Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-04


the faces would appear. There was no sing
lug or noise of any sort to drown any sounds
of preparation says Miss Marrvat, though
this is made little dubious by the added
remark that Mr. and Mrs. Holmes talked of
their various experiences until they all got
pretty tired.
Presently, to their amazement face
appeared at the opening in the curtain
which they recognized as the features OF
the mother of Annie Thomas. The evil
dence of two people, observes Miss Mar
l ryat is considered sufficient in law 1t
ought to be accepted in society. Miss
Thomas was greatly agitated, but tried to
talk with the spirit of her mother who,
however, did not answer in words, but by
mods and bows Other faces appeared and
were duly recognized. This seance was a
great success, and left upon the ladies a
most powerful impression. Mrs. Holmes
told them they were mediums, and they de-
cided 20 go on and hold regular meetings.
1t made them students of the phenomena
and seems to have converted Miss Marryat
on the spot, since she finishes her account
by saying she would not have "missed the
experiences she has had for all the good this
world can offer"
SPIRITS OF THE LIVING.
One of the most marvellous stories told in
this entertaining book is that spirits of peo-
pie still living can leave the body and mani
fest themselves to others either by sight or
voice. In fact, as she asserts, her spirit
has left her body at times and been sum-
moned to q seance table miles awav When
singing the part of Lady Jane in patience"
in D'Oyley Carte's company she found
there was a good deal of whispering about
herself going on, and finally asked Federico
what it was about, particularly as he had
asked her to stay as far away
from him as possible on the stage
as she magnetized him so strongly
| he could not sing. The singers
were all struck with the strange appear
ance of her being upon the stage, and also
seated in the stalls. Her spirit at times
she said, preceded her upon the stage.
Furthermore, she asserts that she has al
ways had the power to summon living
spirits to her table, and to compel them to
tell her secrets they had scrupulously en-
deavored to conceal. One man who dared
her to do this, she summoned in spirit from
dinner party, and made him, (his spirit),
tell her the names of the guests and what
they had for dinner. While his spirit was
with Miss Marryatt at her home his body was
leaning against the mantelpiece asleep,
while his friends were laughing at and try
ing to awake him.
Her ghost stories would make tombstone
shudder. Her family called them "optical
delusions," but she maintains they were
due to spirits Once when she went to
Dublin to give dramatic readings she was
quartered in one of the best rooms of the
largest and finest hotels. Although she
went to bed dead beat for want of sleep, she
was awakened over and over again by some-
thing Cor nothing) only to find numerous
figures standing around the bed gazing at
her in great establishment, as much as to say
"by what right arc you here?" These
spirits were lfe-like-all men, and dressed
as soldiers.
TROOPS OF SOLDIERS GHOSTS.
Although she had been warned not to
talk on spiritualism in Dublin, yet these
mighty visitants SO impressed her that she
could not refrain from speaking of it to
some friends, Good gracionsl' they SIM
ultaneously exclaimed; "don't you know
that hotel was built on the site of the old
barracks?" The house adjoining it was
also haunted by the soldiers who tramped
up and down the stairs every night.
1t is pity Miss Marryat does not give
the name of this haunted hotel In her sis
ter's house, in the guest chamber for three
rified her and inspired her with horror and
repugnance. When she refused to sleep
there any longer, the truth came out
that the last owner of the house
had committed suicide in that room,
and therefore it was his spirit that was max
ing her nights hideous. She and her son
and husband saw ghosts in another sisters
house. The son did not believe in spirit
ualism, but he said there was something in
his room that walked around, and whis-
pered, and muttered, and though he did not
believe in her rubbishy spirits he "would
be blowed if he would sleep in that room
another night" Some of these stories are
most marvellous. If Florence Marryat
Ross-Church or rather Mrs. Lean as she is
in private life now, has had all these won-
derful experiences, she is evidently highly
favored woman. She ha good storytelling
ability and announces to begin with that
HER STORIES ARE ALL TRUE
and she expects them to be believed. She
seems to be familiar with all the varieties
of manifestations, and has full faith in them
all. She found one medium, ''Mrs.
Olive" who was controlled by Sir John
Forbes, q celebrated physician. He dag
nosed cases and prescribed remedies. Wish |
ing to test his ability, she asked him to tell |
her what was the matter with her and what |
she should do. He whispered it in her ear,
and gave detailed account of the manner |
in which she suffered, and asked what she |
had been taking. When she told him he |
said it was all wrong, and wrote prescrip-
tion for her in Doctors Latin. In order to
test this, she showed it to her family physi-
clan, who grew red and waxed mad When
the manner of obtaining it was all ex-
planned, he calmed down and admitted that |
it was the right thing for her case, and he
felt himself fool in that he had not thought |
of it before.
PEEPS INTO THE FUTURE.
Miss Marryat fully believes in the ability
of mediums to tell the past, present and
future. Through one of these she asserts
that she knows everything that is to happen
in her lite between this time and her death,
md feels prepared for the evil and con-
tent with the good" This medium
prophesles all future events, and has never
proved to be wrong but once, when she
gave date for an event that did not happen
until afterward. This made ":Annie, u the
spirit control, wary, and now she never
pins herself down to fixed dates. Since
hen the spirits have announced to Miss
Marryat that ''they have no time in the
Spheres" no calendars and no clocks!
What queer time they must have cover
.hcreT'
A medium with such power for prediction
would be worth millions just think, if
Annie" were consulted we should know
whether Campbell or Mckinley was to bite
the dust in the coming fight in Ohio; we
should know what was to become OF Blaine,
md whether or not the fate of Harrison was
10 go home to Indiana and raise chickens
md attend country fairs with an "e1" in
front of his name.
BESSIE BRAMBLE.