Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-05
The Astral Bell.

The Astral Boil.
l am induced to bring to your no
lice a certain phenomenon. which ar'
parentlv resembles the ''astral bell' Of
the occultists, though for what purpose
1t is produced We can not determine.
Perhaps some of your readers can en-.
tighten us.
A few days after installing ourselves
in our present dwelling I noticed the
sound Of bell ringing in one corner OF
my own room. Having for some
months had slight mediumistic expcr.
fences Tin the shape Of questions an.
severely with small travelling clock.
have used constantly for fourteen years.
imagined the bell to DO connected
with this and according to my custom.
make no mention of 1t In the family
circle, and one and oil being wholly
unsympathetic on such subjects.
Day after day; night after night this
went on. no answers being vouchsafad
to questions. mental or outspokcn. AT
last one night. the member of the fam
lily who occupied tho room next mine
(the communicating door being always
open) called out that she wished that
horrid little clock would stop striking
and ringing in that unearthly manner.
as it prevented her from sleeping; and
it went on SO every night. and day
and night. Then I knew it was no
fancy of my own. but that others heard
it. AT once put the clock in room
on the other side of mine, and closed
the doors between. But the bell did
not stop. 1t rang in the corner where
the clock had stood. then at the FOOT
and at the head Of my bed, then over
the bed. and finally all round the room.
Again my cousin called begging me to
remove the clock. aud finally she came
in. to find to her alarm and annoya nce,
the clock gone but the bell louder than
ever.
Since then Is has, with intervals oil
days. and once of week. followed me
from room to room, to my great incon.
venience. Once or twice it has been
heard even in carriages and shops. and
once in the theater. directly in front OF
my face. so that my neighbors started
and looked curiously at me.
The sound is not always the same;
sometimes II is a distant bell; some-
times close and sharp; sometimes like
either string, sometimes three notes
of cord and then the full chord.
major or minor as the case may be. in
various keys; sometimes it is one note.
sometimes another. from A to Z, never
10 YER. never higher.
must not omit to state that there is
no musical instrument in the apart
mens except piano. which was not
here until the bell had been noticed for
two months.
The servants hear the sound, and
are, after the manner OF their kind.
frightened and superstitious; look cur
iously at me and leave. A medumistc
~ ohl - ~ hto DCOh
to her that it is 10 serve as a notiiica-
ton of tho bestowal upon me of won
derful musical powers from the sphere
of harmony.
To us in the family. believers and
unbeievers. 1t appears simply to fore
tell disaster and trouble, for when the
bell has rung loudest we are sure to
have some misfortune. or TO hear i'll
tidings.
II any intelligence desires to CON-
municate, could 1t not use tho force
thus uselessly expended to establish
distinct communication with one de-
sirous to hold herself open to receive
commun cations in all good faith? II
spirit Of evil God forbidD. why
choose such harmonious method?-
"Pazzled' in London Lights.