Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-12

tons OF the obscure and batfl!ng
possibilities of the human mind re-
Gently 10 come TO the attention OF psyche
logical science is hat OF twelve-yearold
Juanita Cl!vette. OF Greenwich Village,
New York City. Seven years ago. when
she was only five. this little girl, the daugf.
Ter OF Mr.. and Mrs. Merton Cliyette-the
father & lecturer and her mother a grad.
ua;e physician-calmiy announced 20 the
latter that she was her daughter in body
only. but that the consciousness which In
habitsd that body was that Of Sappho. the
Inflated Grecian poetess OF $500 years ago.
Since that time the child has persisted
in her attitude. has given what she claims
10 be details Of her previous lie, and has
Written 3 numbe OF truly extraordinary
poems. In all other ways she is q normal,
happy. lovable little girl. She has been
the sUb!ec. Of quiet study by scholars o.
the agments OF Sapph!c writings that
have come down from that remote age
and by students OF that same civilization.
These profess themselves amazed at the
chilGs descriptions and the actual iDtor-
nation contained therein, whose method
OF requirement by the child frankly puZzl-e
them. .
SEtHciOSlCS science, 10 less lnler6SteQ,
believes the case TO be a form OF dissoci.
ated personality. OF which the classic ex-
ample IS the Case OF Miss Beauchamp"
studied by the distinguished alienist. DR..
Morton Prince. whose findings threw new
and astonishing light upon the obscure and
powerful possibilities OF the human mind.
IN the case OF Miss Beauchamp" there
We're four alternating personalities or
states OF consciousness, each OF which at
various times was the dominant mental
force In the body of Miss Beauchamp."
II was the task o! science 10 merge the
best Of them into one complete conscious
ness. which then became the normal per-
sOnality OF the subject. How this was
done, those interested can read in the mar.
la,ivc OF the case published By DR.. Prince.
Mrs. Clivette Is a woman o! extremely
healthy mentality and before her marriage
prac:!ccd medicine. She is the daughter
OF n prominent New York physician and
was a classmate OF Florence Pullman. now
the wife az Governor Lowdcn, OF Illinois.
Her upbringing of her little daughter has
been pursued along the everyday lines.
The. child had heard fairy stories and could
only read within the limited scope OF the
.%crage fjvc-year.cld.
~'Imngine, then, how l felt says Mrs.
Clivette. when just after her fifth birth.
who was ~Sappho?'
9! corrected her. thinking that she was
trying 10 speak the name OF a then widely
advertised cleansing powder. whose name
she had doubtless heard or seen.
mo insisted the baby; I mean a
woman -Sappho. know her name-but
not who she was. Why did you and father
name me Juanita? | should nave been
called Sappho-tor that is VINO | really
am"
The mother laughed and leased her little
one. The child said nothing until her
father returned. and then reopened the
a"Ilcmembcr another name now-phaon."
she aid. Il know that I loved him and |
think thai | killed myself because he did
not love me"
TITS curious utt"rancc coming from the
Hips Of almost a baby brought no laughter.
The parents questioned her. Had she read
ANYTHING of Sappho? Had anyone spoken
TO Her OF IN" storv' She shook her bad.
No. it had just come TO her. she told them.
Sh" remembered the names and there
were others that were forming In her mind
Ana, baby as she was. they tried 10 rea.
son with her.
"Sap2ho was a Grecian," they told her.
~ you are Sappho, why do you not speak
to US in Greek?
The child seemed puzzled.
~ s.eak what think" she said. 81.
comes 10 me and | say II. What is Greek?
For ono months little Juani,a did not
return 10 the subject. and the mother.
though still myst!hed and not a little wor.
RED, believed that she had forgotten II.
But one day she found Juanita writing
she was then a little over six. And This
is what She read:
S!ently the stars are shining,
shining in the still moonlight.
softly the wind IS singing.
singing through the night.
Chanting a wlld weird song of love.
The trees are swinging now.
The sea is deep and fearful.
In its depths / see
see the drowned clay body
1n&t once belonged to me.