The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-10
THEMAGICALMIRROR
4 CURIOUS oLAsS OWNED ~ A
& WASHINGTON MAN.

I
! Seen Pertentous Pictures Reelected
In Its Oval Surface, Although II
Will Not Work For All.
While all Of us have heard in early child
hood of the tales of magical mirrors, in
which impossible heroes saw impossible
heroines in danger, from which said heroes
proceeded to rescue the fair maidens, yet
such things have been relegated by most
of us to the region Of the Imagination. We
regard such things as being outside of the
real world Of today and belonging to the
region of myth and fable. Yet, In spite
Of our prosaio nineteenth century, 1t is
nevertheless fact that Washington gen.
tleman is the possessor Of an article which
might be clsssed rs appropriately belong
ing to the time Of Aladdin and the won
derful lamp.
This strange acquisition is mirror
which came from India, and In which one
can see the events which tho future will
bring forth. That such is Its power Is at
tested by some Of the best known gentle.
men Of the city, who, for obvious reasons,
do not wish their names to be mentioned.
This mirror came into the possession
first Of Washington lady who was trav-
cling in India, and, being Interested in the
religion Of the country, took q trip to the
famous temple Of Alora, which lies in
rocky side Of the foothills Of the Himalaya
mountains. This temple Is now but ruin
Of jagged rocks, jutting out harshly into
the soft greensward that rolls smoothly
down into the valley below. Above tower
the vast mountains with their glittering
caps of snow looking down on the peace
full tropical scene where for ages the fol-
lowers Of Brahma have performed their
sacred rites
The ruins Of the temple stand open to
the weather, and Its ancient glory, which
shone In such splendor before the English
came to India, Is now diminished. But a
small band Of Brahman monks still kept
the sacred secrets and ceremonies alive.
Few Europeans ever penetrate this section
of the mountains, but the Washington
lady mounted and visited the monastery.
While there she managed to secure possess
sion of one of the mirrors made by the
monks and reputed to possess wonderful
properties.
The lady brought the mirror with her
on her return to town, and at her death 1t
came into the possession Of Mr. Lowder-
milk. From him 1t was bought by gen.
tleman who takes great interest in such
matters, but who would not like the fact
Of the existence Of tho mirror in his house
to be known, as 1t would attract thou
sands of seekers after the curious. After
paying quite large sum for the glass the
mirror was brought home and put to the
test.
The mirror is oval in shape, about foot
long and Is surrounded by wooden
frame two inches in width and painted
dark green. Tho back Of the glass Is coat
ed with asphaltum and then covered with
dark linen, SO that the whole has the ap-
pearanoe Of lustrous opal. The method
of use is by sitting with the mirror in
ones lap and holding the glass so that
there is no reflection of other objects shin
ing on the surface of the glass. If the test
Is success there will appear in about
quarter of al hour thin, cloudy mist,
which will slowly float over the surface,
and then the images of future events will
be mirrored in the seemingly fashomless
depth Of the dark glass.
The gentleman who owns the mirror
has never been himself successful in see-
ing anything, but friend Of his, promi-
nent Judge and thirty third degree
Mason, had q remarkable experience. He
placed the mirror in his lap, and, after
half an hour, mist foated over the sur
face; then he saw reflected in the glass
picture of coffin within which was the
still, white face of dead man. At first
glance the features seemed those of the
gaser, but on looking closely 1t was seen
that they represented exactly the brother
of the gentleman-a man then in perfect
health. In second the picture shifted,
and another facs-that of friend-ap-
peared within the sides Of the coffin. The
gentleman in two weeks afterward lost
his brother, and In short while his |
friend, whose face he had also seen, passed |
to another world.
A son of the owner was one evening |
looking into the mirror, when he saw
within q picture Of a house In flames.
There were the servants leaping from tho
porches, then returning to drag out the
furniture. The glare shone around on
yard which the gazer recognized as that of
his own farmhouse down the Potomac.
BY the mail two days afterward he re-
eeived from his housekeeper an account of
fire which had destroyed his home, and
tho description Tailed exactly with the
picture seen in the mirror.
Another man, q gentleman employed in |
the bureau of ethnology and well known |
as a scientist and linguist has also seen |
many pictures In the mirror-pictures of |
events In his life which were afterward |
realized to the letter.
BY student Of occultism the following |
directions were given in a treatise on that
subject which dealt with the methods en-
ployed in making such mirrors: The ma
terials used are one glass, 81 inches by
S19 inches, free from flaws and concave in
shape; small amount of turpentine as
phaltum, pint of spirits of turpertine, a
small hairbrush q box in which to case
the mirror and half q yard of new cloth.
The glass is placed In Clean light and |
airy room, the materials washed perfectly |
clean; then the brush and the glass are
wiped over with turpentine. Afterward
the back Of the glass is coated smoothly
with thin varnish of the asphaltum and
left to dry, the operation being repeated
for the two following days. At the end Of
that time the mirror Is magnetized by
placing the hands above it and slowly
waving them to and fro, SO that the ami
NAL magnetic force may be well absorbed
by the asphaltum. The asphaltum is the
best known material for absorption of the
aura of the human body, and this is the
reason for its use. The test should BIZ made
also In clean, airy chamber when alone
md when the mind Is composed, and by
perseverance the inquirer is sure to be re-
wardcd-so say the books on magic
Washington Post