"Yes, Here it is!"

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 16, 9 May 1914, Page 5

"Yes, Here it is!"

REMARKABLE PHENOMENA GIRL'S MYSTERIOUS FACULTY. A remarkable case is engaging the attention of French medical men in ' the person of a 12-year-old school girl named Raymonde Bellard, living in a rural village, who has recently developed the mysterious faculty of replying to various questions by means of messages in written characters and pictures appearing on her skin. These inexplicable phenomena, which began to manifest themselves towards the latter part of last summer, have since then been repeated with constantly increased distinctness. The first of the series of pictures was a ladder which was vividly outlined on the girl's arm. Then followed the representations of a fig tree, a dog, after intervals of several days a horse and other animals. These were followed by messages referring to different inhabitants of the village, such as : "Fedora,will not come this morning," "Victor is sure to be taken for a recruit," and many similar statements, imprinted, some on the girl's arms, others on her chest, her shoulders, oilier legs and thighs. This strange faculty, as though not sufficiently mj'sterious in itself, was later on followed by the even more astounding one of divination. An instance of the possession of this gift, already attested by numerous intelligent witnesses, among others by the village schoolmaster, the priest, and a lawyer, is given by a representative of the Paris "Matin." He said to Raymonde, "Can you tell me what is my Christian name?" After a quarter of an hour's silence the girl exclaimed, "Yes, here it is." Exposing her leg, there were seen, just above the kneejpint, a number of minute markings. These quickly took shape, and in the space of a few seconds there appeared, in well-formed letters, the name "Henri." This inscription, before it had time to fade away, as they all do after a short space, was duly photographed, and is now on view in the offices of the "Matin" newspaper. It may he added that Raymonde Bellard is a perfectly normal child. She enjoys good health, is intelligent, but not specially quick at her school duties, and shows no trace of neurasthenia or of abnormal development.