Preliminary Report of the Commission Appointed by the University of Pennsylvania Part 25

J.V.M.'

The Spiritual communication enclosed reads as follows:

'I Bress de Lord for deh one mor to talk to de people of my ole home I been thar lots o tim since I com here--but o Lord de Ma.s.sy--they no see _Winne_ cos she be ded and she jus no ded at tall--now--as to dot Col gal--_Hed_ I could not say--sure--but I think it Dinah Melish--she who lov de Lord too. I think it seem Dina top not. Will see Dina som time and then i ask her--do you no Minister Du Cachet well he here--and want the [there here follows in the original a rude drawing of a decanter and wine gla.s.s. In this scandalous allusion there is no trace, it will be observed, of phonetic spelling in the proper name] just de same. I Bress de Lor I don't want it.

March 13, '85.

Cornelia Winnie.'

An examination of the envelope marked No. 1, by cutting it open at the edges, revealed the same story of fraud: three of the seals had been cut out, and replaced.

An examination of No. 2, in the same way, readily disclosed the reason why the Spirits had failed to answer, although the question a.s.suredly presented no greater difficulties than in No. 1. An attempt had been made to start two of the seals, but meeting with unexpected resistance in the silk st.i.tches, and finding that further effort would end in tearing the envelope in a very palpable and mundane fas.h.i.+on, the Spirits had grown disheartened and taciturn.

We shall meet this Medium again, but for the present we will leave him, after pausing for a minute over his business card, which, after stating his terms in prosaic dollars and cents, thus apostrophizes his clientele:

"From the bright stars, And viewless air Sweet Spirit, if thy home be there, Answer me.--Answer me."

Happily my experience enables me to remove all doubt as to the locality of the Spirit's 'home,' and to state with positiveness its exact location. But like the German philologist's example of the remarkable incongruity in English between spelling and p.r.o.nunciation, that what was written 'Boz' was p.r.o.nounced 'Charles d.i.c.kens,' so I cheerfully add to this list of incongruities that what is written 'bright stars' is p.r.o.nounced 'Boston,' and 'viewless air' is p.r.o.nounced 'Dartmouth Street.'

I next turned my attention to Mr. R.W. Flint in New York. From him I received the following circular in answer to my inquiries:

"DEAR

I am controlled by one spirit, purporting to be my guide who is the scribe for the spirits, delivering (in his own hand-writing) what is dictated to him by the spirit of communicating.

I am in a normal (not trance) state, but unconscious of the composition.

My hand is moved to write from right to left (backwards), independent of my will.

By holding the written side up to the light, the answer can be read.

The spirit-letters should be SECURELY sealed, addressed to the spirit, giving his or her name in full, and signed by the writer's name in full; but no address on the envelope.

When left open they cannot be answered, my agency being efficient only when my mind is pa.s.sive, and blank to both questions and answers.

Put your questions clearly, directly, briefly. The mixed and many kinds defeat the object of the investigator.

I have my photograph for sale, exhibiting my Spirit Guide's hand and arm, or form of control; taken while answering a sealed letter."

[The terms here follow, with honorable notification that the money is returned in all cases when the letters are not answered.]

It will be noted that this Medium's 'Spirit-guide' requires the names in full of both Spirit and writer; I was, therefore, forced to select a Spirit who knew not only me and my ways, but also the high value that is placed on that skull. Mindful that eminent Spiritual authority had p.r.o.nounced this skull to be that of a colored woman, I decided, after deliberation, to address the Spirit of W---- H----, a colored servant, who had lived over forty years in one family a faithful, blameless life, and who, when he died, carried with him the respect and regards of the entire household, and whose widow and daughters still survive in honest, humble life, and to whose ears this apparent freedom with their husband's and father's name will never reach. Accordingly, the following note was addressed to the Spirit world:

'Dear W---- H----. Can you tell me anything about the owner, when alive, of the skull here in the Library? You remember how anxious I have always been to have my ignorance on this score enlightened. Have you any message to send to your wife, M---- F----? Are you happy now? Your old friend, Horace Howard Furness.'

This letter was put in an envelope, which was gummed and sealed with five simple seals, without the impenetrable st.i.tches of silk, and enclosed with the fee to Mr. Flint. It was received again in a few days with this note:--'Dear Sir--I gave your sealed Spirit-letter three sittings and regret to state that I have been unable to get an answer.

My Guide at each sitting wrote and said, the Spirit called upon is not present to dictate an answer.' The fee was also returned.

An examination of the envelope by cutting at the edges, as in the previous experiment, showed that the 'Spirit arm' of the Guide of Mr.

Flint had not the nerve of Dr. Mansfield. I was at a loss to know why it stopped; it was going along in the removal of the seals very nicely; to be sure the paper was tearing perilously near where the rent could be detected from the outside, but with only a little more of Dr.

Mansfield's pluck, and the Spirit of W---- H---- would have been present, and the fee pocketed. However, from whatever cause, whether fright or repentance, the 'flighty purpose was o'ertook,' and the Medium supposed that a little mucilage would 'clear him of the deed.'

Next I turned to Mrs. Eleanor Martin, in Columbus, Ohio. Without writing a fresh letter, I sent her the same letter to W---- H----, which had been returned to me from Mr. Flint, and the envelope was sealed in the simple easy way with five seals, but no silk st.i.tches.

To this came the following response:

'Columbus, Ohio, March 25th, '85.

... Please find enclosed your sealed letter, also the messages, and my terms. I learn from the messages, your letter was written upon the Spiritual topic. My terms being $1.00. But in your case I find the messages are at a greater length than many and according to request of the Spirit "Belle" I paint the little white rose as her nature. Most truly, Eleanor Martin.

First message, written by one of my Guides in Spirit for the following persons:

MESSAGE.

In earth life I was tall and fair With jet black eyes and golden hair Eyes that sparkled with mirth and song And whose hair in curls one yard long.

Ah but many sad years ago My life was burdened with woe But the seens [_sic_] through which I pa.s.sed Are now with gladness overcast.

I was born in your earth to await The coming of a cruel fate Yes, I a true and loving wife But mine was a sad darkened life.

Oh a life which seemed to last To me the future, as the past, And as the lone hours drifted by My only prayer, Oh could I die.

Cruel is the a.s.sa.s.sins hand Yet so many are in your land Day by day as a fearful flood Hearts have flowed in tears of blood.

My own the pain, I could not tell But I can say I know full well My soul ne'er found sweet peace one day And with earth I could no longer stay.

My form was sold to doctors three So you have all that's left of me I come to greet you in white mull You that prizes my lonely skull.

I can cause you many bright hours Strew your path in purest flowers For your kindness tendered me I will _always_ guard and guide thee.

You may call me your Sister Belle My other name I ne'er can tell They tell me it is for the best To let earth's troubles be at rest.

Tis _I_ who have often raped [_sic_]

In your quiet room have taped [_sic_]

And have impressed on your mind Many inquiries of me so kind.

By Blind Harry for a beautiful lady who gives the name Belle.

SECOND MESSAGE.

To my Dear friend Horace

Horace you wonder if all is well Yes, I'm more happy than I can tell For sorrow and trouble does not last But like a sweet dream goes gliding past In a smooth path of eternal day Where dawns for each a perpetual May.

Dear M---- tell her, and family too That I am ever to them most true And I daily guide her tender feet Where'er she goes upon the street That she has my love forever more I understand her more than before.

Oh! yes this bright and eternal s.p.a.ce Fills each true soul with love and grace There is nothing like earth's crimes so vile No frown wreathes the face but a sweet smile And which glides along, to one and all Greeting old, and young, gay, and small.