Things went on
in this way until December, when Esther was taken ill with diphtheria,
and confined to her bed for about two weeks, during which time the
manifestations ceased entirely. After she had recovered from her
illness, she went to Sackville, N.B., to visit her other married sister,
Mrs. John Snowden, remaining at her house for about two weeks. While
there she was entirely free from the manifestations.
On returning to Dan's cottage the most startling part of the case was
developed. One night while in bed with her sister Jane in another room,
her room having been changed to see if that would put a stop to the
affair, she told her sister that she could hear a voice saying to her
that the house was to be set on fire that night by a ghost. The voice
also said that it had once lived on the earth, but had been dead for
some years. The members of the household were called in at once, and
told what had been said. They only laughed and remarked that no such
thing as that could take place, because there were no ghosts. Dr. Clay
had said it was all electricity. "And," added Dan, "electricity can't
set the house on fire unless it comes from a cloud in the form of
lightning.
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