magic and real detectives-第41部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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

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