"A STRANGE CASE.

"To the Editor of the _Welshman_.

"Sir: Allow me to invite the attention of your readers to a most
extraordinary case. Sarah Jacob, a little girl twelve years of age,
and daughter of Mr. Evan Jacob, Lletherneuadd, in this parish, has
not partaken of a single grain of any kind of food whatever, during
the last sixteen months. She did occasionally swallow a few drops of
water during the first few months of this period; but now she does
not even do that. She still looks pretty well in the face and
continues in the possession of all her mental faculties. She is in
this and several other respects, a wonderful little girl.

"Medical men persist in saying that the thing is quite impossible,
but all the nearest neighbors, who are thoroughly acquainted with
the circumstances of the case, entertain no doubt whatever of the
subject, and I am myself of the same opinion.

"Would it not be worth their while for medical men to make an
investigation into the nature of this strange case? Mr. Evan Jacob
would readily admit into his house any respectable person who might
be anxious to watch it and to see for himself.

"I may add, that Lletherneuadd is a farm-house about a mile from New
Inn, in this parish.

"Yours faithfully,

"THE VICAR OF LLANFIHANGEL-AR-ARTH."

The suggestions of the vicar relative to an investigation, were soon
after afterwards acted upon by certain gentlemen of the neighborhood. A
public meeting was called and a committee of watchers was appointed to
be constantly in attendance in the room with Sarah Jacob, and to observe
to the best of their ability, whether or not she took any food during
the investigation. It was agreed that the watching was to continue for a
fortnight.

Prior to the beginning of this watching, no precautions were taken
against food being conveyed into the room and concealed there. The
parents actually debarred the watchers from touching the child's bed.
The very first element of success was therefore denied, and no wonder
that the whole affair was subsequently regarded as an absurdity. The
watching consisted in two different men taking alternate watches from
eight till eight. The watching to see whether the child partook of food,
commenced on March 22d, and ended April 5th, 1869--a period of fourteen
days.