The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-12
WERE X-RAY GHOSTS.
A Wonderful and Startling Dlsslay Which
Becomes Simple Enough When You
Understood How II Was Achieved.

In the Journal des Debats M. Henri
de Parville gives an account Of a recent
spirit manifestation in Paris cleverly
produced by Y rays. THE spectators,
said NJ. de Parville, "wcre ushered into
a parlor IN which there was an abund-
ance of vases and artistic glassware. In
n corner there was an apparatus about
as big as an ordinary magic lantern
enveloped i'm black stuff. The guests
numbered about twenty
"The lights We're eXtinguished just
as In the case Of a regular spirit seance.
A sort Of rattlin" was heard, and inn
mediately afterward a gigantic and lu-
minous hand passed over the heads of
the assistants. Evidently It almost
touched some Of them, for We heard u
little cry Of terror that was quickly
suppressed. Don't be afraid said the
host, 1T Is not the hand of a ghost;
/ will show it to you in the light by
and by At the Same moment q flock
of luminous viUlins appeared and flew
about in all directions. An old habitue
of the boulevard remarked that we
were with the Davenports. Not at ALL
said the host. there never was a
ghost in this house. And the yiolins
disappeared as silently as they had
come Then an immense globe de-
scended from the ceiling like a ball Of
phosphorus, osCllating like the pendu-
lum of clock. a luminous bell ap-
pcared in front of this globe and made
regular bows to it. We could see its
fiery tongue moving while the globe
wGltzed around.
Suddenly at the four corners Of the
room the glasses appeared to become
ignited: the vases We're illumined and
the lustres spar<led. A table loaded
with cups and glasses was lighted up.
Everything seemed on FIRE. The whole
room, that was so dark an instant be-
FORE was aflamc on all sides with phos-
phorcscent light Of a soft and blush
color.
DARKNESS, THEN LIGHT
"Then again all was darkness. Grad
ually a little light streamed in, and in
human form appeared at first vague
and vaporous, hardly distinguishabe.
But soon it's outlines became clear and
it advanced. A lady beside me stepped
back. Evidently she was not the only
one, for we could hear the noise of NOV
ing chairs. The phantom advanced q
few steps and then stopped. 1t was
tall woman. Her face had a greensh
pallOr; and what an extraordinary
| face it was. There were no eyes. We
| could only see two black holes under
the cyelid5. The mouth was closed f;
the hair was phosphurescent. a long,
luminous veil enveloDed this animated
statue and in the folds of the veil little
sparks shone like diamonds. She rais-
ed her right arm slowly and tossed
flames from her hand. There was no
applause; all was hushei. The silent
and severe appartion was watched
| with intense interest. A gong sounded.
! The apparition receded gently, and
! gradually faded out of sight.
"Once more there was a noise of
. moving chairs, and we distinctly heard
| a sigh of relief. In the center of the
room an immense and luminous bou-
! nuet next appeared with a blue band
upon which was written 'X-rays.'
Then the lights were turned on, and
the parlor appeared in all its splendor
/ The host arose. The seanCe is over,
he said. There was no sprtsm about
it, no occultsm, nothing supernatural;
it showed what X rays can do, and that
! is all