New-York tribune., 1895-12-22
A BROOKLYN SPIRIT HEARD FROU. .

| SOME RAPs THAT MIGHT HAVE MEANT SOME
| THING But DIDN'T
A mystery in spirtism has caused something
| OF a sensation among some Dean-st Brooklyh'os
BROOKLYN is q good place for ''isms and 'ooSles'
| and those who Jealous of the mental actNv
of its inhabitants are prone TO characterize many
of the people who pursue abstruse suDJects as d
means of relaxation as ''cranks prominent ahiohs
the various ideas which form a part or the mental
! equipment of residents of Dean-st. Is De-
| lief In the, theories and doctrines of spiritsm
| and this belief was the occasion of remarkable
| test few evenings ago
Never mind who 1t was: suffice 1t 10 say that a
phenomenon happened in the experience of woman
whose intelligence refinement and position are safe
from criticism The clock had just struck the hait
hour after TO- when suddenly distinct but
gentle rapping. from nowhere In particular 'ols-
turbed the stiffness and caused the woman 10 drop
her book in her lap. thought Of burglars hitted
| across her mind, but only for an instant 1t was
preposterous at that hour. Besides. the street was
we'll lighted, and not a household had the SHADES
pulled down for the night She dismissed the sub
ject from her mind.
Two nights later the woman sat at her library
table again. writing and again the CLOCK struck
| the half hour after 10, and again came the
three sharp little raps. like the tapping of tiny
| hammer on a piece OF wood The recurrence OF the
incident at almos: precisely the same hour couple
of evenings later caused Just the least ieelnS on
next Afternoon she dropped into the house of
neighbor. also spiritst, and they talked Or o.
the mysterious rapplngs; One or two others OF
the faithful taken into their confidence CON
cerning the matter. and this was the suggestion
i propose. said one that we take steps to de-.
terrnine whether or not this is materiaizaion
whether il is not the signal OF some one OF our
friends on the other side that there is q message
II was decided to hold private seance, and with
the aid of medium. an ACQUAINTANCE OF az. 20 re-"
ceve the message. If such II proved from the other
side. The next evening all gathered at the house
/ and a few moments talked the matter over.
| The rappng has come always at 1890 SAID the
! hostess ''and let us all be silent and await that
| hour Now. Mrs. = next door is very dear
now in psychic and spirtistc phenomena; She
can't quite make up her mind that 1t is all true
have had. and III just ask her TO join us. 1t may
be the means of demonstrating great truth to her,
and she is much interested you know.
1t lacked fully fifteen minutes of the appointed
time and when Mrs. came in rather silently
and little excited, it must be confessed the whole
situation was explained to her The lights were
cabinet had been set up in the corner, and all
watched with feverish interest and with ears
the clock the mantel and It's ticking seemed
to their tense nerves to grow and Increase in
loudness until climax came in the sonorous clanS
of the half fhour stroke. Suddenly the sound came
Tap, tap. tap, sharp and clear.
There 1t is whispered the hostess to her special
guest. the one interested in psychic and spritistic
| She was shocked at a peal of laughter that came
| in reply; Was the woman insane, hysterical?
another fit of uncomfortable laughter till tears
showed.
rapping" 0nore laughter that only George.
my husband you know. knocking the ashes out OF
his pipe against the mantel. He always does that
just before going to bed and it's his bedtime now,
1890 o'clock"
There isn't half as much interest in spiritistic
phenomena as there was in Dean-st.