Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-06-18

4 lost manuscript. II hunt of half
century and theme of spiritual mNSti-
cism are part of story just disclosed
whose main characters ar" III" lat" l'r.
:. Weir Mitchell. author and eminent
physician. and DIR. Joseph L"idy. Jr.,
the nrurOlogist.
Came n rumor yesterday that Doc.
tor Icidy attended spiritual S"anr"
last week. He was sitting in an outer
room when some one cam" TO HIM with
word that Doctor Mitchell wished TO
speak with him. Doctor Lcidy, IT was
rlmorcd, went into tn" medium :
darkcncd room and waited.
Soon voice like the dead author $
called "Joscph.
"Joseph :" said the NoirC, III you
wish to find the manuscript. :" I" my
homo on Walnut street and look IN my
old toy chest. 1t is in there.
The manuscript referred +" by ir'
Mitchell was said to have been an 'A-
nosition on some nerve trouhl" LOT
hool o.hich DR.. Mitchell was writing IN
collaboration with DIR. Lcidy when
dooth overlook him. DR.. l."idy, it was
also alleged. has been hunting for these
nopcrs for many years. And tn" pub
liration Of the book has been suffering
serious delay because of his inability t"
find them.
After DR.. Mitchell finished speaking.
DIR. Lcidy is said to have gon" to the
home at ll24 Walnut street ana found
the manuscript in the toy chest IN the
attic.
The RumOrS Source
"It'- extremely interesting isn't II :
said Dr. Lcidy in his Office on Locust
stree, near Broad street. And there
is just the slightest foundation for the
,umor-IIeaven knows how it started
Some days ago. | did attend seance
in the home of George Dallas Dixon,
but nothing happened there which gave
me conviction as to the actual truth OF
suirituaIism. Let me say hero. that
do not believe in it. and am interested
in il only rs a seeker after truth.
| Il did go to a seancc, as | SAID. and
nothing happened that was convincing
And I am looking for n manuscript,
which :. Weir Mitchell once possessed.
but which he did not write.
''Thc story is this: Some time be
fore the Civil War a few young doe
TORS and students of science in this city
organized biological club. which me
ctery 50 often. like the old literary
clubs of Sam Johnson $ time. to hear /
paper read by one of the members. This
club met regularly. And at "a meeting
shortly after the Civil War II paper wa,
read by one of the members called =
Dream,
The Lost Paper
"Now. this paper was purely n lit
crary flight Of fancy. II described Ger
tain colonial scientists long since dcaC
as they might have been seen pasSin!
in ghostly review by the old Acadcm,
of Natural Sciences. which used t,
stand on the corner of Broad and San
som streets. 1t is said the paper wa,
extraordinarily good. 1t was 50 de.
lightful, in fact, that Doctor Mitchell
who was member of the club. askcC
to be permitted to take it home with hin
for a closer reading. The permission
was granted, and the doctor took tn,
paper home with him. Not long aftcl
a Dream was mislaid. and hasn'r
turned up since.
"Dortor Mitchell hunted for it. And
since his death his son, the late Or. ]
Il. Mitchell, had continued the hunt at
my urging. because l hope to find in il
something that may assist in the bio
graphical researches have been makine
for some time.
Willing to BE Convinced
"WrIl, there's all that know of the
foundation of your rumor, and the
doctor smiled. II am not at all con
, vinced about spirtualism in spite Of the
Sir Arthur Conan DoyIes and the 81,
Oliver Lodges. But | tell you this
If Doctor Mitchell should ever appear
to me after the fashion the rumor ha,
! il there would be no doubt as to m,
: ultimate conversion to spirituaIism.
"However, did you say it was toy
! chest? And where is the chest sup
: posed to be? / like information of mos
) any sort. and shall look for that toy
, chest. Perhaps it's The Dream that il
there.
''I want very much that my mine
should he fertile field for truths
and | am interested in spiritualism
, But must admit that I'm not i'm.
, pressed by any of the exhibitions O.
} mediums I've witnessed nor BY any O
iths books I've read. len hears