The morning times., 1895-11-10
A VISIT TO THE MEDIUM.

n uSIl ~ InE WEDlUM.
A mouse cautiously emerged from a
shadowy corner at the head OF an open stair
way leading down to the stenographers'
room in one of the big insurance offices
of Chicago.
begin my story thus for, II my reader Is
feminine, she will at once experience a curl
Gus sensation, which will pave the way TO
more profound sensations; If masculine, he
will mentally exclaim, Here is something
on the woman" and be Interested accord
ingly.
On the steps were grouped half dozen
girls, the queen half way up and the rest in
various attitudes Of attention below her
and on the window ledge.
II never believed in Spiritualisin before, y
the queen was saying, but I'll be switched
If can help believing when a woman Tells
me all about my past and present and all
about my folks
''Nor can H. cllimed in the duchess The
duchess was never entirely happy unless she
was doing the talking. Il will leave ii TO
you, girls she continued. How would she
know, for instance. how many places had
lived in, how many persons there were in
our family ana that was TO meet my ia te in
the person o a abroad-shouideredn man, wear
ing suit of light clothes?n
Here the queen took up the conversation
with wonder as she told of the wonderful
revelations made by South Side medium.
The queen had a power of expression above
the average. She told o deaths predicted
OF dark secrets unearthed; of past present
and future. Blue eyes looked into brown
eyes and beyond into the unfathonIable
depths of the unknown and t.ukno wable.
The air grew thick with mystery. Dis
embodied spirits whispered to straining
ears and ghosts stalked about at MONDAY.
Suddenly the air was rent with a terrible
shrek and the rabbit who mad been sitting
on the window ledge, preserving the va
riety, the charm and mystery of silence"
with a graceful acrobatic leap, stood poised
on the nearest desk on one dainty foot her
skirts convulsively clutched back with one
stiffened hand, while with the other she
pointed tragically toward the stairs.
In a twinkling the queens trim ankles
We're silhouctted against the court window,
while every piece of furniture the room
contained was graced with living statue.
The arcii-enemy of woman-kind was abroad
in the land and ghosts and spirits were
relegated to The background. Mr. Mouse
came down the steps wo at time and flew
to cover, his little body convulsed with
nlerrimeDt. \ second later saw him peer
from behind the leg OF a desk and heard
him mutter: " What fools these mOrtals bei'
The excitement subsidized and quiet reigned
inthestenograp pher $ room, unbroken savcby
the click, click OF the typewriters. for the
wicked little idea W hich had popped into my
head and had been at once communicated TO
little Miss X. worked itself into d definite
plan with little outward sign.
on the next Saturday afternoon three de-
mure-loOxing mortals besought the medium
for reading. Miss Y. was arrayed in giddy
attire and wore a diamond ring on her en-
"a cement finger. Col. Jinspin was enycioped
In an air of injured innocence, in which the
average man masqucrades, while | was a
sad-eyed widow in a black dress and bonnet
and wedding ring graced my sacrilcgious
finger.
We were ushered into a tiny room, with
but one window, whose shade was drawn so
that the room was filled with dim, ghostly
light. The medium seated herself in the
darkest corner, explaining that she was cUn-
troiled by the spirit uf Moha wk, and began
making mysterious passes in the air and Oc-
casionally rubbing her face with her hands.
Her face grew gray and wan, and seemed
almost lifcless for few moments. when she
suddenly sat erect, with a bright, rested ap-
pearance, and, pointing to the colonel. called
out in a shrill. high pitched voice, Hello,
brave,'' She fell to counting on her fingers.
II see YOU, brave" she went on, with one,
two, six, eight spirits over you, and one, six,
seven in the earf conditiunum. ! see many
dark shadows in your past life, brave, but
then all am smooth and bright before you.
You have been a wandercr; You have no
wigwam- Isee you travel over mountainum
and valley and crossing broad plI ins. / see
you cross the hunting grounds OF my people.
Then, again, / see you In an office with one,
five men working for you. brave. but you
no stay inside much. / see You building
something. What is it. brave? Is it a
railroad? see You measure and look long
and carefully up and down the land.''
A look OF amaZement took the place OF
the amused smile which had glimmered from
behind the colunel's blonde mustache at her
ridiculous attempt To initiate the Indian
tongue. He is a civil engineer She was
describing his occupation exactly. So
strange coincidence was this that a chilly
conviction began TO force its way through
the crust of my unbelief and | felt a bit
Uncomfortable about my ring.
You try 10 make people think you re-
ligionun, brave, but You am not. There am
no religiUnum in you. But you not bad;
YOU good all the way through. / like you.
You have something better than religionum.
When you am friend 10 a man, you am friend.
When he want wampam he know where
to GO"
The colonel was perplexed. Here was
decided home thrust for good Methodist.
with just touch Of soothing, alleviating
flattery. He was fast losing confidence in
HNiSPli- Next lOiipWeu discussion OF MS
dispositiOnum. as she called it, which left
him in a pitiable frame OF mind. / felt re-
assured and began to thoroughly enjoy my
self. 1t was evident that she was nothing
but mind reader, and she had an easy task
before her. There was help-yOuTself sort
OF an air of resignation about him, and
more than once / intercepted an appealing
glance at the door. could read him myself.
He was dealing out his most respectable
faults first, as an aeronaut does his sand
bags, but was holding on desperately to a
few of his particularly pet vices lest he
should go entirely up the flume. But it was
of no use. When man has stood for thirty
four years with his head uncovered to let
the women pass by he has a cold in his
head, which renders his much-lauded mas
culine intellect an inadequate protection
against the wiles or the other sex. He was
wax in the hands of the enchantress, and he
groaned in spirit when he met our trium-
phant glances.
1T will be your turn next" he malciously