Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-11-15
Continued from mr. last
Truth Stranger Than Fiction.



the Partition at the end nearest tn,
piano. This entrance is secured, wher
the show begins, 10y an equally rough
shutter or door, made of two boards
held together hy cleats, which is fitted
into the aperture and secured with
wooden buttons. Midway between thi,
doorway and the further end of the par.
tifinn j. small aperture or window
about eighteen inches square, placed
about breast high from the floor, at
which the spirits present themselves
and display their wonders This aper-
ture Is covered with curtain of black
fuIled cloth, hanging on the inside and
secured only at ihe top. The furniture
of the dark cluSet consists simply Of a
chair in which the medium sits and a
tin speaking g-trumpet which the ghosts
whose lungs are feeble sometimes have
occasion 10 use in oriermake themselves
heard.
In the main room lhr furniture is near
ly as meagre as in the sanctum. There
are dozen plain chairs for the occu-
paney of mOrtals, some with their backs
broken through the antics OF rough
spirits, an old fashioned settee for the
/ accommodation Of visitors when the
company exceeds the number Of chairs,
a stove, and the well used and disoJr-
dant piauo which WAS purchased under
the spiritual direction.
First appearance gf the Spirits.
When the preparation Of this room
had been completed, about two years
Ago, according to all the minute dire,.-
tiUns of the aboriginal ghost, a setting
was ordered there by the same authority
Pre- cisely who were present at that set
ting our reporter could not ascertain !;
but both Mr.. and Mr.. Keeler were pre-
sent, aud also Mary Andrews, the me-
dium, Mr., Keeler aud his wife, and
whoever else might have been with
them, took seats arranged in semi cir
culaT positions before the strange en-
closure, while medium sat herself down
in front Of and facing them, which
placed her close to the board partition,
and nearly under the aperture IN that
structure. When all was arranged the
lights was extinguished, as at former
settings, and for little while silence
and darkness reigned. Presently the
strange lights appeared as of old, and
all the other unaccOuntable mysteries,
when out of the darkness came the
voice Of the savage ghost, directing that
lamp he produced and the medium be
shut into the dark cabinet. These d.
rectiODs were Obeyed. when silence
again reigned for time. Suddenly the
black curtain over the aperture in the
partition was observed to move. as if an
effort was being made to raise it, and
Mary Andrews cried out from within
the cabinet, as if
In grecet terror;
''There's a man in here! Let me
out! Let me out quick ~
Mr.. Keeler, however, calmed her
fears by assuring her that there could
possibly be no man there, but that what
she saw must be spirit; aud urged her
to remain quiet and see what wonders
would be performed.
After this interruption another period
of silence ensued, when the agitation
Of the curtain was renewed, lasting for
a moment or two, when voice came
from the opening, utteriug these words:
"TOO much light! Spirits can't stand
the pressure p
Accepting the lntimation conveyed
by the words, Mr.. Keeler lowered the
blaze of the lamp until it shed but a
gllmmmer of light in the gloomy apart
ment. Then followed another period Of
patient waiting aud watching, whan !
suddenly u cOppereoloreG hand WAS
thrust 6ut from beneath the curtain,
with the index finger extended, pointed
first at Mr.. Keeler, then at the lamp,
and then at the end Of the piano nearest
the partition. This pantOmime was
easily translated, and Mr.. Keeler pro-
ceeded To remove the lamp from its DO
SitiOn in front of the aperture 10 the
place indicated on the piano; the effect
Nf which was to cause the light to shine
obliquely across the opening without
penetrating it. This arrangement SEEM
ed to be satisfactory to the spirits, who
indicated their pleasure by sundry war
whoOPs and grunting "ughs," after the
savage fashion. Pretty soon
The black curtain rose,
from the aperture, and a face
presented itself at the opening. 1t was
an unmiStakable Indian face, with high
cheek bones, dusky hue, and all the
usual characteristics. When the aston
that the apparition produced
had subsidized intQ an eager waiting for
what Was to follow, the lips of the ap-
partition moved, and voice proceeding
from them pronounced these profound I
words;
'iAie big spirit me boss here Plenty
pale faces come up to see big spirit, Big
spirit make everybody believe! Ughw
And the big spirit disappeared again
into the darkness and the curtain fell.
Then there was stiffness for a briefl :
period, interrupted only at last by
terrific shrek from the imprisoned me-
iium, followed by a cragh w she dashed ,
The rude doorway aud came tumbling ]
1Ut iAtA the room more dead than alive
with fright. On being questioned re-
sarding the cause of her alarm, she re-
Piled that cold, clammy hand was B