The New York herald., 1874-12-22

read and after that ii is an easy matter 10 mage
m,racuious. ana the moarner goes nome win the
impression that she has received direct comnu-
nlcation rom on nigh ! know what say. De,
cause | have seen IL done time and again. and
still better because ! can do II myseif and IN the
way have mentioned
nor Interfere with his modes Of worship ana ms
private opinions, but simply TO expose certain
men wa, am morally and mathemaucaly cer-
tam humbugged me out OF money ana time, giving
me IA Qutd pro quo certain sentences wnieh
they said were dictated by Spirits. but ater-
ward found mat the pretended spirits could not
read my question when u was written VI ane
guage which the medium did not understand, or
when the paper was so folded that u could NOT oe
any oeeurrence without having IL written down
on sip OF paper, though tnev are Just as iami-
some OF my personal experiences during my tour
psrFRMINRD TO EXAMINE THE QUESTION
4 on its merits aud TO do so IN spirit OF perfect
\ candor and fairness, lad out q plan 70 visit the
three most celebrated mediums OF New YORK.
What have done mas been done with great care
aud with CONSCIENTIOUS desire to know the ex-
act truth. so lar as Il could be attained. and,
furthermore, WIN u hope, stronger than care To
express In his place, thar might not be able to
solve The problem; but, on the other hand. com.
PEELED 10 acknowledge tnat tue NAN iacts oil
Spirtuallsm, as represented by these gentlemen,
are ,rue reed not say that not only !, but all
otner right minded and honorable men, would
be glad q an opportunity 70 be guided oy right
rather than by aith. We should be never SO
thankful to have even the dimmest glimpse OF
the iar-on otner shore come within range OF
our mortal vision. All VINO own lot In
q cemetery where lie those VINO have borne us In
their arms when We were Children and whom we
have never been able TO repay for tner Kindness
and seli-sacrnce; all who nave seen little ones
close their ewes as the great mystery, like an over
hanging cloud mas settled down upon them are
not onIy interested, bat at times intensely ex-
cited, over this series OF phenomena which lays
claim TO solution OF the whole question OF our
immortality. This longing, however, ola not In.
cline me TO accept any evidence which could not
bear the test OF sound judgment. Ny credulity IS
not the shortest way TO conviction lam wiling TO
h.altn hnVt NINA h..n Gnnh m IN "a
honest and truth loving man has q right TO de-
mand. | say all this because | wish to meet an
objection which loresee will be thrust forward
by those who have become lanatics- namely, that
a Downright scepricism either breaks the charm
This cannot he urged IN nv case Doubtful was,
but, at the same time, was eager TO be convinced,
the side OF the meaium. | was, in word. in the
proper state OF mind TO receive truth IN Whatever
sRANoE WITH MANSFIELD.
l went to DR.. Mansdeld's residence. on sixth
avenue, and was usnered into the room where the
slttings are h'ld. II Is flied from ceiling to moor
with attractive curiosities. The Doctor mas trag-
eled all over tine world, aud has not forgotten to
bring home pleasant lttle souvenirs OF ms trips
and experiences. IL is worth ones while to spend
an nour IN that room ior the sake OF seeing the
and pictures, which must nave required years IN
coliecnon. Pretty soon man, evidently advanced
in lie, appeared and greeted me. Ii seemed to
me that there was an air OF suspicion about him,
as thou each new customer was possible trap
quick, restless glance as though 1t was hts custom
TO take his bearings ana measure the motives Of
/ said ..Doctor. you hold your years pretty
well"
..Yes sir; am sixty. and probably have not
much longer to stay IN this lower world. Would
you ike q sitting. sir ~
"a should. II 1t Is convenient"
"TheD, sir, take your seat there, While you write
your questions" pointing to cnair Immediately
Opposite himself at the table.
