The Washington times., 1920-01-25
World for the Daily Guidance Of Littl
Worth Wee Explained by Mrs John Gu
Says She Was Commanded by Spir:
Forth, Find Certain Infant and A


INK yesrs ago Mr., John n. Curran, Of st. Louis, a
- peculiarly eslthy-minded, normal young woman.
~ who is the wife Of the former immigration Commits
sioner Of Missouri began for to experiment
with the ouja board This peculiar instrument for receiv
ing messages from the beyond consists of fat wooden
bosrd, about two feet long by and half wide,
which the letters Of the alphabet the numerals up
ten and the words eyes" "No," Don't know and
"Good-by" little hesrshaped table on three legs is
placed top Of the board The sters place the board
upon their knees the finger tips of both hands lightly upon
the heart-shaped table After while an influence T"
"spirt or "spook" begins to move the heart shaped
board whose narrow end then points to the letters spell
ing out the words Of its message" third person,
observer acts amennenss taking down the letters
the pointer indicates them
The messages" accounted for by non-sprtualists
Of the sers the mysterious movement Of the table is
supposed to be due TO unconscious muscle ryhms Of the
hands Of the sitters
Whatever the explanation Mrs Curran began to hear
from who signed herself "Patence Worth" and
who spelled out upon the board sentences in remarkable
Englisharchaic forgotten dialect This ghostly per
sonage speedily developed into the strongest kind of
personality She had been, she wrote, maiden of Dor
setshire. England who lived about 1885, She was
weaverIs daughter an only child. She wrote that "my
thumb is thick from twisting fax and speaks Of deliver
ing fine linen to the "castle folk" Her father left to
come to America, and after the death of her mother
Patience says she followed him to the new world She
was then thrtyfve. Her new home was in the vicinity
Of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. Near there she
was buried and now she says tree grows out of my
grave"
Soon she began dictate stories and poems with OK.
raordinary rapidity and facility The first book pub
lshed was "Patience Worth" The "Sorry Tale" a
story based the episode Of the mpentent thief the
cross in 1916 and "Hope Trueblood the last
book, story Of old England:
The remarkable literary excellence Of these writings
attracted widespread attention. Their dialect
eood fAat0 If marta that
20 Mrs. Curran had no previous knowledge Of them
nor had she the education displayed by the CON-
munications. DR.. Martin F. Prince, the famous
neuroogst, diagnoses" Patience as sub-conscious
personality of Mrs Curran and offered to rid her Of it
by hypnotism Mrs. Curran refused to have Patience
banished by this means any other and SCOTS at the
subconscious theory. Other distinguished scientists
studied her case, but with no better results
For three years the "ghost" Of Patience worth-or
whatever is that responds to that namehad been dic
tating to Mrs. Curran by of the ouja board as
concentration One book had been printed, another
on the way to the printer The first book was already
promising excellent SALE Reviews had been Aattering
and the public becoming interested
Then evening. after the Currans had been dis
cussng this materia'scay agreeable result of the man
hestations, Patience Worth exploded bombshell. In
the quaint old English words which she she
nounced that inasmuch there "seemed to be
money in sight and since 1t did not belong to the Cur
rams. but to God, that they should seek "a babe
that had nothing nothing and take it and for it
This indeed, disconcerting. The Curran house
was well-fled one. There grandfather mother
inlaw stepdaughter and the husband and wife. Be-
sides they had counted upon using the money for them
selves.
Patience, however, was determined and explicit. She
causticaly called attention to the fact that the emou
mens of her book did not belong to those who simply
took down her dcaon but that as the author and main
spring Of the volume the returns from were hers to do
with as she pleased.
I weaver Of cloth, said Patience that night,
in the curious imagery she loves to and this cloth
weave is not for him who hath. Thou shalt seek
who hath natght, and thou shalt deliver the goods
Of unto its hands, and ye shalt speak its name
Patience WORTH
This order; not a request And to II when the
first shock Of surprise had of the Currans gladly
bowed
LOOK ye," the "ghost" went on, "this shall be one
who is sorey in need mind ye Ye shall whisper sweets
unto 1t. unto the that knoweth not thy
words and tell unto it Of fairy dame who shall minister
unto IL and Of Him who sent her And she shall be the
live Of all who love and ahal smile aWeeta unto