The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1875-02-27

loT tlle lluTIOSct Tc:iliS, vi preventing any
sccptic, who might bc standing near, from
pulling down the handkcrchiets, AMI thus
embarrassing the medium, after she had
piped her eye for II successful perform
ancc. Then, too, he remembered that
Mrs. Blair, after being blindf0ldctl, had
rested her head on her hand while she
seemed to be awaiting developments, and
| which hG construed into assisting dcvel-
opmcnts by impcrccptibly slipping the
handkerchief to the right, so as 10 bring
the folded linen cloth II little further away
from her nose. The next day, on meeting
with firm but honest believer in Spirit
ualism, who had also attended Mrs
l5lair's scancc of the previous evening
the writer told him of his successful en-
pertinent ut home, and suggested that, if
a large sheet of cardboard were to be i'll
| tcrp0scd between the mediums eyes and
| the table, she would not paint a picture
or, if She did, il would constitute better
evidence Of the truth of her claims than
she had thus far afforded. The Spiritual
ist agreed to propose the test at the next
scancc (AErs. Blair was then giving Il Sc
iics of public entertainments, Which he
did, hut the medium declined to comply,
for the absurd reason, as stated by her,
head, and the cardboard would intercept
his vision. Tie Spintualist, with waning
faith, WAS on hand nj the next scanCc, with
Il sort of mask, which he had provided for
| that particular occasion. lie proposed to
so adjust it over the mediums countc-
nance that il would leave the forehead
exposed, not reaching higher than the
fr0RtM sinUS, at the same time that big
| bulge in it would admit of "Whitc Lily"
| having IS good chance to breathe -"
| through nose or mouth, the bottom of the
mask to come below the neck and be Sc
cured to the waist. Taking from his
pocket dollar bill, he said he would give
| il to the medium if, with the mask on,
she would paint II picture rs good as any
one Of those she had produced ON the pre-
| vi0us evening. y few fanatics present
began to hiss him, and one of them de
| clareh that any person who was not salts
| fled with the evidence that Mrs. Blair Ind
already afforded WAS not worth convin-
cling. This disturbance of the elements"
made 'unfavOrablc conditions" for spirit
ual operations ut that timc,-so the me-
| dunn said, and she was probably glad to
have such nn excuse for not submitting
to the test.
The disguStcd challenger gave his adj
dress, saying that his offer would be good
| for any length of time, and then remark
ing that lie had been an avowcd Spirit
lallSt Tor many. years, and though he
might have been humbugscd in the past,
| he dill not intend To he in the future if
rigid investigation could prevent Il, hc re-
tired from the hall. Mrs Blair has never
accepted that challenge.
While operating. i'll New York at the
time referred to, her manager stated pub
| licly that she had painted pictures while
llGr Gyc-lirls were held down by nh invcS-
tigatnr's fingers. Subsequently the city
editor at the World WAS permitted to put
his fingers OH her cyclids while she cs-
Saycd t0 paint; hut hc so thoroughly OBJ
Scurcd her vision that shr could not peek
ont Of one corner Of lIcr eyes, as she per
laps hud btun accustomed to do when the
lids had been merely Touched by some
gentle sccptic; therefore failing To pro
duCc II picture, she abruptly rose in her
evaporation, and boldly accused the mnn
of the World Of trying to punch her eyes
ont. lie stammCrinsly denied the inn
parchment and prccipitatcly rctreatcd.
The atmosphere Of New York was not
altogether favorable to MrJ. Blnir's phase
Of mcdiumship, and so she soon returned
to the provinces. Since then, however
she has made several visits to Chicago
meeting with good success each time, and
of late she has made this city her head
quarters, the favorable reports made oi
her doings by her crcIlulous dupcS, bring
ing her much custom.
Mrs. Blair encountered some insur
mouninblc difficulties in trying to hum
bug the citizens of Roscoe. Ill.,, about TIVE
years ago. After making somewhat in
v"rnhlc impression ON few people there
one of the citizens sent for Dr. j. Philips
II dentist of Bclvidcrc, with whom hc wn
acquainted, and who had incidentally nc
quircd some little reputation IA medium
detective. On the DnCt0r'snrriv nc wa
favored with nn opportunity tn wilncs
| the paintinG performance nf the "spiri
| artist" lie Immediately suspected tim
she was able ia see, notwithstanding I'm
apparent tlIurOughncss Of the blindfold
ing; and then. by actual experiment, IN
projected to demonstrate that Il ucrsoi
thus biinGiOldcd could see. An cnthusi
ns;ic and sanguinc Spiritualst offered (,
wager the Doctor $50 that Mrs. Blai
could paint with newspaper ftstcnct
| over her face, and the offer was promptl,
accepted. hut some difficulty arose as [,
the manner Of arranging the newspaper
The medium wanted bmt n single thick
ness Of paper, and to have it pressed clos,
tn her eyes. Thc paper she provided hnt
several pinholcs or pCrfnrati0ns in il. The
Doctor wanted Ia cover her face with 1
newspaper several times folded, bulgina
away from her eyes, with no pcrGorainn,
"f it before or after lis adjustment. Al
length the wager WINS declared "uff, ant
Mrs. Blair t0Dk herself oil Ia "iIcsh field!
and pastures new" Dr. Philips, %io cai
bc addressed on the subject, II still vii
ling Ia invest $50 or moro, If need bc. il
un undubitahlc demonstration that Mrs
Blair, or any one else, can paint when 50
Thoroughly hlindtuldcd az not to admit u
! the possibility of seeing.
Mrs. Blair now paints in private only
! For three dollars or more she produce!
l for wlmnsorvcr employs her, what she
| calls u "inm;iy picture" that Is II wreath
| or something of the sort, containing
/. miscellaneous assortment Ofprcity posies
! tho white ones representing tho dcCcascr
' female mcmhrr4"C tho employers fnmily
= and unopened buds, the lost little ones
. IL the p0~scssor of this "fnmily picture
A.. Ill -,