Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-03-15

never obtrudes itself in his elegant dsport-
meat. Although d cannot be ssid Of him
thai he Ia a. hs l-aI 3fE4 q 7-Isss
$. s--nilda hammered nan .,..
A ever scutt,sd q ship or cat oroaa'
vet his patronizins sir, bis diiettante assamp
ton, might lead ais enemies 10 suppose that
At heart he believed in tho MaehisyelliAn
polc5. His chief admirer and patron was
Mrs. SnoSberly, who resides on Fifth avenue:
The fact that she received and INTRODUCED
him into soSiety gavs him carte blanche to
consider himself among the upper.tendens.
BE did SO with an amazing lack Of imidity.
Society did not question his carte blanche,
bat some doubted him and attempted to
snub him at several receptions, but al to
no purpose. He rebuked them with such
nonchslant, imperturbab!e ssugfroid that
their snubbing acted like a boomerang and
returned to plague the displeased. Mrs.
Snobberly is a spirituaist, johnson was
medium. The connecting social link be-
tween the two was thus established. No re
ception or private entertainment was consid-
cred swell unless Mr.. Ventidius johnson ap-
peared and assisted. The hostess usually
called him out some time during the evening
to sniuse the company present BY ventriIo-
ouism, tricks of legerdermsin or produ !ing
materialized ghosts. johnson never liked
to materialize spirits unless at Mrs. Sno5-
berly's, where he was in the camp OF the
believers.
Yentidius johnson had enemies, bat ne
did not know it. They even went so far as
to whisper around tina, he had once been
mountebank in the s'de-show Of travelling
circus and thai. he rented himself out az so
much per hour at evening ente :tainuents
andreceptions. II theserumors reIcSed him
he never betrayed it, and the dis nond shirt
stud Mrs. Snobberly gave him for materia'-
izing the spirit Of her dead hush ! sparaed
as serenely as ever in his bleschei front. 1t
IS said by those who witnessed the material
izatIon Of the departed Snobberly that he
hobbled as he did in life, and said:
"If don't bear the market to-day, Lydia
Ann, although l am bull, I'll be ruined BY
watered stock.
Snobberly was broker Lydia Ann is
the given name Of Mrs Soohberly.
Mrs. Snobberly came near fainting, AID
said:
His words exactly most every day to
me"
From that time forward Ventidius was all
in all to Mrs S.
Just before the election in November last
Mrs. S. gave q big entertainment. Late in
he evening she called upoa Nentldlus to
materialize a spirit he came out upon
little raised platform in the south parlor and
announced 10 Mrs Snobberlys guests that
he intended to make an innovation in the
performance.
~ shall place screen on the platform,
and wien tie lights are lowered any number
OF ladies or gentlemen who desire can step
in it one at a time and speak their thoughts.
shall then produce a mindTeading spirit
who will tell verbatim what each one said in
the screen
Wonderful man, said Mrs. S. to a group
of spiritualists near her. They all echoed;
Wonderful"
"Let the skeptics have a chance" said
YentidiUs. The spiritualistic vapor seems
to permeate my being tonight, and / feel
more like disembodied soul than living
man"
Wonderful" echoed his admirers and
believers. !
"Now do not be bashful, gentlemen, but
come right along and peak your though
while repose and see what is going on in
the spirit world"
He was behind another screen some dis
lance of. The lights were lowered and
stiffness prevailed. Three gentlemen AMI
two ladies mounted the platform, and each
in turn went behind the empty screen and
spoke their thoughts. Full five minutes
elapsed after they finished before the spirit
issued from the screen where they spoke
their thoughts The room was very dim.
The ghost came enveloped in white flowing
robes. Several ladies came near iainting
with fright.
What was the astonishment Of every one
present when the ghost seemed to be turn
ing crank beneath the folds of the gown
and there came forth strange metallic voice
which said:
"Ventidius johnson is an ASS.
The believers turned pale, but the metallic
voice continued
johnson is knave, moutebsnk and
sham"
Greater confusion prevailed among the
faithful.
Just as the voice Of the ghost commenced
again, johnson is a" a figure from
behind the screen johnson occupied rushed
out on the platform and shouted:
Drop that instrument, you internSl ne
grow
At these words the ghost threw of the
gown, the light was surned up, and there
stood Mrs. Snobberly's negro coachman
with photograph in his hand and Ventidi-
US johnson red with rage.
II want my FIVE dollars do, for turning
this crank" said the coschmsn, throwing
down the photograph. 1t was too much for
Veutidius johnson. He kicked over the
screen, yelled to the negro to 60 to warm
climate, and vanished His enemies laughed
and screamed with delight, while poor Mrs
Snobbcrly was carried away in fainting
fit.
The negro coschmsn never got his Eve
dollars for playing Photographic ghost.