THE MACHINERY AT HAND.
wanted to write nv questions on paper OF my
own. but this 1t seems was against the rules: |
and, nee need d not ,, ada add, dsappointment. was 81, 50
very thin that ! could see through II after
TO @ me ba. the e''s SPIRITS ase were taking an nn
fair advantage OF me and saving themselves
honest o. o comnen9 a e 4. wre on sort M
OF tissue, which gave the operator ample oppor..
.unity OF discovering every word However, !
saw at once that II seriously objected the Sednce
would end, and so let the Doctor have his own
wav The. trick is too transparent to need ex-
pO5ure You are not allowed to ask single ques
tiun on paper otner than that which he mas on the
table, aud through that paper, lor brought some
o. 1t home with me. l can readily read what Is
written alter IT has been several times folded over.
asked myself, Wny such very tuin paper # am
dealing with angels and not with lumbugs
lett that it was unfair 10 give MIN so great an
advantage over me. aud so fixed up'a the course
/ would pursue. took the paper IRON his hands
aud with very sharp pointed pencil wrote ques-
ton, out instead or pressing the pen al on the
lightly that though the sentence was perfectly
legIole that is could be read II II was directly be-
lore you, it could not be traced on the other side
or read at ali after the paper was folded over.
This gave 10 him. He requested me to take
seat the other side OF the room, giving a rea-
son that the magnetic current would be distpr ID
by a closer proximity. tninE succeeded In CON-
Dleteiy shrowlng nm on his guard oy talking about
Indifferent topics and pretenalng to examine the
! curiosIties At any rate deception IL easy on his
Part, since he invariably covers the paper with his
arm and HANDS, and without your knowing it can
unroll the slip provided that he cannot get at the
question in any otner way. This afterwards saw
| him do more than once, and IN my heart pro.
nounced him o cnarlatan and cheat.
THE TRICK AT GLANCE.
He laid my paper down on the table and began
to iron IL out nat with bis fingers, pressing them
I down, whlcn at once renders the writing legiDle,
/! but even then it was impossible to see through.
! nv pencil MARKS were too light. After several
minutes OF Manipulation, during which he partly
unroIled the paper, the better to get at my ques.
/ 'Ieet no influence whatever, sir. There seems
to be no spirit here. II Is strange, but It Is i'm.
! possible to Ret an answer.n
He then said, ats your mother living ~ 'No,
! sr,n replied.
.'Then VIII tell you her name, or, rather, she
| will tell It through me-"
with that he made several dots on the paper,
while had gore on in reverie OF disappoInt-
! ment and chagrln at what believed to be piece
/ or pase trickery, by means OF which he peddles
| out false communications from heaven at IS per
/ hour.
He said, as though musine, "seven, seven. l
| wonder what tina, means2 We're there seven let
| ters in your mothers name 2"
looked at him blankly and must have nodded
though my mind and heart were far away with
the last scenes IN that mothers life, which were
very impressive. He caught at that slight and ac-
cidental clew at once. How many proper names
are there. 90 you suppose, feminine names, with
just seven letters Inen he mentioned, at. T.
Why tnat must pe the last letter, ID ltS"
"We," said. ''go on.n
Then he deliberately wrote backward the word
Harriet, and trumphantly pronounced 1t the
name or my mother. Her real name was Mary.
At tnat moment / woke from the reverie into
which had fallen. and was keenly alive to the
vile system or organized fraud to which was sub.
| iect, and determine to give him his NIL
wrote In full round hand, on this paper
| which ne had handed me. this question -
Dear Mother-shal Ibuy those stocks you wan;ed me
I 10 purchase q year agos WILLIAM.
After pressing the paper with his fnge and
reading tue qnes ion-l mad already read 1t
through the folds before handed II TO him-he
said, innocently enongh.-
''lu Urder TO make sure that do not unfold the
paper, sir, Will use some gum arabic and TICK II
together" Wtn that ne dauDed the paper with
-nuciage. soon after he wrote In hurried man