Sunday dispatch. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1845-1854, 1852-03-21
SPIRIT RAPPINGS.

Many persons in this unimaginatlve mat
ter-of fact and practical community have
had frequent and uninterrupted intercourse
with things spiritual but never, until late
lv. has anybody in New Orleans held COM
munion with gloomy shadows of the imma-
terial world. The ghosts are now among us,
however. and their measured solemn rap
pings fill the souls Of timid men and gentle
women with awe Unlike the spirits of their
terrestrial sphere, that indicate the fiery or
deal to which they subject their votaries by
a ruddy glow upon the acumen of the pro-
boscis-those shadowy visitants from Olym-
pus or Hades, cast the pale hue of the tomb
over the countenances of the aspiring NOR
tails who dare communicate with them, Per-
sons rude in aspect and stern in thought,
are not permitted to converse with the spi
rits of the departed, and few have been Sc
lected from the multitudes of earth, to form
the connecting link between them and rough
humanity. One of these mediums, lady,
was visited last evening by a party Of Gu
rious and imaginative beings, male and fe-
male She ia a fair widow, with dark lust
rous eyes, and countenance purely spirit
ueUe, but as she shrinks from public obser-
walton and deals not in spirit rappingS for
money, it would be unjust to represent 3
pen and ink portrait of her which might be
recognized.
Imagine, then, neatly furnished room in
one of our fashionable boarding houses, a
party of ladies in "anxious seats" round a
small table, gilded chandelier casting soft
shadows and mellow light about the apart
ment, and a profound silence reigning over
all. Fair hands ere laid in pairs upon the
table, each eye is dilated with awe, each bo-
som heaves with expectant emotion. Final
" a gentle tapping is distinctly heard, and
the expressive look of the medium enjoins
perfect stiffness upon all, while she interro-
gates their ghostly visitors.
1t is necessary here to remark that one
rap indicated negative, two an indefinite
response, and three an affirmative.
Each lady comprising the magic circle
round the table, invoking the spirits Of her
grandmother and great grandfathers, and
learned. with much satisfaction, that they
were all happy One, however, wished fur
ther revealings from the spirit land, and to
commune with the ghost Of well known
citizen of New Orleans, who some time since
committed suicide. The daring request
brought paler hue to the cheeks of all pre-
sent, and the agony reached its climax, as
one solemn and sorrowful knock, indicating
'sno," answered to the query Are you hap
py p The suspense which followed was pain
full, and all were waiting in breathless curl
osity for the next question, when q restless
member of the magic circle, whose hands
had been kept for some time motionless on
the table to sustain the charm, whispered in
the ear of en- outsider" For goodness sake
Mrs. A., scratch the top Of my nose ?" The
effect was irresistible. The sympathies o.
our erring nature are stronger than those
which bind the Imagination to spiritual ex
istence, and all laughed heartily. Th'
ghosts, of course, disappeared in high dud
geon to the Z" vastly deep" of eternity, iron
whence they came, and the communion wa
destroyed