The sun., 1881-12-04

President. Nine hundred and ninety nine
experiments with negative results prove moth
ing: but the one thousandth case. II estab-
lishcd. proves everything. Demonstrated once.
the possibility OF communication with disem-
bodied spirits is demonstrated forever"
fusillado Of raps in every part OF the room
greeted this proposition.
Il grant that" said /. Prove one instance OF
the interference of spirits in the affairs Of men
ard you have established the whole case"
But you believe" he rejoined. with smile
that the thousandth and absolutely auth entic
instance will never be proved: and meanwhile
you reserve the right to explain away all such
things as you have seen tonight By the hypo-
thesis OF iugglery."
Pm sure tho gentleman doesn't think that"
insinuated Mrs. Blackwell who had now I'm
ished her brandy and water.
Nevertheless" continued Jordan, tho one
thousandth instances may happen. may happen
at any time. and may happen to you. Come and
see my pictures"
tried to keep q grave face while my host
did the honors Of a score or more OF Raphaels
Titians. Correggios. Guidos. and what not, all
painted in his own house BY mediums under
inspiration. Jordan's old masters make COL
lection probably unlike any other on earth
When he demanded what thought OF the in
ternal evidence OF their auth snticity. was able
to reply with perfect truthinlness that nobody
could mistake them.
From this amazing trash turned with feel
ines OF relief to Landscape hanging in tbs hall
way. - moved 1t out here" said Jordan. ito
mako room for that superb Carracci. Daniel In
the Lions Den-the large canvas you partcu-
larly admired"
looked at the old gentleman to see II he was
In earnest. Then looked again at the glorious
landscape.
Here was no painted fiction. but truth Itself:
clump OF rounded willows. seen by early
morning light and seen again in the perfectly
calm water Of the canal or sluggish stream
which they overhung q skifY. resting partly on
the water and partly on the wet grass OF the
nearer bank: beyond. an indistinct distance
and the outline OF . chateau tower with the
conical Burgundian peak; Q marvellous humid
atmosphere OF blue and mist. a soft light en-
vclopng everything and caressing everything.
No painted fiction. I say. but window through
which any one having eyes might survey Ma.
ture In her eternal truth.
/ said: That comes nearer to the super
natural than anything have ever seen. It IL
worth all your old masters together"
You like it ?" said he. 1T 10 we'll enough.
Isuppose. though OF school for which have
no particular fancy. 1t was painted here about
identify himself"
Nonsense " said I. for this passed all endur-
ance. "Corot has been dead five years."
Jordan led the way back into the library.
Mrs Work." said he. do you remember the
circumstances under which the largo landscape
In the hall-the hazy green one-was painted :"
Certainly" replied the young lady looking
up from her needles; " recollsct very we'll. It
was painted through me-"
In claiming the authorship OF this wonderful
work OF genius. she used the same mattsr-of-
fact tone In which she would have acknowl-
edged stork and sunfower in crewel. or .
sleeping pussy cat in Berlin woods.
And you are an artist tyourself-that II to say.
when not in the trance state2"
"Oh. yes." she replied returning my gaze
with unflinchng eyes: and thereupon she pro-
duced from one OF Mr.. Jordan's portfolios a
preposterous bunch OF lilacs In water color.
Meanwhile. Jordan had been rummaginR In
his desk. He now brought forth an account
book. Here We have It," he said. nil set
down In black and white" In the middle OF .
pago OF similar memoranda read this item:
1850. May i3-Pd. u. 4 work for painting done under
control; large view urses stream boat. SIS 70
"All can say. Madam."I exclaimed. turn.
ing to Mrs. Work. IL that Knoedlsr or Avery
would have been most happy TO pay you $4,000
for that Corot. for Corot 1t 10. and q master.
piece at that"
Good night" said Jordan. a little later.
when rose TO retire. After what you have
already experienced I need hardly warn you
not to be disturbed by any noises you may hear
in your bedroom" A hail storm OF raps punctu-
ated his sentence They hover. hover around"
Mrs. Blackwell WAS saying. as left the library;
but in this house 1t il as Ruardlan--"
I went TO had thorouohIv hawildarad Wa
there. after all. behind this wretchsd Jack lin
the-box jugelery something incom mprehs snsible.
unexplainable. ething which
the juRRlers themselves understood no better
than their dupes When thought OF Mary.
Queen OF Scots. o2linR me through her paste-
board mask. and OF Jordan's rhapsody over her
unsarthly beauty. the problem seemed too iR-
noble to engage an Intelligent mans attention
for a single minute; but there was the Corot
The whole machinery Of raps. hands. ropes.
apparitons. guitars. Raphssls. CorreRRios and
Carraccis was almost childish In its simplicity;
but there again was the Corot. Every train OF
logical thought. every analytical process lsdsme
back to the marvellous Corot
One Of three things must be true: The pic
ture was q commonplace daub. like the old
masters. and was laboring under strange
delusion or haliucination In regard TO its merits.
Or. Mrs. Work and her accomplicos had pro-
cured a Corot unknown to connoisseurs and |
had sold it for one fve-hundrsdth part OF It's
market value. to bolster up a petty deception. |
Or. the landscape was q marvel and the man |
ner Of Its production q miracle. The first sup- |
position was the most plausible. yet was not |
disposed to accept II Al the expense OF my self
possession and judgment; no doubt daylight |
would confirm my estimate Of the picture. The |
second supposition involved degree OF folly |
disinterested and expensive folly-on the part OF |
these precious mediums that did not tally with |
my observations OF their character. To accept |
The third supposition was. OF course. to accept /
the theory of thespiritualists. Thus reasoning
I fell asleep. and was awakened. about haf-pas
two o'clock. by a mufied hammering directly
beneath my bed.
Now. gentlemen. what followed passed very
rapidly. but every incident is distinct in my
memory. and l ask you TO reserve judgment |
until you have heard me through.
The noise came from the room under mine.
As nearly as could Judge. tn was the library
Jordan's advice. l determined