Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-05

y YOU: ~ WV ~ ~
~ No, no. aunty, no! It's not my fault
With angry gesture, the woman, tall large
boned. harsh visaged, pushed back her chair and
advanced threateningly toward the pale, anemc
looking youth of who sat covering at he
far end of the breakfast table.
You know this is your doing. Stop it at once!'
The other gazed he plessly about him. while from
every side of the volley of raps and
knocks. 1t is not my doing, he muttered. Il
can't help it,,
Left to herself and to slence,-for with her
nephew's departure the noise instantly ceased
she fell into gloomy meditation. She
ceedingly ignorant but profoundly religious;
woman She had heard much of the celebrated
Fox sisters, with tales of whose strange actions IN
the neighborng State of New York the countryside
was then ringing, and recognized, imagined
she recognized striking similarity between their
performances and the tumult of the last few min
utes 1t was her firm belief that the Fox girls
victims of demoniac influence, and no less surely
did she deem it impossible to attribute the recent
disturbance to human agency. Her nephew was
given practical jokes there had been nothing
unusual in his manner; he had greeted her cheerlly
usual, and quietly taken his seat. But with his
advent, and she shuddered at the remembrance,
the knockngs had begun, penetrating, frlghtful.
There could be only one explanation: the boy,
however unwittingly,. had placed himself in the
power Of the devil. What to do however, she knew
not, and fumed and fretted the entire morning until
on his temperance at noon the knockngs broke
out again. Then her mind was quickly made up.
Called on the Ministers
TOOK you'll said she to him We must nd you
- of the evil that is in you shall have the minis
tiers with you and pray for you and that at
once
True to her word she despatched messenger
the three clergymen of the little Connecticut vii
1age in which she made her home, and all three
promptly responded to her request. But their visits
and their prayers proved fruitless. Indeed, the
more they prayed the louder the knocks became;
and presently to their astOnlshment and dlsmay,
the very furniture appeared bewltched, dancing
and 1eapng though alive. Verify, said one to
no irafa he how hP
To make matters worse, the neghbors, hearing OF
the weird occurrences, besieged the house day and
night their curiosity whetted by report that, ex
actlv as in the case of the Fox sisters, communca-
tons from the dead being received through the
krockings Incredible as 1t seemed, this report
found speedy confirmation. Before the week was
out the lad told his aunt:
Last night there raps to spelling words.
ard they brought me a message from the spirit OF
MY mother.
And what the message!
MY mothers spirit said to me, Daniel fear not,
my child God is with YOU, and who shall be against
you: Seek to do good Be truthful and truth low
ing and you will prosper, my child Yours IS
glorious misson-you will convince the infidel,
the SICK and console the weeping
"A glorious mission!' Knocked the aunt, her
patience utterly exhausted "A glorious mission,
to bedevi and deceive. to plague and torment!
Away away. and darken my doors no more!'
DO You mean this, aunty!
Mean it, Daniel: Never shall it be said of me
that l gaze aid and comfort to Satan or child of
Satans. Pack, and be OH!
Homes Involuntary Start
IN this way was Daniel Dunglas Home launched on
a career that to prove one of the most mar
Vicious, if not the most marvellous, IN the annals of
mvstifCaton. But at the time there
to anticipate the remarkable achievements that
the future held in store for him. He fitted for
no calling. Ever since his aunt had adopted him
in farawav Scotland, where he born of obscure
parentage in 1888. he had led a life OF complete
dependence not altogether cheerless but deadenng
to initiative and handcapping him terribly for the