The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-06-01
CHAPTER xlII-continued.


Currie interrupted to say. But.
John, If the lights are turned out, how
are we to know that you did not write
those messages yourself?"
without smile on his face BARLEY
replied: II did not intend to turn out
the light. am going to do what few
mediums ever attempt to do: that Is,
to see if we can secure a message on
these states in full light. There have
been so many frauds In slate-writing
seances that test made in the dark
has no value"
AS he spoke he tore the wrapping
from the package and disclosed a num-
Der of ordinary school states tied to-
gether with string. When he had
cut the string and placed the states
on the table before him, he added:
''You might claim that these states
already have message written on
them, so l will wash the surface of
each with water. If there was any
writing on them, 1t will be wiped out"
With our eyes following every move
ment. he took a piece of cloth. dipped
i. IL lltO tnC 6AdoS Va W0lOAs anu N0A~
fully washed one side of slate. AS
he was beginning to wash the other
side he paused and said to Currie,
s.You may think have. not washed
the slate thoroughly enough; suppose,
Currie, you take 1t and wash the
other side yourself Make good job
Of it,
y ,;osc oil
laughable as he took the slate and
turned it over and over. examining
both surfaces. When he had finished
he whispered to me, There was not
a darned thing on that slate"
The same method was employed
with the other states. First, BARLEY
would wash one side, then would call
upon one of US to examine the slate
and wash off the other side. was
left until the last, and | examined
my slate very carefully before I
touched it with the cloth. On the side
which BARLEY haG washed little drops
of water still chung. The unwashed
side was dirty but showed no traces
4 of having been written on.
When had finished my task, Bart
4 ley took one of the states and said:
sYou have seen there was no writing
of any kind on these states. l am go
ing to give one to each Of you. Miss
Potter should place hers under her
feet Currie might sit on his; the rest
of you can place them under your
coats"
He gave US each a slate, and we
did as he suggested. wondered, as
placed mine under my coat. just
what BARLEY expected to discover.
Somehow the whole thing seemed SO
absurd. He was so serious about it,
however, that began to believe that
he must expect to receive message
of some sort. We sat silent and ex.
pectant. l, for one, feeling a little
foolish
BARLEY, who had glanced at his
watch several times, waited for five
minutes to pass before he said. Sup
pose, Currie. you look at your slate. "
Currie grinned, as If to say he con-
sidered 1t all fOolishness. but did as
requested. AS he glanced at his slate,
the smile left his face. his jaw
dropped. and his eyes grew big with
wonder. He looked at it several sec
onds as If he could not believe his
eyes. then slowly passed 1t to me.
took it eagerly, glanced at it. and in
my turn was startled. There, how
ever. in a sprawling hand. running
across the slate that had been blank
40x
"Currie. people who steal whisky out
of vault at midnight will come to
a bad end"
Almost unable to credit my eyes,
stared at the slate. Both sides had
been so thoroughly, washed that when
Currie had taken 1t they were still
wet. How the writing had gotten
on the slate. could not imagine.
Miss Potter gave a sudden cry. She
had risen to her feet with shining
eyes. Holding her slate in one trem.
bling hand. she tried to speak. failed,
then cried triumphantly: Its a mes
saga message from Mr.. Slyke! !
knew it would come" and sank back
into her chair, adding. as if unable
~ OCtACNCi LiC CFANCnCC Ok ACI OWu
senses. Its in his own handwriting,
his very own. and he tells me what
to do"
BARLEY took the slate from her
trembling fingers. curious expires.
sion on his face. He placed 1t on the
table. and We crowded round to exam.
inc it. This time the entire surface
of the slate was covered with writing
in the same sprawling hand that had
written on Currie's and mine. The
letters were large and looked as II
the person who had written the mes
sage had been very weak. Too aston
ished to speak, we bent and read:
"All will be wen with me if you aid
those who are trying to discover who
Z injured me. For my peace, do this
listen to the medium" and the mes
sage trailed of in a large S.