magic and real detectives-第46节

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

medium　is　a　fraud；　he　has　been　so　well　entertained　that　he　does　not

regret　the　money　paid　for　the　opportunity　to　witness　it。　　This　is

the　class　of　medium　also　who　frequently　succeed　in　getting　large

sums　of　money　from　wealthy　persons　they　have　converted　to

spiritualism。



Did　the　writer　not　give　you　the　true　explanation　of　the　manner　in

which　these　things　were　produced；　you　would　probably　say　it　was

conceived　by　a　very　fertile　imagination。　　If　you　believed　that　he

saw　these　things　you　would　perhaps　offer　the　preacher's

explanation；　by　saying；　〃it　is　the　work　of　the　devil〃；　or　that　of

the　scientist；　by　asserting　that　〃it　is　the　mesmerist's　power　over

your　mind〃；　or　〃the　operator　has　discovered　an　odd　force　in

nature〃；　or　go　off　on　a　long　dissertation　on　hypnotism　and　fourth

dimension　of　space　problems。　　However；　it　is　not　the　work　of　the

devil；　neither　are　there　any　but　NATURAL　laws　necessary　to　its

production。



The　seance　described　actually　occurred　and　was　described　in　writing

by　Mr。　Smith　in　the　language　used；　although　it　was　not　printed；　and

the　writer　was　one　of　those　who　assisted　in　its　production。　　He

will　now　proceed　to　explain　this　particular　seance。　。　。　。



It　will　be　remembered　that　the　room　and　cabinet　were　carpeted　with

a　dark　carpet；　and　that　the　ceilings　were　of　wood。　　The　ceilings

were　decorated　by　being　put　on　in　panels。　　The　ceiling　of　the

cabinet　would　not　have　been　like　that　of　the　room　had　the　closet

been　a　part　of　the　architect's　plans　of　the　house。　　It　was　not；　but

was　made　by　the　medium。　　He　simply　built　a　lath　and　plaster

partition　from　the　corner　of　a　wide　chimney　to　the　wall；　thus

inclosing　a　space　of　six　by　four　feet。　　The　panel　in　the　ceiling　of

the　closet　was　twenty　inches　square。　　This　panel　was　〃doctored〃　and

could　be　displaced；　leaving　an　aperture　large　enough　for　the

〃spooks〃　to　get　through　with　perfect　ease。　　A　light　ladder　which

reached　within　three　feet　of　the　floor　of　the　cabinet　was　hooked

fast　above　and　furnished　the　means　of　getting　down　and　up　again。

There　were　eight　persons　connected　with　the　seance　described　by　Mr。

Smith；　seven　upstairs　and　the　medium　in　the　cabinet。　　Of　course　it

was　not　necessary　that　the　medium　get　out　of　his　fastenings；　and

the　facts　are　that　he　did　NOT。　　The　table　was　placed　across　the

cabinet　door；　not　to　lay　the　instruments　on；　but　to　be　very　much　in

the　way　should　anyone　make　a　rush　and　〃grab〃　for　the　materialized

forms。　　In　case　this　occurred；　the　〃spooks〃　above　would　close　the

light；　making　the　room　perfectly　dark；　and　the　manager　would　do　his

utmost　to　turn　the　table　on　end；　or　side；　with　the　legs　out　in　the

room。　　Before　the　〃grabber〃　could　get　the　lay　of　things　and　get

past　it；　the　spooks　would　have　gone　through　the　trap；　closed　it；

pulled　up　the　ladder；　and　the　〃grabber〃　would　have　found　the　medium

writhing　and　groaning　and　bleeding　from　the　mouth。　　The　bleeding

was　for　effect；　and　was　caused　by　sucking　very　hard　on　his　teeth　or

gums。



The　table　also　served　a　convenient　purpose　in　the　materialization

and　dematerialization　through　the　floor。　　You　now　know　where　the

spooks　came　from；　in　this　particular　house；　and　how　they　got　in　and

out。　　Now　let　us　see　how　they　managed　the　materializations；　and　the

properties　used　to　produce　them。　　The　trap　and　ladder　were

practically　noiseless　in　their　operations；　but　the　music　box　made

assurance　doubly　sure　that　the　least　sound　from　the　cabinet　should

not　he　heard　in　the　seance　room。



When　the　box　began　its　first　air　the　trapdoor　was　opened　and　down

the　ladder　came　a　young　man　clad　in　a　suit　of　black　tights。　　He　was

entirely　covered　with　black　with　the　exception　of　his　right　arm；

which　was　bare　to　a　point　a　little　more　than　halfway　from　the　elbow

to　his　shoulder。　　The　bare　arm　glowed　with　a　luminous　bluish　light。



This　condition　of　things　was　brought　about　by　powdering　his　arm

with　pulverized　luminous　paint。　　If　you　are　not　told　the　method　of

transforming　the　sticky　paint　to　powder；　you　will　not　be　able　to　do

it；　and　will　conclude　the　writer　was　romancing　in　this　case。　　The

most　essential　thing　to　you　will　be　to　know　where　you　can　procure

this　paint。　　The　writer　has　been　unable　to　procure　it　anywhere；

except　of　Devoe　&　Co。；　of　New　York　City。　　It　is　put　up　in　a　package

resembling　six…ounce　jelly　glasses；　and　you　will　get　six　of　them

for　five　dollars。　　In　order　to　reduce　it　to　powder；　thin　the

