The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-02

side her and flung her hands at the thing
to be kicked in all directions in the same way
as if her legs thrown about by some external
force She at US as if pushed violently from be-
hind beat herself rather was beaten, against
persons and floor and wall as II she We're a rag doll
in the hands of naughty child
Prone on the floor, held down firmly by head
and shoulders and arms with her mother sitting
soid1y on her knees she trotted' that mother baby
fashion, for time and then shaking off her human
entanglements easily as Samson of old broke the
withes raised herself straight sitting posture
if pulled UP by hands reaching down to her from
above.
Through it all her face had expression of that
of pleasantly interested spectator. She was per-
fectly conscious of all that occurred and faughed Whe
some particularly hard experience brought words OF
sympathy from the neophytes whom she was drag
cling merry about as they endeavored to keep her
from doing them and herself bodily harm. She was
kept too busy, however, to talk much, for Satan or
something very much like him, found unbounded mis-
chief for only her hands but every member ana
joint of her body to do, From gentle polite and
rather dident child she seemed to have been meta
morphosed into Veritable imp as lar as physlcdl
manifestations were concerned.
Rolled in a comforter with her arms straight down
by her sides made pappoose bundle Of by encircltng
ropes and laid in. middle of double bed, she
flung herself. or, rather, flung, bodily from that
safe spot upon the floor again Tied in this way
she the first time complained
Undo me- quick!" she said, Il am choking! 1t
gets me by the throat you don't let it work" and
we united her hastily let cit wori(?) as it would
subject before to our united efforts TO. keep the
child and ourselves from serious personal damage
An hour of such occupation found us all tired, dis
beveled and nearly deiquesced the day torrid
and utterly unsuited continuous series of muscu
lar exercise more severe and complicated than the
most enthusiastic Delsartan ever dreamed Of
Viola on the other hand cool as to her wr1th1ng
little body, calm to her pulse and collected as TO
her mind. Neither pulse nor temperature mad risen
since sat together on the doorstep anu
petted Cuba between u.s.
We three strangers took her out into the open air.
out under Gods sunshine among the trees and vines
and away all other influences physical and men
tail and yainy tried to control the that possessed
her She smiled up in faces but her body deted
our efforts to master it and did it would still in
spite Of us.
For an hour more the struggle went on 1t seemed
to us novices if had evolved an unseen FRANK
enstein.
We were beaten and bruised and flung about, and
were forced spell other in order to get breath
and strength enough act buffers between the girl
and her surroundings
little more than two hours after the other con-
quietly her feet more
"Good-by," she said gruff1y, with odd ducking
motion of head, and realized in instant that
she possessed herself again and seemed to be no
longer possessed"
Mamma" she said, going over to pale little
woman is no longer pale but rosy red let me go
down the station with you folks It's only a mile
half, and get tired staying up here on the hill
with nothing to do all day long,.
And when we dragged ourselves YEARLY car-ward
that child danced along beside step of the
long, dusty way.
whatever may be the occasion of Viola Dallings-
spells" certain it is that they seemingly
inexplcibe by ordinary method of reasoning. Her
mother together with the few sprtualists who have
been permitted her, believe that grown to
mediums the world has known.
when she Older. they say, she will control tina
power instead of letting it control her..
F. MACVAHCN