The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1869-03-12

town, near whom appears lovely child's
face fit for one of RaphaePs cherubs Mr.
Mumler could not tell, however, of whom,
it was likeness.
One particularly touching picture was
taken for a mother who, not long ago, lost
q darling boy. AS she sat before the cam.
era she mentally said, "Willie, I wish you
would come and place yourself as you used
to when you said your prayers to me-" and
in response to her silent wish there appears
a child resting his head upon her bosom,
which she AYERS is q perfect likeness of her
boy.
At a spiritual seance that evening, a mes
sage was received, purporting to be from
the child just mentioned, to the effect that
if his father would sit to Mr.. Mumler, a
better picture of him still would be obtain
ed. His father accordingly came and sat,
and in the picture obtained there appears
within the fathers arm charming boy of
apparently ten years OF age, which is said
by both father and mother to be their child
beyond doubt.
An elderly man, having sat for his like
ness, found it accompanied by that of a
lady TO whom he had been engaged twenty
years ago, and of whose relation with him
his own family had not been aware. Sit
ting second time, he got the likeness of
q son, who was killed several years ago in
Arkansas.
A distinguished miniature artist of this
city, having tried the experiment, was
rewarded with portrait ofhis aged moth
| er.
A lady's portrait was also shown, &C
companied by that ola clergyman to whom
she was once engaged, but who has since
died, and whom she had not seen for TWEEN
ty years. Many other equally wonderful
things were exhibited, but the general facts
in all are the same. OF some pictures, of
which Mr.. Mumler had not retained copies,
he gives the following account;
1.-THE first is portrait of Mr.. Mumler
himself, with one hand on a chair, the 9TH
er holding the black cloth covering just
taken from the camera. In the chair sits
half defined female form, apparently about
twelve or fourteen years old. This was at
once recognized as q deceased female rela-
tive.
"The second picture has a lady spirit sit
ting on a chair, with white, underlined
mass of something behind her, like two or
three pillows. The features are quite sun
ken, with serious expression. This is
said to be a likeness of the spirit sister of
Mr.. j. j. Ever, as she looked when was
ted by consumption. The father of the
deceased fully recognized the likeness, as
do the rest of the family.
"The next is an elderly lady, leaning on
chair, in which sits family defined form
OF young man playing upon guitar
This figure is shown more fully than the
last, one leg being visible to below the
knee, the other not being visible at all
looks as if moved, leaving only blur
This was at once recognized as q deceased
brother who made guitars, and was fond
of playing upon them.
Another is female figure leaning upon
a chair, the hands placed together, and
eyes elevated as in prayer. The spirit ap-
pears of larger size, the face and bust only
visible.
another is a gentleman sitting with the
edge of white marble table near him.
The spirit is behind him, and little small
era female figure, with the hair dressed
quite plain and Quakerish, small white
collar about the neck, tied with dark rib
bon, a close fitting dress, visible only to the
waist.
"a gentleman from Illinois sat for his
portrait, and raised the right hand as if
holding something. He was told that was
q very uncouth attitude, but he said, NO
matter take it So When the plate was
developed, behold there sat upon the raised
arm child, leaning its head upon the sit
ter's shoulder. This child is not very clearly
defined; it appears little larger than in
nature, as if nearer thecamera than the arm
it sits upon. The dress is transparent, with
the hand and arm of the sitter seen through
it,
OUR REPORTER SEES WHAT CAN BE DONE
FOR HIM.
His curiosity being excited by all these
marvels, our reporter thought he would
like to see what spirit would sit along
with him. But first he requested his pho
tographic friend, whom we have called
Brown, to go through the process himself,
and watch the various steps of it. Mr..
Brown accordingly went up stairs to the
skylight room with Mr.. Mumler, and pre-
pared the sensitive plate himself from the
naked glass Sitting down before the ca
mera, he waited the usual time, and then
with his own hands developed" the mega
tive. At the side of his face there came
that of q middle aged man, with dark
|
Then came our reporters turn. He, too,
saw the clean glass rubbed and polished,
the collodion poured on, the plate put into
the nitrate of silver bath, and taken out and
put into the groove. But on sitting, there
came out in the negative the same face that
had appeared in Mr.. Browns picture. To
determine who this mutual friend" could
be the party concluded to wait and get sun
proofs from both the negatives
NEW SITTER.
While waiting for these proofs, an elder
ly gentleman went up, and succeeded in
getting the portraits of two spirits, neither
of which, however, he could recognize from
the nc gatiye, and had to wait for the proofs.
AN ACCIDENT-THE EXPERIMENT TRIED
In drying the negative taken for our re-
porter over the lamp, the glass was SILVER
ed to pieces. and he was requested to sit
once more. This time, too, he watched the
process from beginning to end. While in
the chair, however, he thought he would
try the effect ofcalling to his mind the APP
pearance of his father as he looked just be-
fore he died, some eleven years ago. This
time the negative gave face in profile
rather dim, but in general outline, he must
confess, very like his father as he thought