The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-08-13

N1nCQ street, was CIOWOCO III utiy anu
sometimes twice of an evening, at
dollar head, and this. too, in spite of
the fact that the public was not only
not invited, but not admitted. Only
those who could produce good testimo-
malls, or were introduced by mutual
friends, could gain admission. Among
these was your correspondent, who pard
his dollar like the rest, and therefore
feels at liberty to tell all he knows.
The house is an old-fashioned. three
story brick, occupied, as to its first
floor, by music store, and as to the
rest of it by the Holmes family and the
spirits. The seances are held in the
second story front room. an ordinary
apartment. perhaps Is feet wide by lo
feet deep, with two windows looking out
on Ninth street, and with nothing
uncanny about it except the cabinet,
which is made by stretching dark
partition across one corner, thus cut
ting off triangular space. The parti-
ton reaches to the ceiling, and contains
small door, with threshold about
six inches high. Over the door and
about seven feet from the floor is a
small pentagonal opening, while another
of similar shape, but larger size, is
about foot lower on the right.
This is the aperture at which Katie
usually appears. 1t is about a foot
in greatest width and height. The cab.
met is hung with loose, dark curtains,
and door at one side, leading to back
room, is boarded over in manner APP
parently secure. The audience sit in
semicircles facing the cabinet, the inner
circle being composed of the most faith
full spiritualists. On one end of this
row sits the principal medium, Mrs.
Holmes, her husband sometimes taking
chair at the other end, sometimes en-
tering the cabinet and going into a
s'mesmeric Sleep" When your cores.
pondent was present, both mediums re-
NAMED in full view of the audience dur.
ing the entire performance. They did
not go into a trance, but sat tanning
themselves, and laughed and joked like
ordinary mortals. One window was
closed and darkened and the other re-
NAMED open. The door was locked and
the room dimly illuminated by coal
oil lamp, with red shade, which threw
upon the scene that roseate tinge sc
much affected in the spectacular
drama. The company being seat
ed, without joining hands, the
spirits were invoked through the agency
of small music-box and when this
did not seem to ''fetch en- the audi
ence sang some familiar melody. Il
did not appear to matter much wha'
the melody was-sacrcd or secular, il
was all one to them, and they passee
from one to the other with the creates
readiness. The only requisite seems t.
be that the melody should be in minor
key, and tolerably loud. ''The better,
said some skeptic, ''to conceal thu
creaking of invisible machinery
After short overture conducted il
this way. Katie appears at the it'll
window above mentioned. She usu
ally begins by thrusting out
white and shapely arm, speedily follow
ed by pretty face, framed in a mass o
black ringlets, and set off by a jaunt,
Spanish veil, which lies lightly on he
head. There is profound silence un
til she says in ghostly whisper, 5000
evening. The salutation is courteous
ly returned, and then ensues a bris|
dialogue of the smallest kind of sma,
talk. interrupted by frequent disappear
ances and Temperatures on the part {
the young lady. The tenor, of this i'm
portant communica ton from the land c
the hereafter is about as follows:
! Good evening, Katie
Good evening".
!, ''Are you alone this evening =
NO. Father is here and Gen. Raw
lings; but they can't materialize t
! night"
f Katie. Mr.. Owen Robert Da
!. Owen is here. don't you want to spea
. to him p
e ''Why. of course. stoopid-Good eve
ing Father Owen.
f Mr.. Owen bows, and says: will ye
o have this boquet, Katie J"
:. ''Of course WILL says Katie, ar
v reaches her hand for it. 1t is given he
:, and she disappears with it. but presen
S ly returns and gives it to somebody
v hold for her.
S katie, can you come out for US t
S night =
9 I'll try, but it S very warm and We,
a hard to materialize.'
v Katie accordingly disappears, and Il
= singing is resumed. Presently the do
It of the cabin opens slowly. [ sat {
y rectly opposite the opening, but cou
# see nothing until it was well ajar: tn
r. white figure seemed to grow out
l. the darkness within, and Katie stepp
l. forward gracefully, took two or thr
" steps into the room. and retired. closil
1t the door after her by lifting her hal
IS to the latch. She was dressed in
somewhat theatrical costume of pu
u white, which flowed to her feet al
It seemed to be of fine kind Of musli
a The sleeves we're loose and flowing. al
lie as she waved her hands in the stere
It typed style of the stage sylph, t
If sleeves fell away to the shoulder, d
f. playing pair of perfect arms viii
ID mig ht we'll arouse the envy of a
u earthly belle. Her figure was full a
b round, and her face was beautiful
d outline and expression. with a compile