Evening star., 1899-10-14
Two Round Trips Into the World Of
Spirits.
REVELATIONS At $500 A SITTING
The Greatest Known Woman
Medium in the World.
ACADEMY OF OCCULTISM

ers out Of hidden affairs prompted my in
vestigaunn. 1t cost just 81 to make two
round trips into the spirit world and learn
things which had no foundation in fact to
hear stories Of my past which never did
happen and get an insight into my alleged
future.
1 had waited all the week for an oppor-
tUnity TO visit the spirit land. 1t was my
desire % select a day which would be free
from interruption, and when Sunday came
1 recognized 1t as the day of all days to
make the journey. In my childhood l had
read of the cold. dark misty days when
ghosts are wont to be in sportlve mind.'
and without further ado l made prepara-
tiOnS for the trip.
i started in the morning and thinking
perhaps l had intelligent people to deal
with | assumed the garb of country
clerk My trousers were Of that cut which
prevailed several years ago and resembled
for all the world two bags for legs with the
bottoms cut out. l carried absolutely moth
ing in the shape of trinkets or letters to
give any Indication who l was save a plain
gold ring on my right hand and an old
fashioned scarf pin securing q four-in-hand
OF other days. 1t was my purpose not to
be too th.ckly clad. for | wanted to be
nervous when I should come into the pres
ence Of the agent of the spirits. and by
the time l reached headquarters | was
shiveriug in earnest. On my way l passed
several friends. and one had the temerity
to ask if l was going to a masquerade ball.
First Call Made.
The advertisement l was answering car
ried me to 1117 1 street northwest. where
is located Prof. H. Wilson's Academy of
Occultism and Clairvoyancy. Mediums de-
velOpcd-" This man advertises as the
president Of the Mediums Association, and
IL was but natural ] should seek headquar-
ters for the most reliable iuforma ton of
departed spirits and to learn something of
my past and the great future which l hoped
was II store for me. The advertisement
further stated that Prof. Wilson owned his
own home and cautioned the readers to re-
member his number as there was no sign
on the door to indicate his domicile. l
found small press brick house. and, max
ing sure Of the number, mounted the stone
steps and Eingerly pulled the bell. There
was no response at first, and ! was con-
sidering the advisability of making another
alarm when the door was opened by q
heavy-Set man. who invited me to enter
There was nothing spiritualistiC about this
man. and I was beginning TO think I had
made a mistake, when. after surveying me
moment, he ulotiOned me into the parlor
and asked If l wished a reading l stam-
meTed reply in the affirmative. and he
directed me 10 take seat. adding that he
would notify the professor. In a few mo-
meuts he made his temperance and beck
Cned me 10 follow him. At last I was TO
See in materialistic form the greatest ex-
p0nent Of occultism the world has ever
known and breathe the same air with
the man who was intimate terms with
spirits. OF course / mean the kind that
feat about in space
was shivering peTCeptibly when the pro-
feSSOr grabbed my hand in cordial welcome
and guided me into a little back room. He
looked the part of a medium all right, and
assuming a cOndesccnding air that was
really great, he waved me TO a seat. He
was a man of medium stature, with long
alIDFlrn brown of
Saxon red; low forehead and very small,
light blue eyes. On his left hand he wore
magnificent solitaire. the fruits of his
wonderful magnetic power, while in his
spotleSs shirt front blazed a diamond of
equal brilliancy- The professors hair quite
won me. and / recalled how in my foot
ball days I would have given worlds for
such a hirSute adornment. 1t hung in un-
studied grace all over his forehead. and
one particular lock he would careSs with
loving Kindness while thinking of the world
beyond.
The Kind of Reading Desired.
He waited for me to open the conversa-
tion, and I looked down with bashfulness.
I could feel his cold, sharp eyes on me, but
I waited. and he began the conversation
with such a coaxing infection in his voice
that l looked up in amazement.
What kind Of reading is it you wish?''
he inquired.
I fingered nervously in my pocket, and
then answered:
'I would ike dollar one, professor"
I'VE don't give dollar readings to men;
they are for women. Yours would cost two
dollars. three dollars or five dollars, accord
ing To what / tell YOU
Afraid of having the limit raised l stam-
mered out something about a two-dollar
one, and he smiled benediction and hand
ed me seat directly opposite him at d
small table. This was his preliminary to
getting my two dollars. He knitted his
brow, Tossed back the recalcitrant lock on
his forehead and gave me the hypnotic stare
He was certainly splendid in the prelude
and / trembled from the cold, which he
mistoOk for nervousness, and | could i'm
agine him saying to himself, This fellow
Il awful easy" As he looked me full in
the eye. l avoided his gaze and noticed he
was toying with piece of human skull
lie saw me shudder. and pushed the grew
some relic my way, adding, reassuringIy:
Don be afraid II is only the skull Of a
poor negro who was hung cut there at the
Jan ! put the detectives on his track after
he had killed a woman and this is only a
scuvenir which l keep about ME. 1 often
hold conversation with the fellow. and he
has quite forgiven me for the part / took
IN bringing him TO justice. and is now one
OF my StanCh friends in the other world"
He dropped his voice to a whisper when
he said this, and I tried to look agitated
We were both acting
The Opening Address
Assuming an easy attitude he COM
menced.
Now. I viii be prefectIy frank and hon
est with You, young man. It may be can
90 nothing today on account of the humid
lty OF the wind. but we shall see Take
this piece OF paper. write your name, date
OF birth, occupation and three most irnDor-
tant questions. When YOU have finished
touch this bell and / will come TO Won
He vanished through the door and left
me alone took the pencil he gave me
and wrote in tremulous hand my name
q o AskeT-gaye my date of birth ns
February 81, 1878; gave my occupation
clerk, and wrote three questions AS | in
dited them l felt confident the professor
was watching through a crack in the door
Ihese We're the questions:
L VIII Zadie marry me?''
is there gold on the farm?''
x VIII l pass my eXamination?"
These really were important questions
though knew no one by the name of "a
ole; never had a farm with gold or anv-
thlng else on II. except in my mind, and
mad no examination 10 pass save the one
tne professor was about TO put me throreb
Ihat made no difference to the professor
He answered the questions Just the same.
Told me the name / had written "a my ovr,
Inade me IN reality ten years younger than
am said there was gold on the farm and
that ! would be wealthy; whispered thar 7
would marry Zadte after n certain ohs+oc1a
was removed; cautioned me not to take
the examination until a certain batS 20,
n Z trgrF Favvs.r