PHANTOM WEALTH.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8865, 16 July 1907, Page 1

PHANTOM WEALTH.

Prom Reiohsdorf, in Bohemia, comes a most extraordinary story of credulity and superstition, says a London paper. A woman named Theresa Bach went to Mario Iser, the wife of a small tradesman, and told her that she could release a poor soul from purgatory and thereby obtain a great treasure, but it would require money. Iser gave her a small sum and a few days afterwards Bach appeared with a packet, and said she had got the treasure; but the “poor soul” must wait another two years before being released. In the meantime the treasure must not be touched under pain of instant death. Also, it must be watched every night—one night she would guard it, and the next night Frau Iser must sit up. Prom that time the Iser family knew no peace. The Bach woman was continually drawing small sums of money from them, in the name of the “poor soul,” uutil they were ruined. Frau Iser had parted with nearly £2OO, and two of her sous were bankrupt, and their children starving. At last, (in sheer desperation, Marie Iser determined to open the treasure packet, although it was still two mouths before the two years would expire. Feeling assured that it would cost her her life, she assembled her family around her and bade them a solemn farewell. The precious packet was placed on a chair, around which a chalk circle was drawn, so that if the “poor soul” should prove to be an evil spirit it could not come out of the circle. Marie Iser stepped over the line and tremblingly opened the parcel. It contained bits of coal, onion peelings and scraps of dry bread.