Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-24
LAKE pLEAsANr CAMP LIFE.

The Annual Camp Meeting of The
 Spfritualists At Lake Pleasant, Mas.
 sachusetts, To Continue Until Sep-
 tember l.
 At 6:30 o'clock yesterday morning spec ial train consisting of seven cars left this city for Lake Pleasant, Mass, over the New Haven and Northampton railroad. On board the train were sixty-seven passengers mostly gentlemen, many of whom after en- tering the train began rubbing out their eyes as if they had not had sufficient sleep, while others took light breakfast extracted from their pockets. The train stopped at all way stations this side of Pennington, and when the latter place was reached the train was crowded, and two more cars, hay ing on board excursionists from New Hart ford. Unionville and Hartford, were added. After a four hours delightful ride through the prettiest part of Connecticut and Massachusetts, the train arrived at Lake Pleasant station, which is situated among the Massachusetts hills about twenty miles from East Deerfeld on the Fitchburg railroad. The camp ground is leased by the Spiritualists, who are now holding their twelfth annual camp meeting there It ends September 1. By the time the New Haven train had arrived at the lake several other excursion parties were already present and during the day nearly six thou sand people attended the meetings After leaving the train the visitor descends broad flight of stairs, when he comes in sight of a pretty grove and a lake covering about one hundred acres of land. On the lake are sev- eral rowboats to let and small steam launch, which takes passengers for sail around the borders of the lake for ten cents a head. The lower portion of the grove on the waters edge is lined with tents where all manner and kinds of things from popcorn to wax flowers are sold to Spiritualists from the country who can be induced to buy. The western part of the grove is covered with hard wooden seats, on which from two to three thousand Spirit ualists sit three times daily and listen to the wonderful stories and histories of their sls- ters and brothers who claim to see or con- verse with spirits, and occupy small raised stand covered with an awning ill front of the seats. The Fitchburg band occupy stand directly back of that occupied by the speak CTS, from which they give three concerts dai- ly. This grove is covered with tall chestnut and elm trees, and the latter in turn are GOV cred with cards and posters nailed there by the different clairvoyants and test mediums to the number of about one hundred, who occupy tents and houses on the camp grounds. Several wide staircases lead up hill about thirty feet high from the grove to the place
 
 This portion of the grounds is very hand somely laid out into broad ave- nues and streets, and while some of the cottages are only canvas spread over wooden frames, others are quite handsome frame houses prettily painted and decorated outside as well as in. On all of these houses, with but one or two exceptions, there are posted one or more bills or cards stating that Mr., Mrs. or Miss Blank, the celebrated test medium, will give sittings both morning and afternoon at fifty cents sitting. The front rooms of these cottages are generally open, so that passers by can obtain view of the inte- rior, but once in while the doors and windows are closed where some test medium is calling back the spirit of someone's de- parted friend for fifty cents. Lake Pleasant can also boast of large hotel skating rink and rifle gallery, the proprietors of which do large business during the month of Au- gust when the Spiritualists hold forth on the grounds. After the Fitchburg band had played the following pieces yesterday morn ing about 4,000 people took seats on the benches and the morning meeting began: March, ''Exhilaration'.. .Bagley Overture, Magic Flute. ........... Mozart Heinzelmannchen, Patrol of the iGnomesl
 Piccolo Solo, Variations on a popular air,
 c. E. Goodwin. = ''i '' Selection from william Tell'' Rossini foiKa, AmDoS' .ParloW
 The meeting was called to order by Dr. J. Beals, who, after requesting that ali the gentlemen on the grounds who were smoking would stop while the meeting was going on, said he should be happy to introduce to the audience Rev. E. P. Powell of Clinton, N. Y. Dr. Powell spoke for some minutes and finished by stating that the committee would take up collection for the benefit of the so- ciety, which the members of the committee, some of whom were ladies, immediately pro- ceeded to take up, some passing hats, while others passed around small baskets covered with small American flags. Mrs. F. O. Fly ger of Baltimore, Md, lady about sixty years of age, was introduced to the audience, who for nearly two hours sat and listened to her stories about the higher power and her doings with things from the spirit world. During the address Mrs. Hyzer impressed on the minds of her listeners that it was thirty-two years this month since she had been dealing with the spirit world. During the meeting the tents and stands were in full blast and man was trying to sell blue eyeglasses. He stopped passers-by and tried the glasses on whether they wanted him to or not and caused more excitement than the meeting. In the after noon after the band had played various pieces the members again came to order for another meeting.
 The speaker of the afternoon, T. w. Co., burn, called upon the spirits of some of the departed friends of people present, and every time he described person someone in the audience was sure to recognize the spirit named as his or her sister or brother, aunt or mother and they arose and said so. At o'clock in the evening another short meeting took placs, after which the band played more pieces.
 The officers for the ensuing year were then elected.
 The return train from Lake Pleasant ar rived in this city at 8 o'clock last evening and the managers of the road deserve much credit for the few delays on the route.
 Personal.
 Supt c. M Conklin, of the Starin steam boat line, who has had a severe attack of malarial fever, is much better and will take