The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-24

| In distane parts of the house For long
| time I was inclined to think that some
one was playing a trick on US. Night
| after night 1 got up from bed, lighted the
| lamp and explored the whole house, but
could never find anything.
about a week ago my wife became Ill
from the long strain upon her over
wrought nerver. I told my employers
| that I must stay at home that night to
| attend her. They laughed at me, and when
I insisted suspended me for ten days.
| Since then I have been at home all the
time and have seen and heard every
| thing
While Stahi was speaking his wife slow
ly raised her head and held up her right
| hand, as if telling her husband to listen.
A death-like silence fell upon the group
| about the stove. There was no one in the
| back part Of the room A small table
stood against the wall, covered by a light
linen cloth.
Mrs. Stahl raised herself from her chair
and, with her upIifted hand, pointed at
the table. There was a grating noise
followed by three sharp, distinct raps.
The end of the table nearest the kitchen
door tilted away from the woman. and
| a corncob pipe, which lay up)u 1t, drop
ped upon the floor. The table dropped
back to its original position, and all was
quiet again.
There it is" exclaimed Mr.. Bast in
startled tones. 'That is the second time
I have seen it myself and do not know
what to think"
Mrs. Stahl sank back into her chair pale
as death. Her eyelids closed YEARLY and
she gasped, "Oh, what is to become of
u.s." Her husband looked quickly at the
Journal artist and said:
How do you explain that?"
For minute nothing was said. When
it was clear that the manifestation was
ended the artist turned to Stahl and said
in an excited way: "Why, your wife is
a medium!"
what do you mean?" demanded stahl.
ST can explain that said the minister.
He grasped Stahrs right hand with his
left and Mrs. StahPs left hand with his
right hand.
See. 1 am now the medium between
you two" he said 80 If this gentleman
right, Mrs. Stahl, your wife, connects US
with the spirit world. The souls in the
spirit world have chosen her to communi-
cate with u.s.
NO" interrupted Mrs. stahl. 81 do
not believe any such thing. I can feel
nothing except fear"
Inquiries, however, brought to light the
fact that none of the manifestations had
occurred except in the presence of Mrs.
Stahl. She said that ever since she was a
little girl she had dreams which always
came true. when have a dream 1 go
by It," she said. when any one else has
a dream I can tell them what 1t means.
Last night my husband dreamed of a
wide sheet of water. That means that a
great surprise is coming to US.
II dreamed two weeks ago that we
would have a loss, and our tenants did
not pay US their rent for December. SO
it goes. They always come true
Mrs Stahl was asked If anything r.ore
startling than usual had happened the
last few days to draw the crowd about
the house. She said:
everything seems to be coming at
once. Yesterday a pair Of shoes jumped
from under the bed and struck me in the
face. Pieces of coal from the coal hod
hurled themselves at the children. Last
night while my husband was eating his
supper the loaf of bread on the plate be-
fore him was seized by invisible hands
and thrown against the wall. He put it
back on the plate and again it was
thrown on the floor.
':This morning while he was sitting by
the window reading, his bag Of tobacco
was carried across the room ami p'acel
upr m the red-hot stove"
Stall drew the tobacco bag from his
pocket and showed where it had been
scorched by the heat.
To-day it has been putting everything
on the stove" continued Mrs. Stahl. II
came in this afternoon and found my
husbands cap and mittens there When
I took them off the kettle began to dance
and fell on the floor"
When Mrs. Stahl finished her story the
Journal artist suggested that an attempt
be made to hold a seance through the
mediumship of Mrs. Stahl. Mr.. Bast ap-
proved the plan and a small table was
brought in from the kitchen Five per-
sons, including the clergyman and Mr..
and Mrs. Stahl, seated themselves about
the table and placed their hands along its
edge in such a way as to form a cnntip-
uous line of hands about the table. The
artist enjoined silence upon everybody.
After an interval of perhaps five miutes
the table began to rock and move as if
trying to release itself. NOW ask Your
questions, Mrs. Stahl," suggested tie ar
fist
h. eLr he friUhtn0pd
woman in a whisper
There was no answer. The Journal ar
fist then explained to Mrs. Stahl that
there is a well recognized code between
the spiritual and the natural wo:ds. Cat
egorical questions must he asked. The
spirits answer by raps, one rap meaning
No and two raps Il don know" and
three raDs Yes.
As soon as the woman understood this
she asked, Are you spirit.
RAP, rap, rap" came the answer
An expression Of surprise spread over
Mrs StahFs face.
do l know your" she asked.
Very slowly came two light raps in an
swer.
To ali further questions no reply was
given. And Mrs. Stahl was told that the
favorable conditions for the interview
had passed.
As soon as the spirit rapping ceased,
Stahl insisted that his wife should go TO
bed. She demurred at first, and said she
was afraid that the spirits would come
back. The minister assured her that
whatever the force was which had been
present in the room il could do her no
harm. She appeared to be comforted by
the knowledge that she was not the first
to whom such visitations had come.