the guests no q
plsbation OF her phenomenal powers.