The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-19

diary entries corroborated the assertions
made through Mrs. Piper-s hand in every
particular save one. and Of this one I on
~ obtained the confederation on the first
day of the present month of November.
l asked Miss Field where she obtained
the ring-whether Professor Bell gave il
to her.
NO. she wrote, 81 bought it and had
it engraved myself
The diary records made no allusion
to the ring. wrote Professor Bell about
it, who replied that he knew nothing
about it, which negatively confirmed the
statement Of Miss Field. Thus the mat
ter rested until October % Of this autumn.
when came TO learn the address Of Col
orel William Reynolds, II New York,
who had been closely associated with the
Bell telephone matter in London and had
accompanied Miss Field and her friend,
Miss Herring. when Miss Field went 10
Osborne House, Isle of Wright. to sing
70 the Queen through the telephone
Writing 10 Colonel Reynolds, I told him OF
Miss Fields assertion Through Mrs. Pi-
per- that she bought the ring and asked
him If he knew. Under date of mo. IL
Broadway. New York City. Oct 81, 1899. -
Colonel Reynolds wrote:
- I can assure you from my own
knowledge the statements made purport-
ing to come from Miss Field are absolute
" correct I know where she bought the
ring and why that date was engraved up
on it
One more instance and must conclude.
Among Miss Fields papers was long
letter by Edgar Allen Poe 10 her father,
Joseph NJ. Field. had decided TO include
this with her other autograph letters, al
Of which 1 gave to the Boston Public
Library. where, by the courtesy Of Her
bert Putnam Chem hbrarian) and the
trustees they constitute, with the manu-
scripts OF her comediettas and photo
graph of her portrait by Vedder, a Kate
Field memorial department" Just be-
fore I had finished collecting these 70
make the gift, on an August day Of 1897
I was suddenly aware that Miss Field
said to me:
Lillian, want you to give the Poe
letter to Mr.. Steadman."
Now, I did not know at the time any
reason for this choice of Mr.. Edmund
Charles Steadman beyond the fact that
he was one of her most valued friends
7 sent the letter, however, and under the
date OF August 20, 1897, Mr.. Steadman
wrote me. saying:
a." As for the Poe letter, I scarce
ly know what to do. Don't you know that
It is rare and valuable? But OF course
you do. and Of course that is why you
give it TO me. Well, have Poe's best
daguerreotype and a famous Poe man
uscript, and I need just this letter to go
with them and to make my memorial
complete. So am incontinently resolved
to keep IT."
I had not ventured to tell Mr.. Stead
man that I believed it to be Miss Fields
own direction. and he may learn here for
the first time.
In any attempt 10 select reliable instan-
ces from a vast and constantly accumu-
lating mass of evidence one IS the victim
of an embarrassment of riches. In my
own experience the objective COMMUNE
cation through a medium has linked it
self with a thousand mental and actual
experiences and occurances. No one sit
ting is isolated from the currents Of daily
life. Miss Field narTates her experiences
in her new condition with the same keen
and brilliant humor that she often did
when here. Once. when I asked what she
was doing. she replied:
II have been lecturing Of late, and my
audiences were far more intelligent and
clear headed than I ever had in your
world
Again. she said. at have been writing a
history of my experiences since 1 came
here for distribution among the denser
spirits"
On June p and % Of this summer, 7 had
two consecutive sitting with Mrs. Piper.
and on the second of these I asked Miss
Field to tell meas typical Of the life in
the unseen-just what she had been doirg
from the hour I left her the day before
until I was again at Mrs. Piper's. She
wrote:
AZ was rather tired after talking with
you so long. and I walked in the garden
awhile to refresh myself, and then we all
went TO the temple and heard a great lee
ture by a very brilliant man or light
He discussed its composition. and a great
many scientific people were there. Then
we came home. and I sat down talking
10 my father and mother. and then I said.
Unjust look into earth life and see what
Lillian Whiting IS about -
And did you see?' asked.
eyes: you were sitting by the window,
with your lay full of my letters
This was true.
And I said 70 you. lillian. - not
come alone. but I bring a frien with
ne
"A1S who fs = - 2 Questioned
Rosa Ponheur." Miss Field replied |
"ShA was attracted by yoIr sriting about
her"
7 asst summer. when in Paris Mic. Bon
heur had invited me for 2 day 1T her
chateau and a picture she had sent me
as a surprise was hanging on my wall
and the day before I had been writing
Of her 70 her friend and legatee Mss
Anna KIumpke. an old friend Of mine
After that, then, what did you dor"
I continued:
- had a period OF repose." she replied.
and this morning have been at a musi-
cal convention with Addie Phillips. We
ara composing some music"
Adelaid Phillips. the great singer was
an intimate friend OF Miss Field. and
they were always much together uU 10 /
the tine Of the death % Miss Phillips.
LILLIAN WHITING.
Colonel William Reynolds. OF No. II |
Rroa dway. said that Miss whiting had /
communicated witn him in relation 70 her I
experience with Mrs. Piper, and ;hat he /
had the utmost confidence in any state /
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