A WONDERFUL "SPIRIT-FACES" STORY.

Waikato Times, 22 February 1873, Page 2

A WONDERFUL "SPIRIT-FACES" STORY.

The Daily TaltgrapVs "Own Commissioner" relates the following story, and calls upon the public to- say whether he has seen something Ter-y remarkable or ha 3 boon egregioiwly gulled. The writer, presuming much on public credulity, says that he was present with a few friends in the breakfastpariourof ab.ouso.in the outskirts -of London, and tkjjwgh the medium of " a pretty Jevrish-liko little girl," a°«* six J teoH, tl*e daughter of a "respectable man in some small com< mercial line of life," ho was introduced to several spirits — i A curtain was stretched • across tho opeu doorway, leaving an aperture of about a foot deep at tho top ; and m tln| rather Punch-and -Judy-like opening portions of the spujj faces gradually showed themselves— first a nose, then an tt &C& C) — to tine "circle who sat on tho stmirs. Now, however that the power was more de^ eloped, a sort of corner-e upboarc had been fitted up, with two doors opening in the u&ua manner from the- centre, and an aperture of some eighteei inches squaro in tho fixed portion nt the top. At this Iwa told tho faces would appear. A lamp on a table in the othc corner of a room was so arranged :if to shed a bright hgh on this opening, whilst it left the rest of the small apartmen in subdued but still in full light I examined the cupboan or cabinet carefully, put a chair in, and snw little Miss Blan carefully shut up inside like a pot of jam or a pound o candles! A rope was put in her lap, the object of which •» il appear anon, and we all eat round hko a party of grown-u; children waiting for tho magic-lantern. • We were told to sing, aid so we did— at least tho rest did for tho songs were spintualisticones for the- most part, wh<c I did not know. They wore pretty, cheerful little Inmn «ueh as " Hind ist luuid •with Angela." "Tho beautifi River," and Longfellow 'a " Footsteps of Angels " By an bv, raps inside- the cupboard-door told us to " open sesame. We did, so • and there was pretty Miss Blank tied round tl neck, arms, and legs to tho chair, in a rerv uncomfoitiß and apparently secure manner. We sealed the knots Hhi her up in the cupboard, and warbled again. After some d lay a face rose genllv to tho nperhiro rather f.ir back, b\ presently camo well to tbo front. It was slightly pale, an the hoad was swathed, in white drapery. The ejes we fi\ed, and altogether it looked, ghostly. It remained for son time, disappeared and re-appeared ; and the lamp wastunu full upon it, but tho eyes never lost their fi\ed stare, ai showed no symptoms of wink-ing* After several minutes wenb altogether. Tho doors were opened, and little Mi Blank was found, still tied, with seasl unbroken, and J»f appearance- in a, deep bleep. She was " entranced,",.!^ told. " Katie," the spirit (for she was a familiar in the mo literal &ense,) informed me that she gathered the " matena for embodying herself from the breaths of tho circle, ai took the ''life" from the medium. Miss Blank was th awakened, uncorded, aud taken to walk for a quaiter of i hour in the back garden, a« she was much exhausted ; ft' wo went up stairs tv recruit as well We had to make tl break thrice during the evening. When we ve-asswnble another appearance took place in obedience to the eotnmai of the doctor, who had Itcen in the Ea6t, aud aslcd to l»«

Parse© friend. After some delay, a head appeared, surmounted by a turban, and with a decidedly Eastern expression of countenance and dark complexion. It did not satisfy the doctor, who declared tlmt the foco bore a resemblance to the one demanded, but that tbo bead gear was not .en regie In scene the third, thafnoc wns quite dilfarent. The head was Btill surmounted bv white- drapery, but a black .band was over the forehead,, like a n-ui'sJlooi The teeth wero projecting, and the expression of the face sad. They fancied it was a spirit that wa» paiaed at aat bring recognised. When this face disappeared, Kttio canio again foY a Jittlo while, and allowed mo to j?o up to,th& cupboaud and touch her face and hand, after first putting to mo the impudent question, "Do you squeeze, ? " On assuring her I did not do any tiling so improper, the manipulations were perm it tod. Tins was tho finVo, and the circle broXrjjup forthwih I icerved my judgment; as my custom always is when I sec anything that beats me."