OUT OF THE COMMON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 880, 11 January 1889, Page 8

OUT OF THE COMMON.

The following remarkable case of clair. voyance is related by a Mr Dobbie, who has Btudied and practised medicine for some ten years in Adelaide, and has been very successful in alleviating physical maladies. It occurred May 28th, 1886, in the presence of the Hon. Dr. Campbell, M.L.C., Hon. David Murray, M.L.C., and Chief Secretary of South Australia, Mr Lyall, and Mr Fleming, solicitor : The circumstances are briefly as follows, viz. : Dr Campbell being present at one of my usud clairvoyant evenings, fiauded me a gold sleeve-link, at the same tirqe telling me that he had lost the fellow one to it, but had no idea as to what had hecome of it ; he asked me to give the remaining one to one of my clairvoyantes and see if they could find tho missing one, I should state that neither of the clairvoyantes had ever seen either of the roomß they referred to, nor did they know the names of the cliilciren, or anything in connection with this case, so that it is cither a case of genuine clairvoyance, or else a most remarkable case of thought-reading. I first handed the sleeve-link to the younger of the two sisters [Misses Eliza and Martha Dixon], who is not so lucid as her Bister (I was giving the elder one a rest as she had been hard at work, clairvoyantly, {or the past hour). Miss Martha began by first -accurately de. Scribing Dr. Campbell’s features, then spoke Of a little fair-liaired boy who had a stud, or sleeve-link, in his hand, also of a lady calling him ‘Neil’; then said that this little boy had taken the link into a place like a nursery where there were some toys, especially a large toy elephant, and that he had dropped the link into this elephant through a hole which had been torn or knocked in the breast ; also that he had taken it out again, and gave two or three other interesting particulars, but as we were engaged in clairvoyantly investigating a most important matter, we were reluctantly compelled to postpone further investigation until two or three evenings afterwards. On the next occasion (in' the -interval, however, the missing sleeve-link had been found, but left untouched); I again placed the link in her hand and the previous particulars were at once reproduced ; but as she seemed to be getting on very slowly, it oocurred to Dr. Campbell to suggest placing his hand on that of the olairvoyante, so I placed him en rapport and allowed him to do so, he simply touching the back of her hand with the points of his fingers. As she still Beamed to have great difficulty (she is always much slower than her sister) in proceeding, it suddenly occurred to me that it would be an interesting experiment to place Miss Eliza Dixon en rapport with Miss Martha, so I simply joined their disengaged hands, and Miss Eliza immediately commenced as follows, viz. : 1 «l' m in a house, upstairs, I was in a bathroom, then I went into another room nearly opposite, there is a large mirror just inside the door on the left hand, there is a double■ized dressing-table with drawers down each side of it, the Bleeve-link is in tpe corner of the drawer nearest the door. When they found it they left it there. I know why they left it there, it was because they wanted to see if we would find it. I can see a nice easy chair there ; it is an old one ; I would like it when I am put to sleep, because it is nice and low. The bed has curtains, they are a sort of brownish net and have a fringe of datker brown. The wall paper is of a light blue colour. There is a cane lounge there and a pretty Japanese screen behind it; the screen folds up. There is a portrait of an old gentleman over the mantel-piece; he is dead, I knew him when he was aliVe, his name is the same as the gentleman who aois as Governor when the Governor is absent from the colony, I will tell you his name directly—it is the Rev. Mr Way. It was' a little boy who put the sleeve-link in that drawer; he is very fair, hia hair is almost white, he is a pretty little boy, he has blue eyeß and is about three years old. f ‘ The link had been left on that table, the Jttie boy was in the nursery and he want

) into the bedroom after the gentleman had left, I can see who the gent'eman Is, it is Dr. Campbell. Doesn’t that little boy look a young Turk, the link is quite a handful for his little hand, he is running about with it very pleased ; blit he doesn t seem to know what "to do With it, [A. Dr. Campbell was not present from this point.] Now I can hear someone calling up the stairs, a lady is calling two names, Colin is one and Neil is the other ; the other boy is about five years old and is darker than the other. The eldest, Colin, is going downstairs now, he is gone into what looks like a dining-room ; the lady says, “Where is Neil?” "Upstairs, ma.” "Go and tell him to comedown at once.’’ The little fair haired boy had put the link down; but when he heard his brother coming up, he picked it up again. Colin says— 4 * Neil, you are to come down at once.” "I won’t,” says Neil. “You’re a goose,” replies Colin, and he turned and went down without Neil. What a young monkey ! now he has gone into the nursery and put the link into a large toy elephant; he put it through a hole in front which is broken. He has gone downstairs now, I suppose he thinks it is safe there. 1 Now that gentleman has come into the room again and he wants that link ; he is looking all about for it, he thinks it might be knocked down ; the lady is there now too, and they are both looking for it. The lady says—Are you sure you put it there ?” The gentleman says, "Yes.” f Now it seems like next day, the servant is turning the carpet up and looking all about for it; but can’t find it. 4 The gentleman is asking that young Turk if he has seen it, he knows that he is fond of pretty things. The little boy says, "No.” He seems to think it is fine fun to serve his father like that. 4 Now it seems to be another day and the little boy is in the nursery again, he has taken the link out of the elephant, now he has dropped it into that drawer, that is all I have to t6ll you about it. I told you the rest before.’ July 15th, ISB6. Since writing the above I have handed it to Dr. Campbell for perusal so, that he might check the acoount and ratify it or otherwise, and after going carefully through it he has returned it to me, accompanied by a complete ratification in writing, which I herewith enelose. A. W. Dobbie. Memo, by Dr. Campbell. Adelaide, July Qth, 1886. At the pojnt A the sdance was discon, tinned till the next sitting, when I was absent. The conversation reported as passing between the children is ooriecfc. The description of the room is accurate in every point. The portrait is that of the lata Rev. James Way. The description of the children and their names are true. The faot that the link was discovered in the drawer, in the interval between one sitting and the final one, and that the link was left there, pending the discovery of it by the olairvoyante, is also correct, as this was my suggestion to Mrs Campbell when she showed it to me in the corner of the drawer. In fact, every circumstance reported is absolutely correct. I know, further, that neither of the clairvoyantes have ever been inside of my door. My children are utterly unknown to them, either in appearance or by name. I may say also that they had no knowledge of my intention to place the link in their possession, or even of my presence at the stance, as they were both on each occasion in the mesmeric sleep when I airived. — Allan Campbell. Mr Dobbie tells U 3 that 4 neither he nor his clairvoyantes had any opportunity, directly or indirectly, of knowing any of the particulars brought out by the clairvoyant e.’ He afterwards saw the room described, and says 4 the description is simply perfect in every particular.’