St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-08-21
A Seance that Succeeded.

are no more interesting perhaps than
his stage performances, but possess
a singular quality OF human interest,
For instance, young man came to
him not very long ago and said that
his father had fallen so completely
under the influence of a certain
spiritualistic medium that he would
transact no business without advice
from the spirit land, and it was
feared that the old man was going
to bring destruction upon himself
through his serious attention to the
ghosts. Some time ago, the son
said, the heavenly guides had adj
vised their worshiper to invest in
some mining stocks of doubtful
character and he had declared that
he would take the pointer. The son
was greatly alarmed, and he had
come to Kellar to learn if by means
OF the magician's talent the venerable
dupe's faith could not be shaken in
these shades that came so good
naturally from the land OF the I'M
known to advise him in everything
from the value of mining securities TO
the best type of bicycle. The pos
SCISSORS of the heavenly truths con-
veved their meanings to the old man
in messages written upon ordinary
states. The story aroused Kellar's
sympathy, and he arranged a scheme
to thwart the spirits and deprive
them Of their pious old victim.
The son departed happy and upon
meeting his father said:
Father, have discovered new
medium who is peach. All your
friends are not in it with this one.
He communes with the spirits every
minute of his life and he knows every
move they make. Slate writing /?
Why, that fellow can just holer at
slate and the spirits will cover it
with solemn advice in seven Ian
guages."
The fatherrejoiced at the discovery
of his son, and he gladly accepted an
invitation to attend seance for the
new medium and get some more adj
vice from heaven.
Thereupon the son simply informed
Kellar that his fathers name was
Andrew, that his mothers name was
Martha and that the name of his Sis
ter was Susan. Equipped with these
meager but satisfactory data, Kellar
prepared a campaign against the
spirits.
An appointed hour found the old
man, his son, and a friend Of Kellar's
there by special invitation to wit
ness the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN the
library of the magician's home.
Across the knees ofthe old man lay a
bundle of dozen new states which
he had brought. Presently Kellar
made his entrance and without any
delay proceeded to the business of the
occasion. Stripping the library
table of its lamps, books and cover
ing, he remarked casually that the
moquette carpet of the room would
probably interfere somewhat with
the magnetic control OF the spirits
but that he thought he could manage
the ghosts all right. At his request
they examined the table and failing
to find any satanic device about it
they took seats. Kellar instructed
them to draw their chairs close tC
the table. The old man sat opposite
the magician; the son and the frient
were at either end. The room was
brilliantly illuminated and remained
so throughout the seance.
In making these preliminary ar
engagements, Kellar's manner wa
solemn and mystic, and his face wa
inscrutable, while his eyes. sweep
from one to another of the party il
those stern and challenging glance
which somehow make all victims O
) mediums feel meek and utterly incapa
BILE of doing anything so offensive a
to expose fraud. Presently he too
the old mans states from the tabl
and carelessly inspected them. The
were of many kinds and sizes, som
in plain wooden frames, some in tn
decorated borders which school chi
dren admire. Picking up sma
slate the wood of which was stampe
with figures, letters, and drawings {
animals, the magician asked the me
to extend their hands one over tn
other, to the center of the table.
little stack of six hands having bee
made, Kellar placed his long, sir
left hand on top of the stack. Wit
his right hand he thrust the slai
under the table. There was anothe
/. moment of stiffness. Opposite tt
magician sat the old man, motion
!. less and awed, his eyes upon the pa
face of the pretended medium.
p Presently Kellar drew the slat
from beneath the table. All eye
were instantly upon it. Howeve
y it was still perfectly blank. Kells
IS eyed it wistfully and in tone
d disappointment whispered
< THE spirits are a trife slow tn
S evening"
Again he thrust the slate und
II the table, always keeping his thun
II in sight. In less than ten seconds
said; Let us look again! !" Whe
the slate came into view it was four
3 to be covered on both sides vii
l. writing, done in hand too fine fC
lie any human being to have inscribed