The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-27
A BABU GHOST STORY.

Result of Mrs. Bhattacharjya's Tank Bath-Her Husband Now Believes in Spirits.
 Babu Harihar Bhattacharjya writes the following from Khurrial in Hooghly district, which is verified by Babu lei Chunder Bose of 20-1 Cuckoo Khansa- mas lane, Mirzapore street, Calcutta: A belief in ghosts and spirits in this | flag end of the nineteenth century is sure to be put down as superstition, pure and simple. Yet manifestations which do occur in our very presence | cannot be accounted for as being other | than supernatural. If men deep-read 1 in philosophy and science are asked as to the causes of such phenomena they ascribe them to something mysterious; l but they would never admit the exist ence of such agencies as spirits. I my self had no belief in them; but my re- l cent experiences have thoroughly con- | vinced me that there are such beings as | spirits.
 My wife has a good constitution, was | hale and hearty, and she was passing | her life, happy and jolly, always en- I crossed in her household affairs. On the 17th of the last month she went to have a bath in the tank, attached to my | gardens. On her return home she felt very uneasy and was slowly swooning. | Addressing my mother she said that something was wrong with her, as she l felt a choking sensation and was losing all vitality, and after that she became | quite unconscious and remained so far more than an hour. A doctor was in1- mediately sent for, and by application of restoratives and other medicines she came back to her senses. But this state did not last long, for she com menced laughing and crying alternate l ly, now talking to herself, and again, raving like maniac she would scream in fright as if some one was going to strangle her. The scene was most pitt fable, and we were at our wits end as to what to do. Doctors treated her in their own way, but it was of no avail. Her sufferings continued for six days without the slightest sign of relief
 One of my neghbors hinted that the case was one of possession by spirit" and suggested that Gunga Moyra's son from Naihati should be sent for, as he was considered the proper person to cure such case. On the 22d of June
 the elders were consulted, and their consent having been obtained, I went to Naihati and informed Gunga Moyras son of all the particulars He promised to come on Friday the 24th of June, and directed me to keep ready jugful of water to be drawn out of tank be- fore daybreak and before any other per-
 son had touched the water of that tank. I.Punctually at il a. m. he arrived at our village. He is a venerable-looking old man of seventy years or upward. After taking rest for a few minutes he asked for tulas leaf, which being giv en to him, he wanted to see the patient. As soon as she saw him she shouted
 out, "Kristo Moyra, why are you here?" Without making any reply he repeated certain incantations and touched her head with the leaf, which at once made
 her quiet and senseless.
 Thereafter he came away, and made arrangements for the poojahs in room in the outer apartments. Three seats were provided in this room. On one he sat himself; the second was placed
 in his front, on the four corners of
 which were arranged Jaba flowers; and in the center was a brass vessel, filled with the water from the jug, referred to above; the third was reserved for the patient. After the poojahs were over, which took nearly half an hour, he di-
 rected that two strong persons should keep hold on her. He then gave three . low tappings on the wooden seat re- served for her, and by magic, as it were,
 she came straight running, shaking and shivering and took her seat No sooner she sat there than the ojha
 drew circle round her with piece of chalk, repeating certain mantras as he did it. The patient again demanded to
 know whether he was not Kristo Moyra
 of Naihati Be it noted here that no person in our village. not even myself,
 Tar less my wife, ever heard or knew
 that Gauga Moyra's sons name was
 hrlsto Moyra. We only knew him as Gunga Moyra's son. The ojah, howev-
 CT, answered in the affirmative and in- ulred what had she to do with his name
 She said: You have no business to molest me: I have done you no harm
 Why should you tease and trouble me? beg of you to leave me and depart in peace" The ojah in a defiant attitude