New-York tribune., 1908-07-19
Drawing by Joseph Clement Coll

recognize her mother or myself and demands to be
taken your house
At this amazing information, Mrs. Rolf and her
surviving daughter Minerva, who since Mary death
had married Mr. Alter, promptly went to see Lur-
ancy From a seat at the window she beheld them
approaching down the street, and with an eXultant
crV exclaimed Here my ma and Nerve!
the name by which Mary Rolf had been accustomed
TO call her sister in girlhood- Running to the door
and throwing her arms about them they entered
she hugged and kissed them with expressions OF
endearment, and with whispering illusions to past
events of which she as Lurancy could IN their opmlon
have had absolutely no knowledge.
Rolf who came afterward she greeted IN the same
affectonate way, while treating the members OF her
own family as though they entire strangers
To her father and mother it seemed that this must
be only a phase of her insanity; but to the kots
there remained no doubt that III her they beheld
an actual reinCarnation OF the girl whom they had
buried twelve years before-that is to say When
Lurancy herself was puny, walllng infant Eagerly
they seconded her entreates to be allowed to return
with them: and, Mrs. Vennum being completely
Frustrated by this unexpected development, 1t was
soon decided that the little girl should for the time
being take up her residence under the Rof root
Back to the Rolf Home
SHE removed there February II, and on the way
~ an event occurred that vastly strengthened belief
IN the reality of her claims. The Vennun1s and the
Rofs lived at opposite ends c, OF Natseka; put the
latter family at the time of Marys death in 1868,
had been occupying a dwelling in a central section
of the town Arrived at this house, Lurancy u1l-
heSltatlngly turned to enter IT, anu SeeIeu IlNI1
astonished when told that her home was elsewhere.
Why" said she in positive tone, l know that
! live here"
1t was indeed with some difficulty that she was
persuaded to continue her Journey; but once at us
end all signs of disappointment vanished, and she
passed gay from room to room identl1ylIg 9oec1s .
that she had never seen before, which mad peen
well known to Mary Rolf
Her pseudo-parents were IN ecstas1es OF Joy.
Truly they said to each other our daughter who
was dead has been restored us and anxiously they
rod { be-h lone lS
her with them
The angels was her response, will let me stay
till sometime in May-and oh how happy l am!
Happy and contented she proved herself; and,
which was remarked by all who her, entirely
free from the rnaades that had sorely beset both
the living Lurancy and the dead Mary. FOR her lie
as Irrancv she appeared to have no remem branCei
but she readily and untallingly TecoHected every
thing connected with the career OF Mary She was
well aware also that she was maSqueradlnS, as II
were, IN a borrowed body.
DO YOU remember" DR.. Stevens asked her one
dav the time you cut your arm -
Yes indeed; and, slipping up her sleeve. L
can show YOU the scar 1t was She paused,
and quickly added "Oh, this is not the arm; that
one is in the ground" and proceeded to describe
the spot where Mary had been buried and the
circumstances attending her funeral. Old acqualnt-
ances of Marv's were greeted as though they had
been seen only the day before; although IN one
or two cases there lack OF recognition, due IL
was Inferred to physical changes IN the VISITORS
appearance since Mary had known them on ear
Tests suggested and carried out by DR.. Stevens
and Rolf only reinforced the view that they were
really dealing with visitant from the unseen world.
For instance when the little girl was playing out
doors one afternoon Rolf suggested to ms wlle tht
she bring down stairs velvet hat that their daueh-
ter had worn the last year OF her HE lay 1t on the
hat stand and see if Lurancy would recognize IL
This was done and the recognition was instant
With a smile of delight Lurancy Pickea up Ile hdt'