An Extraordinary “Spirit”.
We have heard a great many marvellous stories in relation to the conduct of “spirits” in different sections of the country, but none to equal the following, from the Medina Tribune. The editor says:
We will tell the story precisely as it reached our own ears, without the shadow of a shade of colouring, and without the least variation from a verbatim et literatim repetition. Our informant is a resident of Medina – a young lady, educated, intelligent, and truthful. She visits in a “highly respectable family,” who are constantly annoyed with the presence of a badly brought up, uneducated and uncivil spirit. This spirit began to “cut up” about two years since. First, it commenced “rapping” in the bed-room of two young ladies, members of the family. It rapped on the walls, on the floors, on the head-board, on the ceiling, above, below, all around, and finally commenced pulling the bedding from the bed. The young women, nearly frightened out of their senses, ran down stairs, and reported the terrible phenomenon to their parents. The spirit followed, and the entire household were smitten with terror.
But after they had become satisfied that the noise and other demonstrations proceeded from a spirit, and when their excitement had partially subsided, they commenced making inquiries of their invisible visitor. To their utter horror, they received vocal responses. The spirit informed them in clear and audible, but not very polished English, that his name was “Josh;” that he died about thirty years since in South Carolina; that, when on earth, he was ignorant, vulgar, and debased, so that when he passed into the spirit world he was confined in the lowest sphere, that he wandered off, and twenty years ago became a resident in the family where he had made himself “manifest;” that he had remained with the family because he found them congenial, and that he intended to stay with them for years to come; that no power could drive him away, and if he was not used well he would “knock things endwise,” and make himself generally disagreeable.
From that time to the present, “Josh” has been a fixture in the family, and laughs, talks, cracks jokes, &c., as if he was still occupying his fleshy tenement. He is somewhat passionate, and frequently breaks crockery, mars furniture, or inflicts personal injury upon members of the family when he is offended. But he is easily coaxed. When company is expected, “Josh” is importuned to keep quiet. Upon one occasion the girls were expecting company, and were particularly desirous that “Josh” should keep perfectly “mum” during the sojourn of the visitors. After receiving a thorough outlay of flattery and coaxing, he agreed to keep quiet, “but,” said he, “I shall remain here upon this end of the piano. There is no need of my leaving the room.” The next day he stated that as he sat on the piano during the visit, and to prove what he said repeated a portion of the conversation between the young ladies and their “company.”
At one time, when Mrs — was ironing in the kitchen, “Josh” seized one of the flat irons, and ran up stairs with it, where he was heard in high glee after the feat was accomplished. The iron was very hot, and by being left momentarily at several places on the stairs, left its imprint wherever it stood. Writing is a favourite amusement with this remarkable spirit. He writes epistles, and throws them on the floor quite frequently. His chirography is awful, and his orthography of the same pattern.
“Josh” is very fond of children, and treats them with becoming consideration. When the adult members of the family leave the house, the children are entrusted to the special care and guardianship of the said spirit, and he, like a true and worthy ghost, leads them from all harm.
This is only a meagre beginning of the story of “Josh,” the spirit. It comes direct from a family of the highest respectability, and is corroborated by the statements of several “neighbours,” who have also been favoured with frequent conversations from the disembodied individual above described.
Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (West Virginia), February 10th, 1859.