magic and real detectives-第42部分

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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；　and　over　them　a　pair　of　white

slippers。　　Into　her　hair　and　ears　she　put　rhinestone　diamonds；　and

around　her　neck　a　necklace　of　the　same　beautiful　but　valueless

stones。　　On　each　ear　lobe　and　around　her　neck　were　put　small　spots

of　the　luminous　powder　to　represent　the　diamonds　while　it　was　dark。

Her　face　was　powdered　and　her　eyebrows　and　eyelashes　darkened；

while　a　dark　line　was　drawn　under　each　eye。　　She　now　took　a　black

mask　that　covered　her　head；　and　her　〃robe〃　in　her　hands；　and　went

down　to　the　cabinet。　　Arriving　there；　she　put　the　black　mask　over

her　head；　to　prevent　the　luminous　diamonds　being　seen　until　the

proper　time。　　She　carried　her　robe　in　a　black　bag。　　Crawling　from

between　the　curtains　and　under　the　table；　she　exposed　on　the　floor

a　small　part　of　her　robe。　　This　she　shook　and　moved　about；　allowing

it　to　escape　from　the　bag　until　it　was　all　out。　　She　was　now　from

under　the　table　and　on　her　knees；　and　it　was　time　the　head　show　on

the　form；　so；　getting　close　to　the　robe；　she　threw　off　and　under

the　table　the　black　mask。　　The　shape　was　now　the　size　of　an　adult；

she　adjusted　the　robe　to　her　person；　and　rapped　for　light。　　As　a

matter　of　course；　when　any　light　was　made　the　luminousness　of　the

robe　was　drowned；　and　she　appeared　in　simply　a　white　costume。　　The

necklace　and　eardrops　could　now　be　seen；　but　when　the　light　was

such　as　to　reveal　them；　the　luminous　spots　had　disappeared；　leaving

the　spectator　to　think　the　ones　he　now　saw　were　the　ones　he　had

seen　in　the　dark。　　The　process　of　dematerialization　will　now　be

apparent；　and　a　description　will　only　tire　the　reader。　　One　small

spook　was　all　that　was　required；　as　he　could　be　made　to　represent

boy　or　girl　as　was　desired；　by　clothing　him　in　the　garments　of

either　sex。



At　the　close　of　the　seance；　the　full　force　of　〃spooks〃　came　into

the　room。　　After　disappearing；　they　shinned　up　the　ladder；　drew　it

after　them；　closed　the　panel　and　the　trap　in　the　floor　above　it；

replaced　the　carpet　and　pushed　over　the　place　a　heavy　bedstead　from

which　they　took　the　castors。　　They　now　carried　the　ladder

downstairs　and　concealed　it　in　the　coal　house　as　they　went　through

it　on　their　way　home。　　They　will　get　their　pay　next　day。



Should　ever　so　close　an　examination　of　the　cabinet　be　made；　you

would　not　find　anything　wrong。　　This　particular　medium　has　taken

investigators　into　the　cellar　beneath　the　cabinet；　and　the　room

above　it；　scores　of　times；　yet　nothing　was　discovered。



You　are　not　always　to　search　for　the　trap　in　the　ceiling；　nor　yet

in　the　floor。　　A　trap　is　not　possible　in　the　ceiling　except　a

closet　is　used　as　〃cabinet；〃　and　the　ceiling　is　of　wood。　　Where

this　condition　of　things　does　not　exist；　you　must　search　elsewhere。

The　floor　is　a　very　likely　place　when　it　cannot　be　made　in　the

ceiling。　　If　you　do　not　find　it　there；　examine　the　base　or

mopboard。　　If　it　is　in　the　mopboard　you　will　find；　upon

examination；　that　there　is　a　joint　in　it　near　the　corner　of　the

cabinet；　but　you　will　find　it　solidly　nailed　with　about　four　nails

each　side　of　the　joint。　　This　appearance　of　extraordinary　solidity

will　be　absolute　proof　that　it　is　NOT　solid。



The　nails　are　not　what　they　appear；　but　are　only　pieces　about　one

half　inch　in　length；　and　do　not　even　go　through　the　board。　　The

piece　is　fastened　on　the　other　side　with　a　couple　of　bolts　that

hold　it　very　firmly　in　place。　　There　is　a　corresponding　opening　in

the　mopboard　in　the　next　room；　although　no　attempt　is　made　to　so

carefully　conceal　it；　as　no　one　is　ever　admitted　to　it。　　Through

this　trap　the　〃spooks〃　enter　the　cabinet　by　crawling　and　wiggling。

It　is　not　a　very　desirable　trap；　for　the　mopboard　is　scarcely　ever

wide　enough　to　permit　of　a　trap　that　the　spook　could　get　through　in

a　hurry；　besides；　they　must　assume　their　costumes　after　they　get

into　the　cabinet　or　tear　them　to　pieces。　　You　can　see　how　this

would　make　it　very　inconvenient。



If　the　room　is　wainscoted　the　spook　will　have　all　the　sea　room

necessary　in　his　trap；　for　it　will　extend　from　just　below　the

molding　on　the　top　of　the　wainscoting　to　the　floor　behind　the　strip

of　quarter…round。　。　。　。



It　is　next　to　an　impossibility　to　detect　these　traps　by　examining

in　the　cabinet。　　They　were　constructed　to　avoid　discovery；　and　no

pains　spared　to　make　them　so　absolutely　perfect　that　not　one　chance

in　a　million　is　taken。　　The　proper　place　to　seek　for　traps　is　in

the　adjoining　room；　upstairs；　or　in　the　cellar。　　One　is　foolish　to

undertake　to　find　a　trap　by　thumping　the　walls　or　floor；　for；　if

you　happen　to　thump　one；　the　medium　who　is　smart　enough　to　make　use

of　a　trap　is　also　sharp　enough　to　make　provision　for　its　being

thumped；　and　your　sounding　method　goes　for　naught。＇1＇　　Bear　in　mind

that　when　you　are　examining　the　cabinet；　you　are　seeking　at　the

very　place　that　is　prepared　most　effectually　to　withstand　your

investigations。　。　。　。　　Do　not　forget　the　MANAGER　in　your　search。

He　or　she　is　never　searched；　or　never　has　been　up　to　date；　which

has　been　the　cause　of　many　a　failure　to　find　the　〃properties〃　of

the　medium　when　the　seance　was　given　in　a　room　and　cabinet

furnished　by　a　stranger　and　skeptic。　　Do　not　be　deceived　into　a

belief　that　all　of　the　sitters　are　strangers　to　the　medium。　　There

may　be　from　one　to　five　persons　present　who　pay　their　money　the

same　as　yourself；　and　who　may　appear　to　be　the　most　skeptical　of

anyone　in　the　room。　　They　will　generally　be　the　recipients　of　some

very　elegant　〃tests；〃　and　weep　copiously　great　grief…laden　tears

when　they　recognize　the　beloved　features　of　some　relative。





＇1＇　It　must　be　remembered　that　it　is　occasionally　possible　for　the

medium　to　do　away　with　traps　altogether；　either　by　having　a　con…

federate　in　the　audience　who　produces　all　the　phenomenathe　medium

sitting　bound　meanwhileor　by　some　such　simple　device　as　the

following：　S