< From Сhittenden to Havana. (continued from page 1-85) >
or be placed in the fearful condition she was in at that instant.
The next seance was to be held on Tuesday evening. On Monday I had a bag made (I enclose a specimen) it was done with a sewing machine by a young lady in the village; if you will examine the seam I think you will concede that it was well sewed. We had a long tedious dark circle of two hours duration, at which Mr. Webster, by raps, objected to Mrs. Markee going into the cabinet that night, saying that she was not well enough.
I put Mrs. Markee into the bag, pulled the drawing string closely around her neck, sealed the knot, and then sealed the double ends three times to the wall. I then tacked the bottom of the sack to the floor, and, while doing this last, was satisfied that Mrs. Markee’s plea of “great nervousness” was not an idle one; for every muscle of her body was quivering as in a violent attack of ague.
Before placing Mrs. Markee in the bag I made an ink spot in the palm of each hand; Mrs. Markee suggested that it was not large enough to be plain. When the hands were shown at the curtain, I could see no spot, although Mr. Markee turned the light well up.
Again Mr. Webster talked and Katie came out, but this time no one else; although Seneca said he tried to come. Neither was I invited into the cabinet; Mr. Webster again saying, “That the medium had done wrong to hold the circle as she was far too weak.” The circle lasted a much less time than it ordinarily does.
On going into the cabinet, after the close of the circle, all was as I had left it, seals, tacks and all. Mrs. Markee was again in that comatose condition and as cold as before; although I fancied that her face did not wear so distressed an expression as on Sunday night.
I commenced by saying I would write you a brief letter; it seems to me I have written a book; but there appears to be something about Spiritualism that conld almost make a dumb man garrulous.
As in Mrs. Huntoon's case, you must draw your own inferences. I felt in Mrs. Markee's case, that, as you said in a late number of the Scientist — “De—Materialization not proved;”—yet it appeared to me to be most abundantly proved that Mrs. Markee is no fraud; but, on the contrary, a passive, suffering instrument, of some unseen power, which I hope is what it claims to be, — the work of spirits trying to convince mortals of a life beyond the grave.
Being an editor I am sure you will have a quiet laugh at my wretched English, and gaze amazed at my attempts at punctuation; but you must excuse all that, for I felt it might be of interest to you to hear what a person—not a Spiritualist, but hoping to become one, —would say about the celebrated mediums, —Mrs. Huntoon, Mr. William Eddy and Mrs. Markee-Compton.
Present at Tuesdays seance: —
G. S. Hinrod, Lodi; A. Miller, W. A. Kirby, Hattie E. Alien, Wm. A. Clayton, Auburn; B. C. Park, J. B. Rhodes, M. A. Rhodes, H. Rhodes, E. Park, Wellport; S. A. Mainott, Warren Hillard, Watkins; Lydia J. Carpenter, Gordon Squires, Havana; all in the State of New York.
Jesuitism VS "Art Magic"
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<Untitled> (Letter from G. L. Ditson)
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Editor's notes