The New York herald., 1869-08-27
AN HOUR WITH SPIRITS.

Merry Andrew nnd Murmuring May Take u
sseance-Almost n Quarrel-What May be
DOne ia the Dark.
''ronight Haugh and Braisted, the raging sensa-
tonlsts in Sprltuastlc circles are going to perform
wonderful things In room No. Is Cooper Institute"
SO ran the paragraph; but the venerable proprietor
Of the Cooper Institute objecting the ground that
1t might inure the reputation OF the institution the
faithful were compelled to turn pilgrims for the
nOnce and seek local habitation. The seance was
accordingly given at No. 81 Bleecker street. about
thirty persons attending Visible means Of support
being one OF the conditions OF being permitted to
range at large, confscatng super1ous stamps the
Slamese Twins or the occasion fixed upon fifty
cent stamp as the admission lee, with the result OF
amassng perhaps ten dolars--about one-thrd being
deadhcads One OF the operators Is pale young
man, with all the look Of poet and sort OF sorrow
ful inspiration in his eye, which is supposed to be
very romantic; the other and younger being 1.-THE
ana rather humorous stripping OF twenty, with the
which, otfclabed were named Andrew and May re-
spectively. and were very violent III their proceed
lngs. The door Of the parlor having been shut and
bolted 10 the exclusion Of ali air and the imminent
danger Of lquidating the whole company, CON-
mit,ee OF sccg,ics was appointed and the seance
managers remarkng that the least light was apt TO
break the condltlOns-in word, that Andrew and
May were contrary and could not be Induced to be
visible in their operations. All details having been
attended to the room was put 10 O condition OF CIm-
merriam darkness and the ratng OF ropes began. Five
minutes elapsed, during which there was q rattling
ofsropes and occasional thrumming OF guitar; the
light relighted with the result OF disclosing the
young men securely tied. hand and foot. Thereat
Andrew and May set up din OF spiritual laughter,
and asked triumphantly, II the sceptlcal were con-
vlnced An examination OF the ropes was mad and
the gas was again turned OIL Then ensued q cang-
Ing OF iron and terrible din for spirits to make,
considering that disorderly conduct Is an offence
known to the law, and again the invisbllities re-
guested the favor Of a light. which was granted.
The iron ring was now found on the arm OF the elder
medium he being tied stiil and there being no evil
dence OF their having being united al interim.
Hereupon the spirits very pressing In their de-
mand that the sceptical should believe; but as the
sceptlcal declined to believe, the operation had to
be repeated, and the young men were united and
dating spirits.
scepticai had the temeriIy to bring q dark lantern
to bear upon the operators The spirits were at
once indignant, and CALCULATED "Put him ont Put
him out ~ with just MS good lungs as anybody. The
sceptical refusing to obey the spirits gave notice
that In their opinion he was no gentleman, indulg-
ing In sundry other rather uncoDplimentary cpl.
thets, aud ordering hun peremptorily to leave the
house. The sceptc refusing the spirits very boldly
threatened to put him out out thinking better Of It,
sent for policeman, who, uuhapplly, could not be
found Nothing dauned, the spirits now appealed
to the audience and being by the audience sustained,
tho sceptcal gentleman, with an associate In the
dark lantern business. was compelled to decamp,
though under formal protest, the mediums very
naively remnrkng, In explanation, that though there
was no humbug about the matter. darkness was one
OF the conditions under which the spirits acted.
Spirits cannot, III a word, be expected TO perform
miracles by daylight, or even under The gimmer Of
o darK lantern.
This dlrcuity disposed Of, the spirits, after some
manifestation OF Indignation, consented to proceed,
and weut on 10 talk through trumpet, invoking
the audience TO believe which the audience sinl re-
fused. In the meantime the atmosphere became
oppressive, and loud cries FOR air succeeded, COM
pelliDg the spirits to suspend operations for few
minutes The fact that these stale tricks attract
anybody al all only proves That "a certain class
OF person. named IN the proverb Are not ali dead