The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-03-30
A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD.

1t Played an Important Part in n Business
Transaction.
The spiritualistic circles of Washington are
understood to be agitated Just now by an ex-
ceptonally notable occurrence. 1t is not e1-
actly a new revelation or fresh proof Of the
truths of spiritualsm, but it is an event of a
rather more singular nature even than those
with which the frequenters of seances are fami-
liar. 1t has occasoned much discussion among
the elect.
1t seems that some time ago the death of q
well-known citizen left his wife in possession
Of comfortable estate, consisting of a
profitable business on one of the main
streets of the city. The widow, who,
by the way, was spirtualist, con-
tinued the business on her own account
She was disposed to sell, but as she found no
one to give her the figure she thought the busi-
ness worth she held on to it and waited 1t is
said she wanted $15, 900 for the business.
Not long ago a gentleman came here from
the West, in expectation of going into busi
ness similar to that in which the widow was
engaged He had his plans all laid, but they
depended in a measure on politics. Now,
politics are well-known to be very unre-
liable, and SO the Western gentleman found
when he got to Washington. The politics in his
plans ''queered" them. But, like most other
people who come to Washington, he grew very
fond of the town. He wanted to stay here and
made up his mind to do so IL he could find an
opening where no politics were involved. He
heard of the widow and her business. He went
to see her. She named her figure, but was not
at all anxious to sell. The figure was too
high for the Western man. so the story goes,
and he was in despair. His heart was set on
widows blSinpSS (hanpa
fortune, or something else, threw him in the
way of some spiritualistic friends of the widow.
The Western man was not spiritualist him
self, but he was of reverent nature and not at
all bigoted He attended some seances at the
home of well-inown mediums
The widow happened to be at one of them.
Singularly enough, she was called for by a
spirit who held possession of the entranced me-
mented husband. He had message for his
beloved wife. Trembling and agitated, the
widow approached to receive the message from
the other world.
told her all about the events of her life for some
weeks past; how the gentleman from the West
had sought to buy out her business; the figure
which she demanded the negotiations which
followed, and all the particulars Of the affair
from first to last
The poor woman was of course profoundly
moved by ali these evidences of her departed
husbands watchful care over her and his
Knowledge of earthly matters.
Finally the spirit told her she had done wrong
to refuse the offer of the gentleman from the
West. He was good man, she had better sell
to him. If she continued to keep the business
herself, the spirit thought from his celestial
heights he could discern signs that she was des-
tined to meet disaster so she had better make
bargain with the gentleman. Some reports
say that the spirit Of the husband even named
the figure at which she should sell; and it was
two or three thousand dollars below what she
had been asking.
At any rate the devoted woman listened to
the voice of her husband speaking to her from
beyond the grave. She sold her business to
the man from the West, and at low figure it
is said.
This occurrence has made deep impression
in those spirtualist circles in which it is known.
The story is given here for what it is worth.