The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-12
POEMS; SPOOK INSPIRATION.
MRS. BRIGHAM ROLLS 'EM OUT
WHILE YOU. WAIT,

Spiritual and Ethical society OF Harlem
Has q Birthday Party with Lots OF
Dolnss. Mostly OnhAnd Poem Making
and Dancing In n Bright Light.
There was promise OF varied entertain
ment on the invitations sent out by the
Spiritual and Ethical Society OF Harlem for
its -ifteenth birthday party which was
held in the society's hall in the Builders
League in West 10th street last night. Tn
invitation allowed that a number OF things
would happen among the S~piritualists. 1t
read:
Birthday Party Of
The Spiritual and Ethical Society
AZ the Builders League,
Seventy four West One Twenty sixth street.
on Tuesday. December nth.
at Eight p. N.
Music, Palmlstry. Dancing and Refreshments
This card admits II. as we hope.
Your gift Is In the envelope.
Pasted on the back Of the invitation was a
small envelope in which could be inserted
real money.
There were no ghosts visible 60 the naked
eye when one entered the hall, but almost
every one present has q wide circle Of ac-
ouaintance in the spirit world. Vice-Presi-
dent Charles Rose, who deals in Bronx
real estate, says he has seen a-many Of 'em.
The ghost belt Of Brooklyn was largely
represented, and Mr.. and Mrs. Tucker
OF Hoboken, where spirits German only
speak, came in Just as the Zoe cream was
being passed through the controls.
The star performer In the omnibus bill
Of music, dancing, palmistry and refresh
ments was Mrs. Helen Temple Brigham.
who can speak a piece in rhyme on any old
subject handed up to her. from the survival
OF the ittest to open plumbing. Mrs. Brig
ham had subjects like life, poverty "a
pond lily, our birthday, &c, and then she
wove them together in rhyme and rhythm
for five minutes at a stretch.
Mrs. Brigham's poetry" was batted
right OF the reel rapidly, and as she took
the subjects from the newspaper men
present she couldnot be accused of being
prepared, unless her long practice has
enabled her to ave a poem on every abb
stract and concrete subject that has been
tackled by the magazine poets: Some
times her ideas were as vague as the maya
zine bards', but her metr INC rhymes
seemed, quite as good. Mrs. Brigham, IL
was learned, also does missionary work.
in spiritualism. Last Sunday she was in
Paterson.
-She is one of the greatest OF spiritual
phenomena" explained Miss b. V. Cush-
man, president of the cult. My name
is Miss-Miss-B. V. Cushman. and we
we're incorporated five or six years ago.
We make a strong point of teaching the
philosophy of spirltualism and the enforce
ment OF ethical principles"
Miss Cushman paused to wipe her brow.
Mrs. Brigham IL our regular speaker, '
continued Miss Cushman after a brief rest.
~She has the right TO the Use OF the title
reverend but there are SO many using
that title now that Mrs. Brigham usually
lta-oaAna u,e n Il Thu ntff nf ipnnFnNi0u-
ton came to her a long time ago., when she
was but Ia years old.
we meet here every Sunday morning,
and the services are very uplifting. | can
best explain to you what kind OF ~spiritualists
we are when | say there IL one kind OF spirit
ualist and then there is anot her kind. We
are the other kind
The s~piritualists who gstheredto celebrate
the ending Of the fourteenth year Of ghost
lassoing ranged from white haired persons
TO little children, and there were one or two
girl s~piritualists that would cause any right
thinking spirit to tire Of the angels and want
TO come back to Harlem for a spell.
One when asked II she was a palmist
said she didn't know a life line from a
horse car line, but that she thought the
pistachio ice cream and the dancin' was
just grand. One man noticed taking a
few steps alone was undoubtedly dancing
with a spirit, but as a rule the few young
men present preferred Harlemites in the
flesh for partners.
Miss Cushman said there would De no
manifestations last night because of the
improperly of bringing ghosts out in a
public place. The home Is the place for
that sort OF thing. Miss Cushman intimated.
If this was meant as a reproof for the tall
man who was dancing with a spook at the
time. he paid no attention 10 it. After
he had danced to his hearts desire he went
upstairs to the refreshment room and
brought down a plate of ice cream and left
IL on a chair beside him near the steam
radiator. From the way the ice cream
sank on the plate it was evident that the
mans ethereal partner was losing no time
Everybody went home at IL o'clock and
left the hall full Of ghosts to Eddie Mills.
the ~janitor. He said that the ghosts give
him next to no trouble, except at election
time, when Harlem expects him to get them
out TO vote. Eddie says that he il the lOgi-
cal leader of the dist riCt.