The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1854-11-18

Then follows a description and cut, |
whirh we must omit The account pro- /
ceeds
This machinery was constructed under the I
direction OF Spirits and is used by them for /
collecting and retaining electricity and is 1
charged at every circle before any demon 4
stratious arc given. On the table, and by |
the side of the machinery, lies a violin, an
ACCORDION, n Triangle two drnmsticks ioi the /
large and two for the small Drum. There is |
also on the table a common sized dinner bell, /
an harmonica, a tambourinc, and tin trum- !
pet about two feet IN length.
After the company were seated, the lights /.
were extnguishcd and the room darkened as
much as possible, and in about five minutes
the presence of the invisiblcs was manifested
by several very strong blows on the table,
the ceiling, and the walls These blows
were apparently produced by use Of the
drums,icks, and their power and frequency
rendered them exceedingly disagrecablc and
almost dcaftning Areycjlle was then beat
on the drums which would do credit to cx-
pericnccd drummcrs. The violin, an old one
not worth hity cents, was tuncd. In the
process Of tuning the keys slipped in the
head a number Of times The bridge also
I slipped out and ici on the floor, but it was
/ soon replaced on the violin. One oius found
/ fault with the tuning, as il was not on CON
/ cert pitch, aud on his giving the true pitch
| the instrument was quickly and accurately
! tuned, when numbg Ofairs were played on
. it, not with bow, but pzzicato. The violin
/ was not on the table during the whole time,
! but was carried by invisible hands all around
| the room now passing near TO our heads, now
near the ceiling, and now resting on our per
/ sons. Il was placed on the knees of one Of
our number, and turned over, SO that the
strings were on the Under side, and while
/ his hands were passing all around il 50 as b
! cut off all connection with it, u tune was
/ played.
The ACCORDION was played on, not only
/ while it laid on the table, but while it was
Aoating through the air through all parts Of
the room. \ number Of airs were given
I through the harmouica with occasional
! bursts Of fIll harmony. The tambourinc
was also used, aud while moving around the
room. the various sounds usually produced
wtA the instrument were heard. At our re-
/ Guest 1t vas placed succcssiycly on each OF
our hca6s. 1t was also passed completely
/ around the circle, and in It's way rested on
! the arms and hands Of each Of Us. We also
heard spcqkirg. whsting and singing
. ibr ouch thr tin horn. The horn appears 10
/ be the chief medima used by the spirits at
. th,s. rJoms for yoca'ising. It is impossible
. 10 convey an adequate idea of the musical
performances While each of the musical
] instruments were used, the timo was regu-
/ lar,y marked n0w on the drums, no" on
/ the triangle, now on the tambourinc, ana
/ with the bell, and now with the use OF al
. combined aud when all the Musical instru-
mcuf. were simultaneously used, the effect
was not merely novel but highly pleasing.
While this concert Of music was beng Civ
On. sfiiciatr words were heard from the
horn. indicating that one Of the mvisibIes
pr,si.l, over the others, and directed the
ARRANGEMENTS Through this horn many
amusing Huu IfurIrsunE cv'nuirnts On the
instruments, tAc musicians. and tatlr music
were made. sometimes commanding and
sometimes severely cIiticising.
The manner Of using the horn deserves
notice. Before using it for speech, II would
be raised into the ait, then sentence would
. be distinctly artjculated through IT, when il
would fall to the table. Whenwc asked any
questions, as We did repeatedly, the horn
would rise, the answer be given. and thc
B horn again fall to the table ~ our request,
/ they extended the horn to US, and allowed
Us to take hold Of the large end Of it, while
a, the same time conversation was directed
through it to us.
/ That's, the Spirits talked and sung IN a
( hoyu Curious, but very likely.
Bet more miraculous development still
came ncxt-namcly, that the Spirits can be
seen and handled:
/ Onc Of us remarked that we had heard it
said that Spirits had the power TO exhibit
/ spirit hand SO as to be distinctly seen by ma
/ tural eyes but that we doubted their ability
50 to do. Presently piece Of sand paper
was covered with phosphorus, producing
strong, clear and steady light, which rcYea-
led to Us a hand entirely disconnected with
any mortal body. The phosphorus paper
wa, taken between the thumb aud fingers OF
! the hand, and carried TO all parts OF the
room. now rising to the ceiling out OF our
reach, now passing repeatedly and slowly
around the circle within a !yw inches OF our
/ faces, thus giving each and all Of US an OPP
portunity to examine IL. Al portions OF the
hand were distinctly visible in the phOspho-
resent light, and TO all appearance was per-
fgctly natural. We then requested that
communication might DC written TO us by
/ the hand on some paper which we furnished.
Through the horn it was said, "Wc have no
pencil can we borrow onc?" One oi us
reached a pencil and the hand, still holding
the phosphorus paper, came and took the
penci, from her hand, and wrote the follow
/ ing:
/ TO TIE FRIENDS FROM CLEVELAND
The Spirits who produce manifestations in
this room, write these lines for the sake OF
convincing you of their varied power and
for the sake Of removing doubts that exist,
not only in your minds, but in the minds OF
/ Spritualists gcncr lly on this subject. II
the friends will certify to the writing of
these lines, and cause them to be published,
peradyenturc it may be instrumental in re-
moving existing doubts, and in convincing
skeptics that Spirits who once inhabited
mortal bodies, still live, and can and do hold
intercourse with the inhabitants OF the
earth.
We believe tit is quite probable that
the Spirits of the dead speak and talk-"in a
horl,"--and play the violin, and exhibit
their hands having phosphorcscent look,
(and sulphurous SMELL y Such an inter s.
ting galaxy Of assertions arc truly worthy OF
credeucc.
And more remarkable still, is the follow
ing:
"Whilc the above was written, the phos-
phorus light was SO strong that we could all
of us distinctly see the hand and every mark
made on the paper with the pencil. 1t was
written in less than half the time any of us
could have written it, and was then handed
to one Of us. We then requested that we
might be allowed to touch the Spirit hand.
Instantly it passed to the head of the circle
/ l,;tn hnl hn taI