contents　of　one　of　the　glasses　with　one　pint　of　turpentine。　　When

it　is　thoroughly　cut　and　incorporated　into　the　turpentine；　soak

strips　of　muslin　in　it　and　hang　them　out　to　dry。　　When　thoroughly

dry　you　can　shake　the　powder　from　the　cloth。　　In　order　to　powder

one　of　your　arms；　gather　one　of　the　cloths　in　your　hands；　and　use

it　as　a　powder　puff　on　your　arm。　　You　will　not　be　able　to　get　all

the　paint　out；　but　the　pieces　will　make　luminous　crowns；　slippers；

stars；　and　luminous　decorations　for　your　robes。　　You　will　be　under

the　necessity　of　perfuming　your　robes　each　time　they　are　used；　for

the　odor　of　the　turpentine　will　always　remain　to　a　greater　or　less

degree。　　To　illuminate　a　robe　or　costume　（the　mediums　always　say

〃robe〃）　you　proceed　the　same　as　in　the　powdering　process；　except

that　to　the　pint　of　paint　you　will　add　a　wineglass　full　of　Demar

varnish；　which　will　prevent　its　falling　or　being　shaken　off　as

powder。　　You　are　not　to　make　the　robe　of　muslin；　but　of　white

netting。　　Every　lady　will　know　what　netting　is。　　It　is　the

lightest；　thinnest　material　the　writer　ever　saw　sold　in　a　dry　goods

store。　　Ten　yards　of　it　can　be　put　into　the　vest　pocket。　　Do　not

scrimp　the　material；　but　get　as　much　of　it　into　your　robe　as

possible。



When　he　of　the　luminous　arm　steps　from　the　cabinet　into　the　dark

room　no　part　of　him　is　visible　save　the　arm。　　He　picks　the　strings

of　the　instrument　with　the　illuminated　hand　and　fingers　the

keyboard　with　the　other。　　He　makes　a　sound　of　writing　on　the　tablet

and　tears　off　a　leaf　which　he　conceals；　and；　drawing　a　long　black

stocking　over　the　luminous　arm；　places　in　the　pocket　of　the　sitter

a　communication　that　has　been　written　upstairs　in　a　good　light。

This　accounts　for　the　even；　beautiful　writing；　supposed　to　have

been　done　in　the　dark。　　He　covers　the　luminous　arm　so　that　anyone

so　inclined　could　not　locate　it　in　order　to　〃grab〃　when　he　is　near

enough。　　By　mounting　the　table；　that　luminous　hand　and　arm　can　be

made　to　show　as　though　it　was　floating　about　near　the　ceiling。



When　four　hands　were　visible　there　were　two　spooks　at　work　with

both　arms　illuminated。　。　。　。　　You　can　readily　understand　the　forces

that　floated　the　music　box　and　table　above　the　heads　of　the

sitters；　and　an　explanation　is　useless。



When　the　first　female　spirit　appeared　it　was；　in　reality；　a　young

woman；　dressed　in　a　gorgeous　white　costume　without　paint；　hence　the

light　was　turned　up　instead　of　down；　in　order　that　she　be　visible。

Rhinestones　and　Sumatra　gems　being　cheap；　she　was　plentifully

supplied　with　〃diamonds；〃　although　many　of　those　who　are　the　queens

or　spirit　guides　or　〃controls〃　of　wealthy　spiritualistic　fanatics

wear　real　diamonds；　the　gift　of　their　wealthy　charge；　or　〃king〃　as

they　usually　call　him。



When　she　started　for　the　cabinet　she　used　her　hands　to　keep　her

robe　from　under　her　feet；　and　as　she　went　stooped　lower　and　lower；

until；　as　she　disappeared　in　the　cabinet；　she　went　on　her　hands　and

knees。　　This　is　what　caused　the　appearance　of　〃dematerialization。〃



When　Mr。　Smith's　son；　Eddie；　came　from　the　cabinet；　he　was

represented　by　a　boy　of　about　eight　years　of　age；　the　son　of　one　of

the　female　〃spooks〃　upstairs。　　He　receives　two　dollars　a　night　for

his　services；　the　same　as　the　larger　spooks。　　He　was　powdered　until

he　was　very　white；　a　blond　wig　put　over　his　own　hair；　and　dressed

as　most　boys　are　at　the　age　Mr。　Smith's　son　died。　　Mr。　Smith

recognized　him　by　his　size；　his　light　complexion；　and　flaxen　hair；

and　the　fact　that　he　called　him　〃papa〃　and　gave　his　correct　name。

His　father　was　〃made　up〃　from　the　description　given　by　the　medium；

and　acknowledged　by　Mr。　Smith　as　correct。　　Of　course　he　knew　his

own　name；　for　it　was　given　him　by　the　slate…writer。　。　。　。



We　now　come　to　a　part　of　the　phenomena　that　all　spiritualists　who

have　witnessed　it　will　swear　by。　　What　is　referred　to　is　the

materializing　and　dematerializing　of　the　spirit　from　the　floor　and

before　your　eyes。　　In　this　you　see　first　a　small　light；　which　grows

larger　and　larger；　until　there　stands　before　you　a　fully　formed

female　or　male　spirit；　as　was　described　in　Mr。　Smith's　experience。



In　order　to　accomplish　what　he　witnessed；　the　same　spook　who　had

before　been　recognized　by　a　gentleman　as　〃his　queen；〃　prepared

herself　in　the　following　way：　Divesting　herself　of　all　clothing　she

donned　simply　a　long　chemise　that　reached　her　shoe　tops。　　She　drew

on　a　pair　of　white　stockings