AUTOMATIC HANWRITING.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12471, 23 February 1909, Page 3

AUTOMATIC HANWRITING.

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY. Mr W.. T. Stead has an article in the "Fortnightly Review" which: may cause considerable uneasiness^ among his friends, especially those of the gentle' sex. He claims to have the gift of "automatic-handwriting" and justifies his claim by relating the following amazing anecdote : — I "A lady friend of mine, who can write with my hand at any distance with even* more freedom than she can write with' her own. had been spending the week-end at Haselmere. Late on Monday afternoon I wished to know if she had left the country, and placing my pen on the paper I mentally asked if she had returned to London. My hand wrote as follows: "I am sorry ; to tell you that I have had a very painful experience, of " which lam almost ashamed to speak. I left Ha'slemere- at 2.27 p.m. in a second class carriage, in which there yvere two ladies and one gentleman. When the train stopped at Godalming the ladies got out, and I was left alone with the man. After the train started he left his seat, and came close to me. I was alarmed and re pelled him. He tried to kiss me. I seized his umbrella, and struck him, but it broke and I was beginning to •fear that he would master me, when the train began -to slow up before arriving at.. , ■ Ghiilfof d • . i station.: He got ■frightened, and let me go, and before ; the;'.train reached the platform he jumped out and ran away. I have the umbrella. ■" '„ '.-.,';■'. "I sent my secretary up with a note saying merely that- 1 was really sorry to hear what had happened, and added, 'Be. sure and bring • the umbrella on Wdonesday.' She wrote in reply, 'I "am very ; sorry you know everything about it. I had made xxp my mind to tell nobody. I will bring the broken umbrella, but it was my umbrella, not his.'" ;Acceptiug the story as. true— and who would, doubt Mr Stead's word? — it is, to say the least of it, quite disquieting for the -great man's friends to' know that ' he may, by merely asking "a mental question," cause th'enrto give him full, true and particular accounts of their doings W;Kjcß- they would prefer not to gossip' about,