The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-06-28
q Been There.U

believe you aro taking quite an In
terest in spirits just at PRESENT." said o
rather seedy-looking old party, sliding
into the city editors room.
"Yes, we are deyoting some space to
that sort of thing" said the city editor.
"Got q communication ?"
"Wcll, no." said the seedy party.
"But can give you good deal of in
formation on the subject. You see, I've
worked the medium racket myself. /
used to be one Of tho best materializers
going, and I've seen the time | could set
q whole set of parlor furniture dancing
n Highland fling by simply slapping my
fingers. These modern fellows arc no
good, and don't you forget it. They
bungIe the whole business, and give
everything away before they have hardly
commenced sitting. What you want
is cheek, and plenty of it. Don't cave
i'll because crank happens to ash you
troublesome questions. Just get up an
Internal ropping under his chair and
scare him into silence, or get your assist
ant to"
"Assstant ?" asked the editor. "Then
you confess"
"Confess of course / confess" said
the seedy party, "that's what 1 Came
here for. Yes, you have to employ an
assistant, and very often the whole busi-
ness depends upon his judgment. Why,
l have an assistant who could run tho
snap just as well as / could, and he was
death on stirring up the uneasy ones
after tho light was turned down. Ono
time ho touched piece OF leo to the
back of an old gals neck, and put her
in fit. We had to skip that town in
short order l tell you. That was his
great trouble. He never could take in
the true inwmdness Of a circle. My
motto is, first be sure of your circle, and
then stave ahead. If they are farmers
and that kind of thing why let 'em down
easy. A little will 90 a great way with
'em. If you strike city bring III your
heavy guns. Lead off with n dozen OF
30 communications from the old world.
work up little rapping business, and
then when you've got EN- nervous
enough just suddenly spring the cabinet
net on 'em but there is one thing n we'll
trained medium will never forget"
"And what is that ?" asked the editor
"He will always keep himself between
the gas fixtures or lamp and his circle. u
"Exactly," said the editor.
"Yes," said the seedy party, slappine
tho desk with his hand, "more good,
likely mediums have bust up III that way
than any other. They put too mucl
confidence in tho circle. Whiffl Vi
went tho gas. and that settled the whole
business. You're always sure to ril
down curtain i'll getting out of sight
aud there are all your properties expose,
to everybody, but I've got out of one o
two scrapes of that sort in my time, ant
don't you forget it..
"How did you manage it?" asked til
editor.
"Oh, I Just threw the whole thing o
the spirits, and played the innocent ii
jured act"
! "But would the people believe you
asked the editor.
"Believe me-" said the seedy part,
"my dear boy, il you want TO know ju
how much tho people will believe, G
,, into tho spirit business. They nev,
stand on ceremony. They just swIllo
everything whole, aud the bigger til
mouthful the easier it seems to go dow
with 'em. You just take hack at I'll
spirit business for a month or SO, and
you don't agree that I'm right, Ill stan
, the drinks for the whole Office. Tai
about tho side show and dime museul
) business. Well, those fellows kno
l something about guys, but We can di
count 'cm every time. They may stl'
stray leg on a COW now and then, al
:, call South Carolina darly Zulu, b
J for your simon pure humbug-"
II "Then you go so far as to call yo
y business humbug? ?" said the editor.
Il "My dear boy, I've been there, " 81
. the seedy party, as he lit the stump
! II cigar, and sauntcred out with tho 1
Q of man who bad relieved his co
y science. e.-Brookiyn Edgtc.