The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-12-06

II ceased IT'S tale OF murther. Hood
The time was when a ghost story had sig
nificance-when men of learning were super
stitious, and the great mass shuddered at any
mention of the sheeted dead again revisting
their former haunts. But that has past. We
are a practical people. "What is the use,"
says one of Hoods characters, lin ghost?
Suppose he is ghost, he can't punch you and
what's the benefit of being ghost if the ghost
cannot pitch in ~ i quote from memory, but
that is the meaning, and with that meaning the
ghost is ignored and when you bring your
spirits from the vastly deep, most people laugh
at them, have their doubts, and hesitate not to
show their contempt. In return for such treat
ment, the ghosts do not "pitch in so Hoods
excited character was about right.
This is eminently a practical age. No one
pretends to say that hard skepticism has seized
upon humanity. BY no manner of means. We
| yet believe firmly in a spiritual existence, but
| in a practical manner. We have regulated the
manifestations, and brought the subtle, way
ward representatives to something like order.
We have given them respectable habitations,
and taught them to keep regular hours. One
need not now seek the graveyard at midnight
the ruined house-the murderer's glen-for
communication with souls of the departed. In
any of our cities, you will find advertised cir
Gle Of spiritualists or Office of medium, where
by paying twenty FIVE or fifty cents, you may be
put in communication with any of the departed
from the warlike julius Caesar to the martyred
Uncle Tom, and examine, to any extent, the
willing or unwilling ghost. Be under no appre
hension-the effort is certain to be successful
the process entirely safe.
shall not forget soon my first experiment in
this way. The scene of enchantment was a room
in fashionable hotel-time, noon. found my
self in company with two divines, one lawyer, s1
!, women, and a retired dealer in hardware The
mediums, or witches, were the pretty, enchant
/ ing, little Foxes, formerly of Rochester, anC
= said to be the originators of this singular pur
suit. The only ingredients thrown into tn,
cauidron were the coins charmed out of ou
pockets; and, for the amount of one dolla
paid by each, we had the privilege of calling
e some familiar to account. The Misses Fox re
quested us to be seated, not around the caul
dron, but handsome centre-table which bein!
done, we were soon favored with a series o
D knocks, varying in tone from the timid rap of
E poor relation to the loud demand of a creditor
which, they assured US, were the spirits an
4 nouncing their readiness to respond to any rea
sonable question, put in proper, confding
style. The process was interesting but some
! what tedious, and it was some time before N,
turn came for converse with the departed.
; To tell the truth, | was and am such a be
, lever, that | dared not call upon those who's,
very names are buried in my heart so l re
quested the presence of late distinguished
; politician, who at that time breathed the breath
of life, but was politically dead. To my aston
! ishment, he responded. Politicians are so &C
customed to answering all questions, that
suppose my friend could not resist In the way
of question, gave him poser. Before We
could get any response, the lady sitting next tC
me uttered a fearful scream, and flung her arms
around the neck of the retired dealer in hard
ware who, starting back, turned over one of the
divines, who, falling, uttered an exclamation
more astounding to us than the first interrup
ton. The table was upset in the confusion