Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-06-22
The Astral Bell.

ehA fhNuStN w w NOht
tice certain phenomenon. which ar-
parently resembles the astral belr' 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 l noticed the
sound of bell ringing in one corner OF
my own room. Having for some
months had slight mediumistic exper-
fences Gin the shape OF questions an.
swered) with small travelling clock,
have used constantly for fourteen years.
imagined the bell to be connected
with this and according to my custom.
make no mention of it in the family
circle. and one and all being wholly
unsympathetic on such subjects.
Day after day; night after night this
went on. no answers being vouchsafed
to questions, mental or outspoken. At
last one night, the member of the fam
lily who occupied the room next mine
Ohe 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 annoyance,
the clock gone but the bell louder than
ever.
Since then it has, with intervals Of
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 it is distant boil; some
times close and sharp; sometimes like
Il 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 4, never
lower, never higher.
must not omit to state that there is
no musical instrument in the apart
ment 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 medumistic
friend says it has been communicated
to her that it is TO serve as notiiica-
ton of the bestowal upon me of won
derful musical powers from the sphere
of harmony.
To us in the family, believers and
unbelievers, it appears simply to fore
tell disaster ana trouble, for when the
bell has rung loudest we are sure to
have some misfortune, or to hear i'll
tidings.
If any intelligence desires to COM
municate, could it not use the force
thus useessly expended to establ sh
distinct communication with one de-
srous to hold herself open to receive
communications in all good faith? If
spirit of evil God forbidD. why
choose such harmonious method?-
"PuzzIed' in London Lights.