Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-14
THE LATEST.
SUPERIOR TO "PIAKcEEr.- AND no
Exp or FUN.
Tie Dancing Derby" Manifestations
Through an Insnimats Body-A
Formulating Hat.
rCntc1eo Tribune. 7

other night. Ibis particular circle
holds meetings regularly once . week
during The winter and IT irregular inter-
vsls during the summer. At these meet
ings, " hich are mostly beld in 8 certain
priyst. residence on Calumet avenue, the
circle practices the msterillizing Of
spirit forms, and when the =" conditions
are urfarorsbls" for naturalization.
as they frequently are, the members
nmuse themselves with mesnerisn,
nipd-reading, table-rspping, plsncbes-
writirg. ptlmistry, music seGnoes II
the dark. or one or other Of the many
freaks Incidental 70 Spirit1slistie faith.
There had been DO meeting held for
ovtr FIVE weeks until Thursday eve
ning last. The leader of the circle being
away in the White mountains. She
had invented the new machine while she
was away.
IL have named il the Dancing
Derby" she began. as soon rs the
door was locked knd the windows pad
ded /" it is quite simple and easy TO
voIk. and is DO end Of fun. Any one
with little mediunistie power can
nsDsgs it, and II hardly ever fails. Ii
is based on the couDon principles OF
spirit manifestations through NJ InAni-
mate body by the aid Of . mediums
touch, ard Il much superior to the
plt1c 1cbei or The table rs . means Of
con nunicstiun. Now ! want hat
one without lining preferred"
Then Mrs. Brovn-thst isn't ber
name, but it vill de-produced q
wooden alphabet similar TO those used
IN infant kindergarten classes, each
wooden letter being about two inches
square. Then she produced four little
sticks, each about four inches long and
as thick as q common lesd-pencil, and
then four long thin nails, like corksr-
pins. with little brass beads. The bat
being procured. she fastened the Little
sucks to the brin, two IN front
and two behind. the long pins
stuck through the brim of the
bat and running half way
through the sticks being sufficient TO
keep The latter firmly II place. The
ht., when finished, rested sQukrely OF
four legs. inst like four-legrei stool.
A rose Was stuck under The hst-bsDd
IL front 10 indicate ibe front from the
rear. Tb,n the twepty-sir wooden let
tiers were arranged ID . circle on ths
table. and the - Dancing Derb, " set
On its fee; II then midst.
-Four Of the Iint people ID the circle
were gifted with ths, Int XPbcsble
power Of touch known ks medlnmistic,
but none Of them ever used the power
for money making purposes o. ID pro-
1essiontl capacity. The general opinion
Of The circle Is not fhvoiktle 10 profes-
siontl mediums, hDd uieht be summed
up by saying that ibe work Of the latter
is about thIee parts : Stirituahsm 80
nipety-ssven psTtt fraud.
Mrs. Brown, " ho WIS one Of the four
referred 10, began by placing the tips
of her fingers on the crown Of the bat,
The Other three mediums dong the same.
In less than . minute The hat began TO
squirn and sisggsr, and il another
minute j; arose oD Its two foIslegs Ike
q kicking steer, and raced IN . drunken
etllop clear around the table.
" Are ven ready Tor sous converse
iiousr sLid Mrs. Bro vi, Addressing the
hat. Ny. Derby gave double buck, a.
though trying to turn . somerset. THIS
Was accepted ss III indication that be
vas quite ready charged Mrs.
Brown called II. Then the mediums
took ihtJ hands of-tll except Mrs.
Brown, who kept Ter iofshngef lightly
re.ting on the biin as wire Of CON-
nunicstion. II addition 10 the tlphs-
bet, already referred 10, two slips Of
paper had been placed on The table, on
oYe Of which was written Yes, and
On The Other d" No"
lis ibers : spirit here - asked
Mr.. Brown. Tie bat gave . little
Jump and alehted with its right fore
foot on The word " Yes
" bat Is your ntns'
kr. Derby bssi.sted . noDcnt and
then slowly moved around to the letter
M" which be tapped with his of leg
Us before. Then be moved 70 the let
ter Il !" snd tapped ii; then quickly
70 The letter NJ and gave ii two
taps. Ird was moving tack toward the
i. when Mrs. Brown said
" Oh, know. That's Minnie Jack
SOL.
The hat stepped. turned piropette
OF rs hind legs. zDd lit with lis FORE
foot OF the word - Yes, as before.
"Minnis. bow are you, my dear: "
SAID Mrs. Brown; Lnd o Bow do you
60, Miss Jackson ;" sN6 Mr. Black,
another Of The mediums and 4" Minnie.
love, we're delighted TO see yon." sx-
claimed 3 ihird-though never 3 CLINT
Of Minnie was 70 bs seen except IL the
antics Of the hat.
- Minnie has rather q rornanti: his
tory stid Mrs. Brown for The benefit
Of The new visitor Of the circle. She
was 10 have been married 70 her ovn
true leye, but tbe night before the we'd
dirg be Was accidentally ohOked BY .
turnip which stuck II his throat. Min
ME would have fretted herself TO death
but that she took pity on another
yourg nan who was dying for her, and
n1rried him the following Easter"
And had fourteen children. and her
mother was burned for WITCH by
James VI. Of Scotland" added NJ.
Mack.
mo. po-;hst's May Royal you
are thinking Of, stid Mrs. Brown;
I'VE must have q talk with her by-snd-
by; shs tells such interesting stories.
Bow 60 you like The Dancing Derby
Minnie -
"F-u-s-t-r-s-t-e," replied the spirit.
Hsve you 90, any message fOr any
ores"
Yes. F-o-r-M-r-E-s-e-k."
Prom that great-grRndfsthsr Of
nine. IN bet, - said Mr. Mack.
The hst II oDcs put It's foot on the
Yes" in token that Mr. Mack hAd
called the turn.
Wei, let's have i, said Mr..
Mack. And the hat rapidly spelled
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS