The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-02-25
CONFESSIONS OF A SPIRIT-RAPPING
MEDIUM.

1t was about the middle of February,
when / had paid no rent for nine months,
no taxes for six, and no tradesman for three,
that first began 10 hear series of rap
pings of most persevering character. To
account for these rappings was extremely
difficult, and made no attempt to answer
them, for knew it would be quite useless,
as had not rap in the house. At length
it occurred to me, that though | could not
answer the rappings, they might in some
way be got to answer me, and as my whole
life had been of rather questionable ma
ture, | resolved on trying the experiment.
was sitting alone about the middle of
March, when thought heard rapping,
which soon became very violent, at the
outer door. Having heard some talk of
the spirit-rappers, determined to try and
find ont whether the rappings which were
SO frequent at my house could have any
thing to do with the phenomena alluded
to. Having lighted my pipe 1 began to
ask myself the question, "Can that be a
creditor 7" when Immediately came very
loud "rap." AS the spirits, am told, an
swer by "rap" when they intend to ex-
press an affirmative, and give no sign when
they mean to imply negative, | made
sure there was creditor at the door. "Is
he alone?" l asked. No answer! "Were
they all creditors who have been rapping
during the last few weeksf" | inquired
calmly, but there was such thunder Of
"raps,' lasting for several minutes, that l
could not ask myself another question i'm
mediately, as [ know | could not have
heard myself speak. "Has the butcher
been here ~ was my next inquiry, which
was answered by several "raps' in quick
succession; but when | hastily added,
Sand will he trust me any longerp the
rapping suddenly but most decidedly ceas-
ed.
/ had read in some American books on
the subject that the spirits frequently
moved furniture in the most eccentric man.
ner / determined, therefore, to choose
the darkest hour of the night to see wheth-
er it would be possible to get my furniture
moved by the aid of such spirits as might
be able to command got poor fellow
who kept a truck to come to me;
and intending to make him medium" |
brought him into communication with all
the "spirits" could get together; but the
medium" had chosen was quite unable
to preserve happy medium" and the
spirits having taken complete possession of
him, began to throw him about in the most
mischevous manner that can be conceived.
They bumped him up against the wall,
and when he tried to lift table under
their influence, they threw him down on
the top of it. While this was going on,
the rappings became so violent that ], who
am pretty well used to them, became
alarmed; and especially when l heard
something like the forcing open of door,
which made me apprehend that there was
some frightful process" perhaps writ or
summons, with which the rappers intended
serving me out--or rather at home-if they
could get hold of me- Selling the first
friendly wrapper-a Observation-Disclosures |
could lay my hands upon, l made my way
out by back door, and did not return till
the day following When came back to
my dwelling became convinced in the
most unpleasant manner that the "rappers"
can really do what the Americans attribute
to them l had been told that in the Uni
ted States there are rappers who have
positively written with pen and ink, as
well as moved furniture; and | could not
doubt either fact when | found all my fur
niture had been carried away, and an in
ventory regularly written out lying on the
floor. 1t was clear that not only was the
house haunted by "rappers," but the fur
niture had become possessed" by some
evil spirit in the shape Of imam in pos
session." who had carried it away. From
this time forth the house had become a
source of such alarm to me that L left 1T;
but have been told that the "rappings"
still continue as vehement as ever, and
some of the "rappers" who possess the
power of writing have placed written no.
tice on the door, which have not ventured
near enough to read, but which l have
been told conveys an intimation that they
were acting as medium" Of the landlord,
in whose name they will go upon the
premises to take possession of them in a
few days.-L0ndon paper.
EJ II say, landlord, that's dirty tow