The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-24


er, on either side Oftbe boys, each holdings
hand Of each boy, and each placing foot on.
one Of the feet Of each Of the boys. The inzz
struments were piled up in the centre Of the
table to suit, our own taste, when we again
took our seats as before, a.id the lights Wpr9
extinguished. The Manifestations we're the
same, though less powerful. Those hoIdinR
the boys said they were repeatsdiy touched
by the instruments, some Of which were
thrown on the floor; and when the light was
struck, everything was found in the state Of
confusion indicated by the previous noise.--
Our friends, who held she hoyss FsScletSith
Indignation the chatge OF collnsionl
To be brief, we all took our turns in hold.
ing the boys, all met with the same, or neafs
lythe same, result--some being hammered
over the head little harder than others
and all repudiated the charge Of collasion!s
After all had had their turn at the tables
the question was raisedA-tAre we all hum
bugs, or are we psychologzed.' The quesl
ton was undecided; but no one was found
to argue the affirmative Of either horn. Once
however, was not quite satisfied; and tha
presiding spirit who gives his name as John
B. King, spake through the trumpet, and
wanted any one that was not satisfied to say
aye The aye was repeated, and the in
visible John said if all would leave the room,
and let the gentleman sit alone with the
boys, he would convince him The room
was cleared, sentinel (the gentleman'sfa-
ther) set at the door; we personally piled
the Instruments on the opposite side Of the.
table from the gentleman, so that the hoys
could not reach them without his knowineIit,-
thenturned off the as,and retired tothe entrEs
Then we called the names of DaveHp0rt and
Coles, and both responded. Meanwhile, the
performance was heard going on inside
Pretty soon there WIS a terrible racket, and
cry for light. The door was opened andes
light struck, when the gentleman was dis
covered crawling out from under the table.
He was convinced! He said the instruments
were all piled up against him, and then the
table pushed against him, upsetting him, hs
dragging the boys after him. 4ssS
This was the close of the performances
But before this, and after holding the boys
all round, we tried the experiment oftying
them. Two or three clothes lines were.
produced, which was wound round the boys
bodies, arms and legs, round the table legs
and through the chairs, knots being tied at
almost every turn, till all-boys, chairs aud
table were considered securely fastened. to-
gether. Then the boys hands were tied
together with handkerchiefs. Davenport
and Coles were secured as before, wesiaZ1
took our seats, hanging on to each other q
hands, and the light was turned off, In
stantly the manifestations commenced more
animatedly than ever. The tamboufine was
beaten vigorously, the bellclattered, and the
stringed instruments. which appeared to fly
round the room, twanged. It was perfect
confusion of very discordant sounds, to soy
the least. gi as#psh
At this point the alphabet was called fof.
when was spelled out, 'sman up"6i Tho
man owned up what was done! The inyis.
ible John said, through the trumpet, in hia
peculiar voice,"I raped him. That was
acknowledged true, and all had a hearty
laugh. A light was struck, and it was pro-
posed that the invisible powers unite -the
handkerchiefs on the boys hands-which,
on inspection, had been found satisfactory
and return the same to their ownerss4-
The light was turned of, when instantly the
boys sang out they were free, and the own-
ers said they had received their handkere
chiefs; which, on striking light, were
found tied in knots, evidently to enable them
to be thrown, as they were, into their own.
er's laps.
1t was then proposed that the invisible
John unite the cords. This was done in
short order, after the light was extinguisheds
the cords fairly whistling, they were drawn
through the chairs with such velocity, the
boys all the while cautioning the "spirits's
to bo careful, as they hurt them with ends of
the cords. In about minute, the boys
were free. 1t was generally conceded chat
it would have taken ten to fifteen minates
for man to unite either of the boys by
daylight, they were SO wound up, and the
cords were SO knotted. et ss1 3s
| In conclusion, a paper containing gen.
eral statement OF the foregoing facts. and
avowing that no one was in any WY detee,
ted of being the agent Of the manifestations.
in the ordinary sense Of the term-swas sign.
ed by msjority of the cesapasy, portion
having left before it was drawn up. They
said they could not wais, but would sign
such a paper az proposed. at any fatafe
| time. $50 sHssss
Thus ended our first lesson ia the mnscM-
lar exercise Of asspirits.s syst
or A young lady thus describes her feel
ings, and courts sympathy;
My heart is sick, my heart i sad
But OIL the. canse dare not telI-,