Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-12-21
RICHMOND
wxlxIY rxrrza or aossR AIp NEWS
NJ Ally 0. AsAaxR.
he Theatre and Aeadsmy-A Newell IN.
tsstainnsAt-AA xxpeyienes
witka Table.
Riouokp, VA, December 20. 1890.

The great festival, so very especially dear to
% 81 the South called sunny. but from
eur late banners borne enid snow and
ke," rather the reverse lately. What sort
Of tignsf hear some one say. Well. hrst,
She thop-windows, bright with toys and
lights, and everything TEMPTING to the eye
ard purse, The crowded streets, and then
the faces Of the dear little ones whom I
meet, not creeping hike snsils, unwil-
Iineiy 10 school,, but hurrying ioyously.
thinking OF the holidays coming aud the
attendant pleasures. Then, have crawled
cut Of my she'll in the last few days and
paid several visits, and everywhere go
6ud the good wife busy talking and plan
nipg for the Christmas dinner and the fcs-
tiyisiss Of the holiday week. Speak
ing Of Cbristmas-day, l really hope
there viii be little firing OF crack.
en-. guns, pistols, and blowing OF horns,
and oil the usual accompaniment OF the
cay. ] can't hope there will be quiet
DAY. because the custom Of making as much
poise ~ possible seems 10 be hard 10 break
%, but think IL will be accomplished IN
time. have often thought that II were
sbeathcn, and were suddenly to be trans
ported 10 The good city Of Richmond ON
some OF the Christmas. day celebrations !
bsye seen here, and inquired what the day
was and was told, I think l should say:
don't want such religion rs this, which
celebrates its founders natal day with such
ftndish noise and feveiry.
But think we are learning 10 know bet,
ter, and that toe 18th day Of December VIII
soon PASS OF quietly, soberly, and with
subdued and holy Joy that viii fifty CON-
nemorate the occasion when He came to
bring
Peace on earth and good will 10 men"
"Wbat has been amusing Won recently"
says a friend. answer: We'll, | saw at
the Theatre last week Skipped 10y the
Light Of the Noon which the bills said
Was funny. very. very funny" IL did
not tickle the tn, airical palate here much.
although 1t came ELECTROMAGNETIC and
lad played TO large houses in New York
and tlsew here, and was regarded rs y big
card.
Howorfh's IIibeInica was presented at
the Academy during the first part OF the
week. The panorama was the main Tea.
ture, and some Of the scenes were beauti-
full. The lakes Of Killarney and Dublin,
. with its principal buildings, and St. Pat
rick's Cathedral, appearing first In daylight
snd then with the procession TO the mid
night mss, we're especially fine.
"Dad's GIRL occupied the boards the
comedy, and the east was not particularly
eooo, but the audiences on a whole seemed
TO enjoy the piece.
read with pleasure Mrs. Powelfs card
in your paper last week, even II II was
ding at me. Some explanation was GER
iainly due the public after the engagement
OF Arizona Joe, and her card shows the
blame should fall primarily on her New |
York agent. hy whom she was duped as
well as the pubic. She means wen, doubt |
not, Lui she gets imposed upon sometimes,
and then the ih,aire-goers suffer.
I was talking TO n party Of gentlemen |
few days ago, and In the course OF CONVEX
ssiion The subject Of spirituasm W,
broacbtd. some believed in it-otheTs did
not. After several opinions had been eX-
pressed and incidents related, one OF the
PARTY at present out OF the civ
Mr.. Il. ID. Core. clerk IN the State
Treasures Office, said DWELL, gentlemen,
you may call 1t spirituaiSm or magnetism.
or anything you choose, but will tell you
an experience | had during the war that
shall never forget, aud, though hardly
credible, am willing TO swear TO
The truth Of il. During the winter
II lSG3-'Gi | was detailed from
nv company, and stnt out, in command OF
picket. TO " hat was denoIninated the eX-
tension-line of defences,' about half mite
TO the right Of the Mechaniesville turnpike.
In my squad was a man from the Black
water district Of Virginia named william
Young, who was most tenacious in his hold
on spiriiualisiic belief. 70 him il was n
religion, and no one ever believed The
teneis OF any church more implicitly than
be in the signs Of tpiritualism. lie was
medium, and every knock OF table had
meaning for him. That spirits would come
at his bidding and commune with aim he
never doubted, and in bis very soul be
believed the medium to be a llfeless, mani
mate table.
"some time during the winter Mr..
Radcliffe, who lived near, ask, d me to bring !
Young 10 his house some evening and nave /
n communication with the other land. |
Young consented after | had vouched thai |
tie ladies 10 be present would behave with |
Difference 10 his belief. The evening ap- |
pointed, after arriving at Mr. Ratcliile's |
house Il light table was procured, and |
sufficient number seated themselves around |
II 10 form complete circle, with their !
hands upon the table.
"In due tune Young asked II there were |
any spirits present. immediately the table /
rose and stood on two legs and remained |
40 for several moments. Again the /
medium asked: Does the split desire 10 1
communicate with any one present. Al |
once the table rose on one leg and began To 1
spin around, and the medium remarked |
that an evil spirit was present. The table !
at once began TO go around at very rapid |
rate, ill 1t had freed itself from all hands |
,aye Ioung's and mine. Young seemed I
terribly frightened. lie exclaimed TO me, /!
.iAke your hands or did -, and he |
did likewise, and, folding his arms, stood !
erect before the table, which was still tilt. |
ed and standing on twolegS. instantly the |
table taped from the door aud clasped him
around the waist. Then commenced
struggle, Young cndcavofing TO free him
self and calling IN piteous tones for help.
have never seen "A face betray more agony
and alarm than did his at that moment. Mr..
l.. ;. Nottinghams Que OF the COMPANY
present. and myself went To Ioung's relief.
aud, seizing the table on eithcrsiic, we gave
strong pull together, and pulled hard
enough. thought, 10 separate tbe different
parts OF the table, but 10 no purpose. The
next instant the table took another notion,
and, leaving Young. assembled Ia the cell.
ing of the room, with lis top against the
ceiling, and in that position remained, with
no human hand touching II, till we pulled
IL down and put IL on one side OF the room.
Fully half an hour afterwards | walked
over to IT and placed my baud upon II. A.
did 80 II leaped several feet from its posi-
ton and Tell over on the side. | took IL up,
aud ~ l returned II TO its place deter
mined to iet il rest until the evil spirit had
departed.
:" As for Mr.. Young, could never again
prevail on him 10 attempt another commit.
nication with the departed. As for myself,
disclsim absolutely any belief in the SUI
pernstural 10 this occurrence, but there is
sone subtle power iu lis effects communi-
Gated Nv human contact with the inanimste
which IL to me most mysterious. | have
only related what saw without the slight
est eoloripg."
The Senior Lyceum OF the Young Mems
Christian Association gave an amusing en-.
ttrtsinment last week 10 the shape Of
mock.tnal. One samuel DE Null was
charged with stealing dog from one Ed.
ward Hyde, and the object OF the defence
wss TO prove that the dog was given 10 Mr.
De Null. In addition 10 the sage Judge
and keeu-eyed clerk. and the busy lawyers
on either side, there were several witnesses,
aud The young men who took the parts OF
Mrs. Bridget 0'Rielly, the Irish woman;
Zebedial sioogadoo and Msry Jane Wash.
ineton Johnston, the negroes. were lau.h-