St. Landry democrat., 1888-05-12
PHANTOM PICTURES.

Ar. Ancient Trick of Astrolosers and Me-
diums IntellisentIy Explained.
Nine. Diss bar sspirit- painting is
an ancient trick, which has been re-
sorted to by mediums, astrologists and
fortune-tellers in this city for many
years. Any one who is familiar at
all with art materials is aware that
canvases for paintings are usually sold
stretched over little wooden frames.
which can afterward be inserted into
gilded frames if desired. The cam
vases are made in certain sizes, so
that it is easy to secure duplicates
whenever desired, and any "spirit-
painter can promptly furnish an
exact counterpart Of any sized canvas
that may be given to them to operate
upon.
Like every thing else in Spiritual
ism, that which is done must be exc
cuted in the dark. A dim and uncer.
tain light is necessary. and things are
so arranged as to smack of the super
natural as much as possible.
You have brought your own cam
vas see," remarked medium, as
the visitor unwound small modern
frame over which canvas was stretched.
'Oh, yes; l thought | would be able
to say that l had convinced myself
that there could be no possib ility of
tricks"
Very good" replies the medium.
The spirits and myself are we'll
pleased to have the matter placed be-
yond the question of scoffers.'
The medium is never discounted.
She has a canvas already painted just
the size of the one brought, and y lit
tie clever work in the way of slcight-
of-hand is all that is necessary. She
takes your canvas, looks at it a
m oment and then asks that it be
marked. This is done She care.
| fully notes the position of the little
mark placed on the canvas, and leav-
ing the room, she marks q painted
canvas in similar manner and places
it under her skirt. through the side of
which is wide cut large enough to
allow the painted canvas 10 slip out
easily. Returning to the room, the
medium again takes your canvas ard
requests you to face small mirror,
which is so small that any thing that
happens below the level of her
shoulders can not be seen. While
this placing is being done the medium
apparently holds the canvas careless
ly in her right hand, but in reality
she bitches it to hook cleverly con-
cealed at her waist and draws out the
painted canvas, which she raises in
such way that the painted portion is
not reflected in the mirror because of
slight backward slant which is not
noticeable to the visitor.
| Meanwhile, you stand with the can
vas poised above your head before a
glass. and fondly imagine, if you are
at all inclined to believe, that the can
vas is the original one, and that trick
cry is out of the q uestion.
Now" says the medium, 'just
hold the frame very steady for a mo-
ment, so as not to disturb the spirit
artist, who is one of the old school.
and who will reproduce'a most valua-
BILE ancient painting for you.
You hold the frame firmly, and look
steadily into the dimly-lighted mirror
.Now," continues the medium,
sweetly, 'tip it forward just the least
bit.' The tipping discloses the paint
ing in such way that it looks like a
| long, dark streak on the canvas
..Now, tip it slowly forward, for it's
/ developing. Not too fast You tip
/ the painting very slowly forward,
guided by the hand of the medium,
lest it be moved too fast, and dispel
the illusion. The effect of this in the
dim reflection of the mirror, is to make
the painting appear to develop from
the black streak first seen. To the SUBJ
iect, the illusion appears perfect and
the cheap print chrome thus developed
seems to the awed imagination gem
uine work Of art.
To make the trick even more I'M
pressive the medium sometimes places
touch of phosphorus in the center OF
| Tic CANVAS, WHICH Httul d. dlti CIV"
the attention and is watched with
bated breath during the process of de-
velopment.
| Another system mediums have OF
producing these art treas nres is
chemical process known to few. A
picture is painted and is then sized
over with this peculiar chemical MKT
ure. If an artist were to examine
the canvas he would say that it had
simply been primed. When it is
desired to produce the spirit-paintlng
the canvas is rubbed with a sponge
dampened in liquid which eats OIL
the white printing and exposes the
picture rs fresh as when painted.
This can be done on wall as well as
on canvas. and it is in this way that
spirit-paintings on walls are produced.
Mime. Diss Debar paints most OF her
spirit-pictures in this manner The
secret of the chemical preparation
used is carefully guarded by those
who know tn y World.
| S--
| loL-n.Je IIaa ~ Man