The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-09-02
Asking Spirit Questions

When one enters the auditorium,
he is asked to write a question to
spirit friend and leave it in a
basket at the rear Of the room.
The first half of the meeting is
given over to direct messages by
Mrs. Bledsoe. It seemed a signifi.
cant fact TO me that on the after
moons preceding these meetings, one
could not get an appointment for a
private reading with her, or in fact,
gain even a glimpse of her.
Her sister, Mrs. Evyline Burnsides
always met all corners with the an
nouncement that Mrs. Bledsoe was
in deep seclusion.
When 1 attended one of her meet
ings and observed the long list OF
personal messages. most Of them re
lating to matters that had already
been discussed in former meetings
and addressed to old timers at the
camp. whose affairs were known to
the entire mediumistic circle. I real
lied what an amount of study she
must do to rehearse her part.
On the evenig when 1 attended
the meeting, I decided not to lose
sight for a moment of the basket OF
questions which awaited the arrival
of Mrs. Rifle. who was to give the
second half Of the program by read
ing and answering the questions by
clairvoyance.
I sat near the back OF the hall
keeping one eye upon the basket
Suddenly 1 realized that somebody
had been observing me, and meant
to Illustrate my plan.
Basket Disappears
Mrs. Burnsides was approaching
me with a great show of friendliness
She seated herself between me and
the table on which the basket was
placed, quite effectually cutting of
my view.
Try as I would I could not see
what was happening to the ques
tons, until with an open effort,
craned my neck around Mrs. Burn
sides shoulder and saw that the has
ket had disappeared.
A few minutes later Mrs. Rifle
appeared and mounted the platform
The basket of questions nysteriously
appeared in the hands of an assist
ant, and the ballots were strewr
upon the table.
In reading and answering them
Mrs. Rifle did not approach the
table.
The trick was performed, undoubt
eddy, during the time when my Wis
ion was obscured by Mrs. Burnsides
and the basket disappeared.
Answers given in these meetings
are beautifully vague and unin'
eliminating.
For example, nearly every ques-
toner Is told not to worry. for the
matter that Is on his mind will be
Strengthened out eventually.
Since there are few human be-
ings who have no worry on their
minds, the answer is almost sure
to apply.
Another stock message is, "Your
spirit friends want you to stay as
long as you can at camp. for it
makes them so happy to be able
to communicate with you here"
These pleadings of the spirit
friends" make it seem hard-hearted
for anybody to wish to leave camp
before the whole six weeks are past
and most of his spare cash in the
hands of the mediums.
Ballot Reading
Ballot reading is far simpler when
an actual blindfold is used on the
mediums eyes and she is allowed
to finger the messages.
Mrs. Minnie Reichart of Chicago
gives this type of message.
The blindfold used is a bandage
Of rather stiff black cloth. 1t IS
tied about here eyes with a great
show of care. But I distinctly saw
the bandadeg left a half inch of space
beneath each eye, formed by the
hollow Of the eye socket.
Mrs. Reichart fingered the ballots
which were unfolded as per instruc
ton. She shuffled them about the
table, making sure that some fell
near the inner edge next her body
and so within the range Of her semi
bandaged eyes.
Then she picked up ballot from
the pile farther away and with much
ostentation pretended to read it and
to answer it's question, while holding
it in the air before her face.
From my vantage point at the