第章

Afterthelightwentoutagain，morehandswereseen；thetablewasfloatedaboutovertheheadsofthecircle，aswasthemusicbox，whichweighedatleastfiftypounds。Anotherexaminationofthecabinetwasmadeandeverythingfoundsatisfactory。Thistimethelightwasnotputentirelyout，butaverydimlightwasallowed。

Themusicboxwasagainsetplaying，and，whileyetitwasplayingthefirsttune，atallfigure，robedincreamywhite，withgleamingsparksinherhair，andonherheadasortofcrown，issuedfromthecabinet。Shewasrecognizedbyagentlemanpresent，aspiritualist，whosespiritguideshewas，andwhoaddressedheras“myqueen。“Shestoodafewsecondsbehindthetableandthensteppedoutintheopenspacebetweenthesittersandthetable。

Thegentlemannowarosefromhisseatand，standingbesideher，holdingherhand，conversedinawhisperwithherforsomeseconds。

Thiswasmostassuredlyalady，ifappearancesgoforanything。

Herhandswerequitesmall，andwerewarmandlifelike，asseveral，includingmyself，cantestify，havingbeenpermittedtoshakehandswithher。Atlastshestartedtothecabinet，and，asshewent，appearedtogrowshorter，until，asshedisappearedbetweenthecurtains，shewasnotmuchtallerthanthetable。Themanagernowexplainedthatthespirithadremainedoutrathertoolongandcameneardematerializingbeforeshereachedthecabinet。Nowcamethespiritofayoungman，dressedinalightsuitofclothes，whogavehisnameandsaidhismotherwaspresent。Shewas，andhadafewwordsofconversationwithhimwhenhedisappearedintothecabinet。Theladysaidthatitwasunmistakablyherson；buttherewasSOMETHINGthatwasnotashehadbeen，butwhatitwasshewasunabletodescribe。

ThenextspirittopresentitselfwasmysonEddie。Hecameoutfromthecabinetcalling“Papa，papa。“Themanagerasked“Whoisyourpapa？“andhereplied，“Mr。(Smith)。“Allthistimehestoodbetweenthetableandthecabinet，andonlyhisheadandshoulderscouldbeseen。Themanagertoldhimtostepoutwherehecouldbeseen，whenhecamearoundtothefrontofthetable。

Itwasratherdark，butIcouldswearitwasmyson。Hewasjusttherightsize，withlongflaxenhairandaverypaleface。Heworealight-coloredwaistanddarkerknee-breechesandstockings，withalargeblackbowathisthroat，JustasIrememberseeinghimlastinhealth。

WhileEddiewasstillstandinginfrontofthetablealargemancameoutandtookhimbythehand。Eddiespoke，saying：

“MustIgoback，grandpa？“Theformturnedtowardme，saying：

“Myson，thisisagreatpleasuretous，butwemustnotlongremain，asitisourfirstattemptatmaterializing。“Heturnedtogowhenthemanagersaidtohim：

“Ifthegentlemanisyoursonyououghttogivehimyourname。“

“ThenameofthechildisEddie，andmyownisJ。A。Smith，“

repliedtheform，astheyvanishedintothecabinet。

Themanagersuggestedthatitwouldbewelltoexamineandseewhetherthemediumhadbeenoutornot。Thecabinetwasexaminedandeverythingfoundsatisfactory。

Spiritafterspiritcamefromthecabinet，oneortwoatatimeforanhour；someofthemcametofriends，andotherswere“controls“

ofthemedium。Manyofthemwererecognizedbydifferentonesofthesittersintheroom。I，forone，couldsweartotheidentityofmyownsonEddie，whilemyfatherwasplainlyrecognizable……

Theroomwasagainmadedark。Suddenlythereappearedonthefloor，infrontofthetable，alightaboutaslargeasabaseball。

Itmovedaboutinacircleofperhapsafootindiameterandgrewlarger。Itsoonlosttheshapeofaballandappearedtobealuminouscloud。Seeminglywecouldseeintoandthroughit。Inthecourseofthirtysecondsithadbecomeaslargeasasix-year-

oldchild；stilltherewasnodefiniteshape，onlyafleecycloudlikemass，turning，twisting，androlling。Attheendofperhapsaminuteitwasthesizeandshapeofanadultperson。Thefacecouldnotbeseen，butlight，luminousspotswerevisibleasthoughthehairandearsweredecoratedwithgems。Theshapespokeandrequestedlight。Asthelightwasturnedontheluminousnessdisappeared，andwebeheldabeautifulyoungladyclothedinadazzlingwhitecostume。Herarmsandshoulderswerebare，andabouthernecktherewasanecklaceofwhatappearedtobeverybrilliantdiamonds。Herfeetwereencasedinwhiteslippers，withstrapsacrosstheinstep。Inherearsandhairglistenedandshimmeredbeaut