The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-07-12

GAZING INTO THE CRYSTAL GI
end the spending Of the Charles for
tune. AS I worked In the darkness,
shielded by heavy curtains, heard
the voices of the woman and OF the
supposed Alem Hal.
est have brought you twice as much
| money tonight The woman was say
ing. I want to see him longer. /
| want to talk to hin about that thing
you have kept ms from asking him
about-what became of him. want
you to let him cone near me and let
me hold him in m. arms. Won't you
do that?' The wonan's voice was pit
eous. Won't you ct me?'
"'Spirits are vgue,' was the gut
tural answer Of the pseudo Hail.
| Spirits are vague.
"sBut you have promised-oh, SO
many times. Thespirits Of life which
you said would hing him to me in
my dreams have rot done it. Once
saw him-then he fitted away. You
let me talk to hin and ask him if he
loves me. Why emit you let me ask
him what want b now-about that
| other woman? Eaji's, voice seemed
queer. It was ehRing.
Tonight cane his reply at last,
you can see him Ind talk to him and
hold him In yoslr arms. The spirits
will It.
"a cry cams from the woman. She
hurried into the seance room and
seated herself. I could hear her hard
breathing. could almost see her
eyes gleamingin the darkness.
Then begai the seance. Strange
lights played fr a moment as pulled
the switches tt the accompaniment Of
the chanting 'oice of the detective
Hail. Then allwas darkness. At last
a voice broke lpon the stiffness.
at have cone to you, Esther. What
is it? What isit?'
"The woman half sobbed.
"'Henry, whre are your
"sI am closeto you. Close to you
"a vague fare floated through the
air, near to th waiting woman, then
disappeared 4 darkness. Again it
came forth, nd this time it carried
with it an unanny glow, showing the
dead face Of sman, his b1oodless lips,
his staring cps. The woman reeled
in her chair aI1 thrust forth her arms.
The figure washed behind the cur.
tains again.
"Once morehe voice sounded. The
strange lightsplayed again and again.
The woman Rs becoming hysterical.
She was screaming to Hail, begging
that he allow he spirit to come to her,
to be held in er arms. There was no
answering wee, for Hail, the sup
posed, was sietched forth upon the
divan, his wb1e body hidden except
his arms andhead. His eyes were
closed. He Rs in trance.
Music ben to play. For the last
time the igre came forth, drifted
into the air ad then settled itself into
the wonan's rms. She sobbed aloud.
She buried hr head against that of
the man she seld.
.Henry!' he cried. eHenry-Hen-
ry-'
There GAZE a scream. A white
light dare( ,rodSh the room. I ran
forth from hind the curtain, crying
for Hail.
"T'm on fe!' I cried. eHaji-help
me-help m-'
"A curse anne from the couch as
the detectivtjumped up.
"sYou litt foo1!' he cried. Get
back there, you're not on fire. Get
back there get back there!'
"Ill not,f answered. Tn not 60
ing to do yor work for you any more.
You frighte me! You make me do
things that care me! I don't like it.
with ths Preached to the switch
on the walland threw on the lights.
| Mrs. CharB stood before us open
mouthed, airing from the wooden
| dummy in er arms, on me and then
| the detectis she believed to be Hail,
| at the strigs in his hands, which
showed hos he had manipulated the
working of be dummy she believed to
have been he spirit of her husband.
I had left T. curtains open. The par
/ aphernalla af the seance room was
laid out be.re her. She gasped once
or twice, Ar eyes opened wide and
! fhon cha 90u4ed Tho ds4v,, ~, =, r.-;@t az