The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1870-12-29
bieh strips of board for legs. It had

carriage buttons at the corners.
Upon this were placed snare drum
and Two drum-sticks, a guitar, three
table-bells, of various sizes, and
rubber whistling ball. These were
deposited on the left side of the cabi-
net, from the audience.
The cabinet was of the plainest
construction, being loosely screwed
together, and the medium" asked
the company to examine it, and of
fered to take it to pieces, if desired.
No 'wires'' or other illegetimate
traps were found. A committee of
sl1eptics was appointed to lookout
for tricks
The cabinet was locked, and one
of the committee retained the key.
The medium then took his seat at
the left side of the cabinet, and put
his hand through a small hole in the
lower corner of the case, and rested
it on the floor within. The whole
of the medium, up to his right wrist,
was in full view of the audience. The
committee sat within three feet of
him. It was obvious that he could
not reach within three feet of the
nearest musical instrument.
In five minutes there was rat
Ting inside. "There's rats.' ex-
claimed one of the company, and a
laugh followed. Presently one string
of the guitar uttered sound.
everybody glanced at Thayer, but
there he sat, passive, and, in fact,
rather stolid. He looked innocent,
and his arm was like a stick. Then
there was a shrill whistle on the ball.
Then the bells were sounded, in the
order of their notes and afterward
altogether. Then there was a pro-
nliscuous rafting and shaking up all
around the cage
AT this juncture, Thayer whistled
Captain Jinks, j Johnny comes, March
ing Home, and other lively airs, and
the cooped up intelligence, what
ever it was, kept perfect and really
wonderful time on the bells, whistle
and guitar.
Then gentlemen in the audience
whistled tunes and were similarly
accompanied, one of them being a
new air, composed for the occasion.
No sound having yet been heard
from the drum; Thayer inquired
what was the matter. They, or it,
the thing inside, demanded by an
uproarous humping, that the alpha
bet be rehearsed, and, on being ac-
commodated, spelled out ''The
| Drummer is away" sIsn't he COM
ing ?" asked Thayer, in disappoint-
ed tone. 'Don't know; hope SO,
was the response.
Then there was a repetition of the
same, with variations and the i'm
prisoned musicians struck up Yam
| kee Doodle on their own hook, and
| played it through, without apparent
assistance. Suddenly there was a
tremendous uproar inside, and a
long roll, beautifully executed, on
the drum. The whistle squealed,
the bells tangled, the guitar thrum-
med, and there were such bangs
upon the sides and doors ofthe cabi-
net as threatened to knock it to
pieces. Thayer explained that the
disembodied drummer had arrived,
and the rest Of the band were re-
joicing. It certainly was very earn
est, but very undignitied JOY.
AS soon as the uproar intermitted
for moment, there was heard a
drumming, and Thayer informed us
that esTracy'' was cunning his
guitarr' Then followed ''masic by
the band" and drumming, secunzuna
0rteza. 1t was certainly first-rate
drumming-the operator might
have been the ghost of the pathetic
drummer boy who was slain so often
during the late war He played one
tune through, drumming the lines
alternately, one line with the sticks
and the other-you'd not believe it,
but that it is what Thayer averred,
and also what it sounded like-the
other with the finger nails i! 'sWhere
does he get his fnger-nails % ven
tured one of the committee to in
quire. Gle materialises Them"
explained the ready Thayer Then
the cooped-up concerters favored the
audience with clog dance, keeping
time with guitar, bells and whistle
"a veritable clog dance, as far as
the human ear could testify. 1t was
evident that the carpet was up, and
the disembo died dancers hoed it
down on the floor Of the cage with
all the vehemence Of minstrel in
the moment of his, most abandoned
vigor. There were also simulta-
neous thumps on the top and sides Of
| the cabinet; the doors were seen
to spring outward from the batter
ING, and it seemed at one time as if
the whole structure would tumble
down before our eyes. And there
sat the imperturbable Thayer, and
there peramb,,lated the Wig liant eom-
mitlee, and we couldn't see how
anybody had got inside.
Then there was more music and
more noise, ad i9fnituDa. But all
things must have an end, and at last
there came an end to this scene.
Thayer solemnly said 'good night"
the turbulent Hlusicians vigorously
raped good night on the side of
their oaken prison, the instruments
dropped TO the floor, and all was
still. Two Of the committee rushed
to the doors and flung them open
while one seized Thayer. No wires
were found. No traps Of any sort
were found. No secret door was
found, and nobody could have got
into it if there had been one. 1t
was Piain to all that there had been
| Nc l., j r-.4I,.,, tho nn1rn nycnr1f