The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-02-20
The Spirits Talk to Colonel Spencer
and Daughter, and our Reporter
Talks to him.

fresh from his own lips
He said he recently visited {, lIm-
bus, and there met his daughter, Mrs.
Laura Axline, wife of DR.. Axline of
Missouri. As the train for home did not
start for some hours, he proposed 20 his
daughter a visit to a medium known as
Mrs. Shaeffer, of whom he had heard
Edward Manning relate some queer
things, at the same time remarkirg his
utter incredulity in regard to them.
81 have been always a great do1btor
about every thing" said the Col. q new
er could join any church-not even the
Masons or Odd Fellows, because had
so many doubts as TO deter me fro:n so
doing.
at was a long time to wait fcT the
homeward train, and l felt like p:-ssing
the time agreeably in some way, when
the thought came to me of visiting Mrs.
Shaeffer's, who resided in the vicici'y of
the hotel where we were stopping.
Rep. Had you any previous conver-
sation with any one as to your intentions?
Mr.. Spencer. Not any in regayj to
that. l met Mr.. Keller, who formerly
conducted our schools here, but purpose
ly concealed my intention of visiting
Mrs. Shaeffer.
Rep. I do not desire to interrupt
You, Col, but wish to inquire OF you if
you had any previous acquaintance with
Mrs. Shaef1er and whether she had any
previous knowledge of your visit.
Mr.. Spencer. Not at all. Sic did
not even know our names, and does not
now know us except from what passed
subsequent to our entrance into the room.
1 examined the room carefully. 1t had
but one strip of carpet. l locked one
of the two doors into the apartment
scaned the ceiling closely. Could see
no means of entrance or possible COM
ngunication by any means whatever.
Reporter Did the lady inquire in
any way to find any clue to your rela-
tions, residence, or in any way seem de-
sirous of prying into facts relating to
your family.
Mr.. Spencer. Nothing of the kind
went to test the truth of her preten-
sions and cautioned my daughter to
drop no word giving the least clue to
any name or to any fact belonging to
our family or friends. Mrs. Shaeffer /
call a trumpet medium, because she
brought into the room a tin trumpet,
perhaps four to five feet long, and stood
it upright with the large end resting on
the floor. l inspected it closely and
blew it, out of curiosity. She protested
against this liberty and remarked that
to her, the horn is regarded as sacred
that it had conveyed many precious
messages from the spirit. land and the
use just made of it might prevent the
object of the present sitting. Her hus-
band, or some other person took the
horn out, perhaps to dry it, and So - re-
turned it to its previous upright posi-,
ton.
There was no fire in the room an! Mrs
S. and my daughter rested their feet on
warm bricks, whilst we sat five cr six
feet apart, l facing Mrs. S. and my
daughter facing the horn, SO IL. It we
formed square, the horn Occupying
one of the corners of the square, I an;
other, Mrs. S. another, and my daughter
the other.
Previous to assuming this position the
room was so darkened when the uni ;cked
door was closed that / could see the form
only of my companions and the horn
| We sat thus for Is or 20 minutes, du-
ring which | took the lead of the con.
versation on purpose to prevent the me-
dunn from gaining any information
which might aid her in deceiving nle.-
1 learned that she had been medium
since she was little girl, that she had
not always received communications
through the trumpet, but at fr9t by
rapping. The trumpet was disecre
to be better adapted, and she wa well
satisfied with it, &c, &c.
The first to experience any sensation
was my daughter, who remarked that
she felt something similar to the feeling
produced by battery, from her elbows
to the ends of her fngeres. Soon after
this the horn, by some unaccountable i'm
pulse, began to move backssand forth in
a horizontal direction, and found Mrs.
| s. at the same time as motionless as a
statue.
The horn came toward me, and sud-
denly my daughter became startled with
| fright. She said the horn had come in
contact with her head, and she suddenly
made an attempt to regain her feet, but
as suddenly resumed her former posture
The medium exhorted her to remain
calm, or the spirits would not talk to us
In few moments the sam e cause startled
me, and I could readily excuse my
daughter for her alarm, for l really felt
startled; but summoning up courage
managed to maintain my composure.
Soon after, indistinct sounds appeared
to be floating through the horn, as if the
breath of person were blown into it.
and gradually these indistinct sounds as.
sumed utterance. 1 heard the word
father. My daughter understood ii
grandfather. said if you are my faith
er, answer by three taps on my head
The three taps were given distinctly, but
very gently. / asked him if he was
happy. The answer was distinct-very
happy. The same voice exhorted me to
live pure life, as those were more hap
py after death who did so. There came
another voice. 1 asked, who are you?
A voice replied, do you not know your
little Harry? This was the name Of a
little son who died many years since. and
whose name is not perhaps recollected by
one person in Somerset outside the fam
lily circle. asked, where is Clinty?-
The voice said, he is here.
TbrOnoh The oap1a fpupov1at 5,,,-