magic and real detectives-第45节

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have　a　satisfactory　and　pleasant　seance。　　The　way　to　obtain　the

best　results　is　for　each　person　to　maintain　a　passive　condition　and

take　what　we　have　to　give。　　You　may　rest　assured　that　our　best

efforts　will　be　put　forth　to　give　you　entire　satisfaction。　　The

Control。〃



The　writing　was　exactly　on　the　ruled　lines　although　written　in

absolute　darkness。　　The　hand　and　arm；　although　luminous；　did　not

give　out　a　particle　of　light。　　The　arm　had　been　at　least　five　feet

from　the　cabinet　opening　and　seven　feet　from　the　medium。　　Surely；

it　was　not　he。　　The　message　read；　the　light　was　again　shut　down　and

the　music　again　started。



Once　more　a　hand　appeared；　and　floating　out　to　the　table；　again

began　writing。　　Of　a　sudden　the　hand　disappeared；　and；　after　a　few

seconds；　I　was　astonished　to　feel　a　hand　thrusting　a　paper　into　my

top　coat　pocket。　　Now　appeared　two　hands　and　they　played　an　air　on

the　guitar。　　Now　came　three；　then　four　hands　were　visible；　bright

as　the　day。　　Two　of　them　began　writing　again；　and；　when　they　had

finished；　two　more　sitters　were　the　recipients　of　sheets　of　paper。

Soon　the　light　was　opened　for　an　inspection　of　the　cabinet；　which

was　made；　with　the　conclusion　that　the　medium　had　not　moved。　　Those

of　us　receiving　communications　were　afforded　an　opportunity　to　read

them。　　We　found　them　nicely　written；　as　before；　and　all　contained

〃tests。〃　。　。　。



After　the　light　went　out　again；　more　hands　were　seen；　the　table　was

floated　about　over　the　heads　of　the　circle；　as　was　the　music　box；

which　weighed　at　least　fifty　pounds。　　Another　examination　of　the

cabinet　was　made　and　everything　found　satisfactory。　　This　time　the

light　was　not　put　entirely　out；　but　a　very　dim　light　was　allowed。



The　music　box　was　again　set　playing；　and；　while　yet　it　was　playing

the　first　tune；　a　tall　figure；　robed　in　creamy　white；　with　gleaming

sparks　in　her　hair；　and　on　her　head　a　sort　of　crown；　issued　from

the　cabinet。　　She　was　recognized　by　a　gentleman　present；　a

spiritualist；　whose　spirit　guide　she　was；　and　who　addressed　her　as

〃my　queen。〃　　She　stood　a　few　seconds　behind　the　table　and　then

stepped　out　in　the　open　space　between　the　sitters　and　the　table。

The　gentleman　now　arose　from　his　seat　and；　standing　beside　her；

holding　her　hand；　conversed　in　a　whisper　with　her　for　some　seconds。



This　was　most　assuredly　a　lady；　if　appearances　go　for　anything。

Her　hands　were　quite　small；　and　were　warm　and　lifelike；　as　several；

including　myself；　can　testify；　having　been　permitted　to　shake　hands

with　her。　　At　last　she　started　to　the　cabinet；　and；　as　she　went；

appeared　to　grow　shorter；　until；　as　she　disappeared　between　the

curtains；　she　was　not　much　taller　than　the　table。　　The　manager　now

explained　that　the　spirit　had　remained　out　rather　too　long　and　came

near　dematerializing　before　she　reached　the　cabinet。　　Now　came　the

spirit　of　a　young　man；　dressed　in　a　light　suit　of　clothes；　who　gave

his　name　and　said　his　mother　was　present。　　She　was；　and　had　a　few

words　of　conversation　with　him　when　he　disappeared　into　the

cabinet。　　The　lady　said　that　it　was　unmistakably　her　son；　but　there

was　SOMETHING　that　was　not　as　he　had　been；　but　what　it　was　she　was

unable　to　describe。



The　next　spirit　to　present　itself　was　my　son　Eddie。　　He　came　out

from　the　cabinet　calling　〃Papa；　papa。〃　　The　manager　asked　〃Who　is

your　papa？〃　and　he　replied；　〃Mr。　（Smith）。〃　　All　this　time　he　stood

between　the　table　and　the　cabinet；　and　only　his　head　and　shoulders

could　be　seen。　　The　manager　told　him　to　step　out　where　he　could　be

seen；　when　he　came　around　to　the　front　of　the　table。



It　was　rather　dark；　but　I　could　swear　it　was　my　son。　　He　was　just

the　right　size；　with　long　flaxen　hair　and　a　very　pale　face。　　He

wore　a　light…colored　waist　and　darker　knee…breeches　and　stockings；

with　a　large　black　bow　at　his　throat；　Just　as　I　remember　seeing　him

last　in　health。



While　Eddie　was　still　standing　in　front　of　the　table　a　large　man

came　out　and　took　him　by　the　hand。　　Eddie　spoke；　saying：



〃Must　I　go　back；　grandpa？〃　　The　form　turned　toward　me；　saying：



〃My　son；　this　is　a　great　pleasure　to　us；　but　we　must　not　long

remain；　as　it　is　our　first　attempt　at　materializing。〃　　He　turned　to

go　when　the　manager　said　to　him：



〃If　the　gentleman　is　your　son　you　ought　to　give　him　your　name。〃



〃The　name　of　the　child　is　Eddie；　and　my　own　is　J。　A。　Smith；〃

replied　the　form；　as　they　vanished　into　the　cabinet。



