A ' Writing' Medium. ♦ G3 



influence of the evil spirits who counteracted the doings of the 

 good ones, and we were requested to assist the latter in their 

 struggle with our magnetic influence. We succeeded ; the evil 

 spirits were driven from the places they had usurped, and 

 things went on in the regular spiritual manner. 



It was most curious to observe the writing medium, Mrs. 

 Heath Adams. When communicating with the spirits she 

 was almost in a fit ; her hands moved convulsively, and before 

 one could find out how it was done answers to mental ques- 

 tions were written in strange hand-writings on the paper, often 

 signed with the name of the dead person addressed. 



As everybody was more or less excited about these spiritual 

 manifestations, Mrs. Bennett was no exception, and became 

 curious to witness some ot thenv She therefore invited a noted 

 professor of spiritualism, whose name I have forgotten, to per- 

 form before a company in her house. We were sitting in her 

 front parlour, the folding door of the back parlour being closed. 

 The spirits were not slow in obeying the summons of the pro- 

 fessor. We saw again the lights and also the mysterious hands. 

 On being requested to form some mental wish to be executed 

 by the spirits — the lights being turned down and shining dimly, 

 Mrs. Bennett wished to have a very large music book, which 

 was near the piano in the back parlour, under a whole pile of 

 other books. She had scarcely formed that wish when the 

 heavy book fell with a great noise right before her on the table 

 around which we were sitting. Mrs. Bennett was so friglitened 

 that she fainted. She afterwards would not have anything to 

 do with spirits, and never assisted at one of our entertainments. 



Mrs. Speirs, however, became more and more believing, and 

 more and more anxious to convince me. For this purpose she 

 proposed a private meeting at her house, at which only herself, 

 Miss Anna Sugden, and myself should be present. I accepted, 

 and we were sitting one evening near a very substantial black 

 walnut table with heavy legs, the gas nearly turned off The 

 spirits obeyed Miss Sugden, and awaited her orders. She re- 

 quested me to wish for something more difficult to perform 

 than usual. I complied, and having noticed the solidity of 

 the table at which we were sitting, I wished that the spirits 

 would break that table, that is break one of its heavy legs. 

 Miss Anna Sugden consulted with her familiar spirit, whose 

 name she said was Seth, and on being asked whether he could 

 do what I wished, he answered that it was difficult, but that 

 he would try. 



