The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-03-09
ASKING
THE SPIRITS
BY LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

l LdkoIATy E-IS1S. /
"Ghostsr' repeated Paul Oxford, with
q smile. ''To be sure there are ghosts.
1 have a personal acquaintance with
half a dozen. was one once. That
was when the dramatic club put on
Hamlet"
Nov you are frivolous" reproved
Lucy. ut is very serious matter to
penetrate the veil that separates the
present from the future and cross to
that other shore. Mrs. Glendis says
that we each should seek to test our
mediumistic powers"
There is one thing like about
ghosts" said Paul.
whats thatr asked Lucy quickly
as he paused.
Their answers generally are yes
and no." explained Paul meaningly.
For nearly a year he had been trying
to pin Lucy down to a definite accept
ance or dismissal Of his suit, but that.
tactful yet uncertain minded young
woman would say him neither yea"
nor may" preferring to enjoy the
greater freedom Of action which is the
privilege of the unengaged, while at
the same time she held Oxford her
slave.
"Ghosts say lots more than that"
insisted Lucy. 'Mme. Goya was tell
ing all about it. You start with the
alphabet, and when you come to the
right letter they give rap, and In
that way they spell out words. Nine.
Goya says that it is the duty Of every
earnest thinker to develop mediumistic
powers, because we never can tell
whether we have the gift until we try
to develop"
"She's right" declared Paul, with
greater interest than he had previous
" shown in the discussion. do you
know l have thought for some time
that 1 could develop along those lines
with the proper sympathetic support
"You must join our circle" invited
Lucy beamingly. She had been grow
ing angry at Paul's covert sneers at
Nine. Goya and Mrs Glendis.
The latter had brought the adept to
the attention Of the Tuesday dancing
class and had turned that select little
company into "circle."
The young man found it more inter
esting to sit in the darkness OF the de-
velopment room and hold hands, for
there were times when something sent
thrills through the Investigators and
caused the more timid among the girls
to clutch more tightly the arms Of their
escorts
Paul was not a member Of the dane
ing class In spite Of his devotion to
Lucy, and he rather resented these
seances.
81 Think suggested Paul, that 1t
might be well to try me out before /
seek to display my powers In public.
1t will be an hour before your mother
gets back from the Bradleys, and your
father is too busy with that new book
he borrowed to interrupt. Suppose we
hold a sitting -nowY'
81 never heard of sitting with only
two" objected Lucy. Even with the
fifteen or twenty Of our circle we get
scarcely any return yet, and l do not
believe that the two of us could get
any response at ALL
1--WE can try it," pleaded Paul. I'VE
cannot do more than fall and there
might come some slight indication that
one or the other had mysterious pow
err"
Eyes, we can try it." assented Lucy
brightly, glad to see PauPs interest.
''Of course you must promise that If
there is no development you will not
be discouraged"
"Pn promise that" assented Paul
promptly. 'Ill not be discouraged"
"Then we'll try" agreed Lucy as she
cleared the magazines and books from
light table and brought it into the
center of the room. She placed chairs
on opposite sides, disregarding PauPs
suggestion that they be placed side by
side, and then. turning down the light,
she took her place in one seat and
called to him to take the other.
"They almost always sing" she be-
gan uncertainty.
'Then we'll sing" assented Paul.
"We'n follow all the process"
His hands closed over Lucy's, rest
ing on the table, and softly Lucy sang
one Of the songs approved by her cir
Gle.
"Now you must keep very STILL" she
whispered. Just concentrate on the
desire to obtain a communication. 1t
may be some time before we feel any
response"
THAT'S all right" was the ready re-
ply. "rd be willing to wait hours to
absolutely make certain"
''You don't have to hold my hands
so tight" suggested Lucy. Gust rest
your finger tips on mine to complete
the circuit"
This is better" objected Paul. with
truth. 1--WE establish better contact
or whatever you call it."
Don't talk any more" cautioned
Lucy. 1.-THE spirits won't come while
you are talking"
Paul subsidized into silence. 1t was
very pleasant sitting there in the half
light with Lucy's hands in his own.
In the soft gloom he could just make
out the oval of her face and catch
family the eager CLEAN In her blue
eyes. He was willing to experiment
along these lines forever.
Outdoors the rain beat against the
plate glass of the windows with
sharp rattle that added to the COM
Portable feeling of those within, and
apart from that only the crackle Of
coal in the CRATE broke the silence.
For twenty minutes no sign came,
and then there was heard a succession
of sharp raps that caused Lucy to
clutch PauPs hands in tighter clasp
and somewhat shook his own placid
ity
The trial had been an excuse for
holding Lucy's hands He had not ex-
pected any manifestation.
''Did you do that? she whispered.
ION my word, no." he replied. "You
didn't tap with your foot, did your
Lucy shook her head. Il wouldn't
cheat" she insisted reproachfully.
"This is not a thing to make jest
Of"
"Are the spirits PRESENT." asked
Paul, raising his voice slightly. And
the response was series of brisk
raps.
"That is more than the proper num-
ber." objected Paul. zone Is no. and