Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-12
FLOWERS FROM EDEN.

A sweet smelling DeceptlOn--Re-
markabIe Performance.
New York Herald. December Sd
At private house up town last
evening a party of men and women
assembled in the parlors to witness
an exhibition of the very latest de-
yelopment in spiritualism-the ma
terialization Of flowers. Perhaps
naturalization is the wrong term,
for the flowers produced were nat
ural and could be handled and
their fragrance perceived, Just the
same as the products of the gar
den, whereas the hands, faces and
figures that mediums have hereto
fore been in the habit Of "mate-
rializing" were shadowy counter
feits that vanished at the touch into
thin air. How profoundly, indeed,
the world of spiritualism will be
stirred by the announcement that
flowers grown on the garden slopes
of the summer land can be brought
to this mundane sphere in the short
space of three-quarters of an hour,
with all the sweet and heavenly
odors thick upon them. Florists
will have to give up business, for il
a dozen flowers can oe SO transferred
why not a whole garden? Per
chance a few big trees, may be the
tree of knowledge, and, delightful
to think of, a full grown peach or.
chard right in the middle of winter
Ardent believers in spiritualisn
hold that everything and every oc.
cupation on this earth has its coun
terpart in the summerland, and
believing SO and having implicit
faith in the mysterious powers O
spirit agency, it will be easy enough
to convince most of them that thes,
natural flowers are really brough
into their presence by an unseeI
hand.
THE SEANCE.
OF those who gathered at th,
seance a majority were more or les
believers in spiritualism; but ther,
we're certainly three most unmitiga
ted skeptics. In a room off tn
front parlor a canopy of red clotl
was suspended from the chandelier
the cloth falling to the floor, max
ing thus sort of tent on a smal
scale for the medium. The insid
of this was, Of course, thorough
explored by the unbelievers ; but
was very evident nothing coul
possibly be hidden away within i
About nine o'clock the mediur
entered the parlop and was Intro
tduced to those present. He wa
low,sized, slight and pale, wit
close-cropped black side whiSkel
and mustache, q low forehead an
a fathead. Ills manner was mil
and unassuming. His dress wa
poor and seedy and his linen peepe
furtively above a broad black scar
Everything being in readiness
committee of three-Mr. Edmun
Price (stern unbeliever), Mr.. |
Lewis (believar) and Mr.. Oonnoy(
(skeptic) was appointed to exam
Inc the medium. The ladies and II
rest retired to the back parlor, whei
the canopy was suspended, an
ranged themselves in a circle aroun
it. The medium threW off his Goa
vest and suspenders, and the mep
bers of the committee proceeded
feel him all over from his shoes
his shirt-collar. The search W
sufficient to satisfy oil there that
, any violet, lily of the valley or la
r rose OF summer was secreted an
whore in or under his clothes
would hsye only poor show f
, recognition if prGdHced. This b
, ing over, the medium passed in
the adjoining room and enterC
y the canopy, which was aga
: searched by the committee. He toc
a chair with him, on which he s
down, and then drew the folds
I. the canopy around him. The circ
!, ofeighteen or twenty persons joinC
\ hands aud sang the "Sweet by al
by" There is a Land Of Pure D
le light.' and other hYmns. Preser