The　manager　suggested　that　it　would　be　well　to　examine　and　see

whether　the　medium　had　been　out　or　not。　　The　cabinet　was　examined

and　everything　found　satisfactory。



Spirit　after　spirit　came　from　the　cabinet；　one　or　two　at　a　time　for

an　hour；　some　of　them　came　to　friends；　and　others　were　〃controls〃

of　the　medium。　　Many　of　them　were　recognized　by　different　ones　of

the　sitters　in　the　room。　　I；　for　one；　could　swear　to　the　identity

of　my　own　son　Eddie；　while　my　father　was　plainly　recognizable。　。　。　。



The　room　was　again　made　dark。　　Suddenly　there　appeared　on　the

floor；　in　front　of　the　table；　a　light　about　as　large　as　a　baseball。

It　moved　about　in　a　circle　of　perhaps　a　foot　in　diameter　and　grew

larger。　　It　soon　lost　the　shape　of　a　ball　and　appeared　to　be　a

luminous　cloud。　　Seemingly　we　could　see　into　and　through　it。　　In

the　course　of　thirty　seconds　it　had　become　as　large　as　a　six…year…

old　child；　still　there　was　no　definite　shape；　only　a　fleecy

cloudlike　mass；　turning；　twisting；　and　rolling。　　At　the　end　of

perhaps　a　minute　it　was　the　size　and　shape　of　an　adult　person。　　The

face　could　not　be　seen；　but　light；　luminous　spots　were　visible　as

though　the　hair　and　ears　were　decorated　with　gems。　　The　shape　spoke

and　requested　light。　　As　the　light　was　turned　on　the　luminousness

disappeared；　and　we　beheld　a　beautiful　young　lady　clothed　in　a

dazzling　white　costume。　　Her　arms　and　shoulders　were　bare；　and

about　her　neck　there　was　a　necklace　of　what　appeared　to　be　very

brilliant　diamonds。　　Her　feet　were　encased　in　white　slippers；　with

straps　across　the　instep。　　In　her　ears　and　hair　glistened　and

shimmered　beautiful　diamonds。　　Her　face　and　arms　were　as　alabaster；

and　altogether　she　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　women　I　had　ever

beheld。　　She　was　recognized　by　a　lady　and　gentleman　present　as

their　daughter。　　They　had　met　her　here　before。　　They　were　from　the

East；　and　were　wealthy。　　The　spirit　requested　that　they　come　to

her；　which　they　did；　and　were　each　kissed　and　embraced　by　it。　　They

held　a　moment's　conversation　with　her　and　resumed　their　seats；　when

the　lamp　was　slowly　turned　down。　　As　the　light　became　dim　the

spirit　became　luminous。　　The　face　and　arms　disappeared　and　the　body

became　as　a　cloud　again；　turning　and　twisting　and　growing　smaller

until　it　was　nothing　but　a　small　light　spot　on　the　carpet；　which　of

a　sudden　disappeared　entirely。



Immediately　after　this　manifestation　an　examination　of　the　medium

and　cabinet　was　made；　and　it　was　certain　the　medium　had　not　been

away　from　his　chair。　　The　light　was　again　turned　out　and　the　music

box　started；　when　TWO　bright　spots　appeared　on　the　carpet；　one　at

either　end　of　the　table。　　These　went　through　the　same　process　of

development　until；　when　the　light　was　turned　on；　there　was　another

beautiful　female　spirit　at　one　end　of　the　table；　and　a　child　of

perhaps　eight　years　of　age　at　the　other。　　The　child　was　recognized

by　a　lady　present　as　her　daughter；　while　the　adult　spirit　was

recognized　and　rapturously　greeted　by　a　gentleman　who　sat　near　me

on　my　left；　as　his　〃darling　angel　guardian。〃　　They　had　quite　a　long

conversation；　in　which　they　made　use　of　very　endearing　language；

each　to　the　other。　　I　supposed　it　was　the　gentleman's　wife。　。　。　。



The　spirits　did　not　disappear　as　the　first　one　had；　but；　when　the

light　had　been　turned　off；　the　luminous　shape　revolved　a　few　times；

and　on　two　occasions　assumed　the　garb　and　shape　of　men；　and　when

the　light　was　turned　on　again；　there　stood　the　men　with　beards　and

men's　forms。　　After　some　eight　or　ten　of　these　materializations　and

dematerializations；　before　our　eyes；　the　last　couple　completely

disappeared。



The　light　was　again　turned　down　and　a　luminous　shape　came　from　the

cabinet；　followed　by　others；　until　seven　of　them　stood　on　the

floor。　　The　light　was　turned　up　until　we　could　see　the　seven

spirits。　　Five　were　females　and　two　males。　　They　were　of　different

sizes。　　The　curtain　at　the　door　of　the　cabinet　was　pulled　aside　and

we　could　see　the　medium　sitting　in　the　chair　in　which　he　was　bound。

The　forms　now　filed　into　the　cabinet　again；　while　the　music　box

played。　　After　they　had　disappeared　the　light　was　turned　up；　an

investigation　made　of　the　cabinet；　and　the　seance　was　over。





There；　reader；　is　a　truthful　description　of　what　can　be　witnessed

at　the　seances　of　mediums　who　are　artists。　　None　of　your　bungling；

amateur　work　here。　　The　work　of　such　a　medium　is　always

satisfactory　for　the　reason　that　if　a　man　feels　SURE　that　the