The Delta independent., 1888-09-11

Herne Bay was drawing to u close.
Pm going to give little seance here
tomorrow night said Monsieur
Kardec. i shall be greatly pleased
if you would come and look at the
wonders the spirits will perform.
Don't humiliate me by Offering to
pay at the door. Here are u couple
of tickets
Il was about to decline. but my
wife gave me one appealing look from
those great eyes Of hers, which did
not appeal iii vain. We'll come with
pleasure, said |, and l thought no
more about the matter.
"As we walked home we stopped to
read one of the posters. 1t was the
ordinary programme-spirit rapping,
thought reading, clairovance, and
then followed a rather extraordinary
statement: Monsieur Kardec, after
part the first, will give an illustration
of modern conjuring and prestidigit-
atlon, without apparatus or accom-
Plices. The whole will conclude with
the mysterious disappearance of a
lady selected from among the audi
ence.' We both rather looked for
ward to the entertainment as IA break
to the dull monotony of our daily
round at Herne Bay.
"Punctual to the time, we presented
ourselves at the Assembly Rooms,
and were the sole occupants of what
We're termed the reserved fauteuils, ;
which were two rows of ordinary
cane-bottom-chairs. | don't think
there We're fifty people in theroom al
together. The first part of the per-
formance was deeply interesting;look
ing back upon it calmly as do now,
and speaking with the authority ofone
who knows" said the man land the
fire of enthusiasm flashed in his
watery eyes,, Il am convinced that
Monsieur Kardec was a powerful
medium. Then followed part two,
about which there was nothing very
remarkable; they were ordinary feats
of sleight- t-cfhand-good simple con-
juring of the old school. And then
Monster Kardec addressed us in a
short lecture. He told us that what
he was to do before our eyes was no
trick, no juggle-'in fact, said he,
there is no deception whatever. 1t is,
he added solemnly, the works of the
spirits did not pay much atten-
tion to what looked upon then as
the idle patter of the professional
conjurer. ! have since had reason to
change my mind" and then he gave
a deep sigh. Monsieur Kardec ex-
hibited to us the ordinary big card
board extinguisher. And now,' said
he, if any lady will step forward,
will cause her to disappear by the as
sistance of my familiar spirits The
gentleman at the piano began to
play the ghost melody from The Cor
sician Brothers. / never hear that
tune now," said the little man, "but
it makes my flesh creep.
"Nobody volunteered Monsieur
kardec was evidently disconnected.
Ladies and gentlemen he said. if no
lady will oblige me, shall be unable
to give you this interesting expert
ence.' Then he appealed to my wife.
Madame he said, you would con-
fer an obligation on me if you would
come to my assistance"
"Hettie-I mean my wife-always q
good-natured girl, rose at once, be-
lore could demonstrate. Monsieur
kardec led her to the little table in
the middle of the stage How lovely
she looked, as she stood in the we'll
known pose of the Greek slave, with
clasped hands! noticed, too, that
she wore the diamond riviere that
had been my wedding gift. The COM
juror covered her with the great ex-
tinguisher Spirits of the vast
heavens, help mel he shouted, in a
sort OF scream of entreaty. He
knocked over the extinguisher. NY
wife had disappeared!
''There was a tremendous round
applause, in which I Joined; but
didn't quite like it, all the same
Then the gas went out as if by magic
felt myself suddenly seized by the
wrist, and the voice of Kardec hissed
in my ear, My poor friend, some
thing very terrible has happened;
your wife has been carried off by the
indignant spirits; but he added,
melodramatically, Il will save her,
or perish in the attempt!'
There was a pause.
81 have never seen my wife, sir,
from that day to this" said the lit
tie man, as he buried his face in his
hands. sit was the vengeance of
she spirit world upon one who was
once what you are, my friend-a
scoffer and an unbeliever" Have
you never searched for her?" / said.
"What would be the use?" said the
little man.
just then the train rolled into the
station of Folkestone Harbor.
"And the conjurer?" said /.
He must have met with similar
fate,' said Mr.. Boobyer, who was
collecting his impediments; ''for he
never came to. receive the money
taken at the doors!'
EDMUND YATES. London World.