The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-11-27
fnformatiom.
Remarkable Spiritual Demonstration in
Aurora.

but few months since. conslstlhS~of nOtheS,
two sons and three daughters, the youngest q
girl Of some twelve years of ngc.
few weeks since arquaintanoe-.0t-tAe
family was spending AN evening at the house,
when the conversation incidentally turned upon
sniritualism and il was eycsted by the visites
that she and the little girl, whom we will call
= Mary, sit at the table and discayer, il poasble
"a IL any manifestations coud be obtiinsd. Acting
upon this suggestion they took theiE seats IT the
table, when in very brief tins the gaps came in
'abund ance, .snd the table commenced moving (
~ The physical demonstrations in that, house.
hold were such that night as, to,snypriss all thu
inmates; and more especially the family, who
were opposed to- spiritus!ism., The fact was re-
\ vealed that Mary was a ,renaEkabla, pediu nl
whose presence al the table was the signal for a
grand gathering of spirits or whatever II may
be. which creates a great racket about the table
to the astonishment OF all beholdsrs;yf,, a.rr
Since then many persons have visited The fam
lily to behold these demonstrations, which every
body admits are truly wonderful, and which the
skeptics are entirely unable to account.for. II
y Complying with the request of II friend, we
visited this Aousea few nights sinoe, to witness
for ourselves the manifestations of lwhidh we had
heard SO much. po9qaG Z. R9Aa "a. vaw 1sissd
In coinpany with number Of others who had
been attracted sy repor ts We sat tnu ut large
dining table where, in the course of three min
utes, the fAps me SO distinctly to be heard a
distance Of thirty feet Every person il the
company was an investigator anxious to learn
the cause of the phenomenon. The hands OF the
sitters rested lightly on the table as did also
those IF Mary, and the.raps sea tered themselves
about the table and answering questions; one,
distinct, loud rap being foriho andthres fofyes
After time it vas suggested by one u the visit
ors present who had witness the demonstr STATIONS
before, that guitar be placed under the table,
which was done, whereupon the guitar o6ra-
menced moving about beneaths the tables the
strings being turned and struclr ~ by q human
hand, while the medium and others sang What
struck those strings as the guitar moved beneath
the table, we have no means of KIN owing the at
tention of the medium being taken up with htr
singing at the time the guitar was being played.
Parties have told us who have seen these demopI
STATIONS sino., that they have distinctly sssnla
haze of light above the guitar and the outline pr
q human hand AZ it is being played. bss sbnsI q
b Afterwards the gllitar was cemoved Rpd a strip
of cloth was thrown beneath the tableyi whidh,
was Immediately removed from the placs whefe
IL Was first thrown and tied into knets,y .,e.o,,
- But the most singular feat performed was that
of writing upon slate, with q minute pencil, 10
small as to make it impossi5le for any hum an
to write with the same. With this pencil placed
upon slate, and the slate hold bsnesth the table
with one hand by tho medium, message was
written on the slate several times, in . half a
minute from the time tho slate was offered for
the communication After some other demon
etrations, later in the evening, the audienoeld
persed wondering what power could produce'
these wonderfully demonstrations unless it was
from eoaroo outside of any person known to be
in the room. 'iyfsa tya-I adi augail-a 81
Dat Q WAS 1T A SPIRIT 1qissr2 d5tyy
After a careful investigation of the subleot sit
lis Impossible for us to answer, though 1t it, dill
cult for to realize, as we witness these demon.
trations, that we are conversing with the spirits
of persons who have once lived on earth; though
the position taken by spiritualsts, that, we in
the spirit world what arehere possessed 0f like
affections and love that we have here, and hence
that spirits desire to return and coayeree with
friends, perhaps, has tings Of reasou.y Spirit
ualists further claim that through the same law
of magnetism, mesmerism and psychology by
which one person or one mind Jan mssmerise
and control another mind on earth, spirits can
control certain minds as mediums, and produce
these demonstrations. ~ .,..,g ~
But that which causes US to dosbt more than
anything else. is the fact that these communica-
lions, aside from the gratifying curiosity, very
seldom give any intelligence Of real, intrinsic
value, such as We would expect to come from On
individual who had spent perhaps hundreds of
years in the spirit kingdom, with every advan-
come from the great freedom that we suppose
spirits possess. 7i''fr oHfF4ta
The spiritualists of course claim that there are
obstacles that stand in the way Of spirits having
free communication; that were they to reveal
their real knowledge it would be impossible for
mortals on earth to understand them, 90, 30;
and not knowing anything about the matter We
will not enter into discussion with the spirit
uallsts on that point but there let the matter
cest. l- siV otgcf
The physical demonstrations in this house
were probably tho most remarkable that hays
ever occurred in this vicinity and none are more
surprised at their appearance than the family in
which they occur. - ,EtrD,l3 sdi
The girl medium, who is attending the public
school upon the East Side, says that the rsps
have been so loud upon her desk in the school
room that she has feared they would attract the
attention of the scholars and teachers, but in
compliance with her request the spirits have not
troubled her of late in school. !. =, M d
Among the demonstrations of late are those Of
taking the medium about the room on chair,
playing on drum in the room, ETC. The family
are very reticent about the matter, and are par
ticularly DESTROYS that no publicity be given the
affair. We therefore withhold names. But, quiet
as they have endeavored to keep the matter, the
remarkable occurrences have leaked out, and
many acquaintance and strangers have visited
the family, and have come away astounded at
the demonstrations ti' tN N.A fr
G A novel wedding was recently celebrated
in Memphis. A widow lady from North Car
DINA, Mrs. NJ Blackwell, on her way to the
? Red River country with all her household
goods, including several children, felt an ach.
ing void. and determined to fill the place of
the late Mr. Blackwell upon. short notice.