The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-03-16

There was nothing on the slate when
placed my feet on IT,"
BARLEY faced her graveIy. with
something IN his manner that gave
me the impression that he Eas not at
all surprised at what was happening.
"'rhen you are absolutely sure 1t is
In his writing?" he asked.
Net trusting herself TO speak, she
simply nodded
Al that moment the bell rang. and
the butler passed through the room on
his way to the door. In the second
before his return, | saw Doctor King
steal look at his slate, and. from
the startled look on his face. | knew
that he. too. had received a message.
Meeting my eyes. he gave me faint.
wondering smile and shook his head
doubtfully.
The man whom the butler ushered
in was the medium that Barley had
secured In New York. He was very
tall and thin. dressed In black. with
white. unhealthy face. shifty eyes. and
hair bit too long.
After he had been introduced. Bart
ley told us that we were to begin the
seance at once The first thing to be
done was TO place the medium in a
chair In the corner and tie his hands
and feet firmly. Roche was selected
TO draw the rope through the rungs
of the chair, tie his hands behind his |
back. and place gag in his mouth so
that he could not speak. He performed |
his task with the thor0ughness of a |
police officer trained In the work; |
and when he informed us that The
medium could neither move nor speak.
| believed him.
Al Bartley's suggestion we seated
ourselves around the table. Ii was a
small one. not very heavy in construc-
tion. We placed our hands on Its
surface as directed. and linked them
together by hooking the thumb and
little finger of each hand around the
finger of the hand next to IL. We
were told that under no circumstance
re we to break this circle
Barley spent some time In making
sure that we were arranged In the
proper manner. | was seated with
Currie on my left. my little finger
clasped around his thumb, and Bart
ley himself on my right. He rose and
turned Off the lights. then CROPPED his I
way back to my side, and second I
later his finger closed around mine.
| confess that felt d bit like fool
as waited there in the pitch dark
ness. What we were doing seemed
childish; yet back of ii all there was
such general air of expectancy that
/ was tense with excitement The .
great draperies had been drawn over I
the windows. and not even a ray of
light penetrated the room. Just what 5
1t was that we were waiting for ] a
did not know. Something might or 0
might not take place, the medium
had said. We sat in silence for a
number of minutes. minutes thai u
dragged endlessly. ! must confess
that to me they were not the most Il
pleasant | had ever spent.
Someone drew deep breath. and
thought the table had started 10 v
move. Then silence followed so
deep that | could not hear even my
neighbor breathing. felt as If ! ="
we're all alone in the darkness. Only ~
he reassuring touch of the fingers ON y
Zach side of me drew me back to
;anity.
Suddenly. when was least expect ~
ne IT, felt the table under my fin
.ers sway bach and forth for a see
md, then fall back upon the floor with
little bang. Currie breath Il hard &c
S If afraid: and his grasp on my ~
myers tightened. Then without
came series of ten knocks. ~
aintly as If someone were knocking "'
I distant door. could not tell
there they came from. They seemed ~. ="
D he In the air. on the floor. every q
there but on the table. one thing do
fas sure: they did not come from the III
ERECTION in which the medium sat
'esides. he had been tied too tightly W
! his chlir 10 have been able to 80
rake them. -"
Silence again. then more raps. quick VI
tile running raps. never very loud. ~
lat would start and stop second VI
ing 10 and fro. va
Are you there?" Bartley's voice p l'','
sked. hesitatingly.
Almost before his words had died ,,as
way there came series of loud 30
Fps. almost falling over each other no
Then Bartley's voice again. cool but :
W, Can you communicate with us?' rim,
I had expected that rhe raps would ~
ply AT once. bur instead there was IN.
long silence. Several times BARLEY loo
peated the question. and still no bod
swer nd
AT length he asked. "Shall we try staI
Inc other methOd? Tho
Raps answered. tumhllng over each ing
ler In their eagerness. and the table tho
ped so violently that expected it nal,
'uld fall over. II returned TO an mai
right position with bang. then rho,
ence again. A deep moan from the .lot
ectlon Of the medium startled me no
m more means irferSuerSpd with -