Schlossenger，whowastravelingoverthecountryafewyearsago。
IwasresidingatthattimeinFallsCity，Neb。，aplaceofafewthousandpopulation。FortwowintersIhadtraveledsomeasamagician，sowhenthemediumcametotown，andbegantoperformhismiracles，certainmembersofthecommunitysuggestedhavingmewitnessoneofhisseances，thinkingIwouldbeabletodiscoverwhetherhistestsweregenuine，orwhethertheywereperformedbytheaidoftrickery。Accordingly，oneevening，aprominentphysicianinvitedme，withcertainrelativesandfriends，toattendaseancegiveninhisparlors。
WhenwearrivedIwasintroducedtothemedium，anelderlygentlemanwithalongwhitebeard，andwearingglasses。Heappearedtobeslightlydeaf，asheplacedhishandtohisearandhadmynamerepeated。Hewasintroducedtotheremainderofthecompanyenmasse，thenamesofthevisitorsnotbeinggiventohim。
Themediumsoonannouncedthat“hismissiononthisearthwastoabsolutelyprovetohumanitytheimmortalityofthesoul。“Henowofferedtogivesometeststothosedesiringit，andaskedforasmalltablewhichwasplacedinanadjoiningroom。Heinvariablyheldhishandtohisear，tocatchwhatwasbeingsaid，beingapparentlyquitedeaf。Healsousedthissameexpedientwhenlisteningtothevoicesoftheunseenspirits，andreportingtheircommunications。
Myfatherandanothergentlemanwereselectedforthefirsttest，astheywereconsideredveryskepticalinsuchmatters。AstheyretiredtoaclosedroomIdidnotseetheexperiment，butwillgivesomepartsofitasreportedtome，fartheron。Inashorttimetheyreturnedtotheparlor，engagedinadiscussionoverthematter；andmyfatherremarked，“Idonotknowhowyougotyourinformation，butIfeelcertainitwasnotfrommybrother，orhewouldhavegivenacertainpointcorrectly。“Themediumthensaid，“IfIwilltellyouwhereyourfatherdied，andthediseasehediedof，willyoubeconvinced？“Myfatherreplied，“IsupposeIwillhavetobe，ifyoucandothat。“
Theythenretired，andthemediumsucceededpartiallyintheexperiment；andwouldhavecertainlysucceededentirely，hadmyfatherfollowedhisinstructions。Iwilldescribewhatwasreportedtomeofthistest，fartheron。
Inowofferedmyselfforatest。Iretiredtotheroomwiththemedium，andincidentallyofferedhimonedollarandfiftycents，thesamemyfatherhadgivenhim；butherefusedthemoney，saying：
“Yourfatherisnotconvinced，andIwillnottakeanymoremoney。“
Henowtookasheetofpaperfromatablet，anddrewfivestraightlinesacrossit，spacingthesheetintosixspacesaboutequal。
Nexttakingmyhand，andlookingearnestlyintomyface，hesaid：
“PromisemethatifIsucceed，youwillnotmakelightofthis。
Promiseme，forthisisverysacredtome。“Ididso。Henowdirectedmetowritenamesinthespacesonthesheet，anynamesI
pleased，writingbutonenameineachspace。Allthenamesweretobeoflivingorfictitiouspersonsexceptone，thisonetobethenameofsomeoneIhadknownwhowasthendead。Hesaid，“Befairwithme，andIwillscratchoutthedeadperson’sname。“Thesewerehisexactwords，thereforeIinnowaytriedtohidemywritingfromhim，althoughhestoodatadistanceanddidnotappeartowatchme。Itookapencilandbeganwritingthenames；
beingunpreparedIhadtothinkofthenamesIwishedtowrite。I
desiredtoselectnamesofpersonslivingatadistance，sothathecouldinnopossiblemannerknowthem。WhileIwaswritinghetalkedincessantly，whichinspiteofmyselfdividedmyattention。
Atthesametimehekepturgingmetowrite，andimmediatelyafterurgingme，wouldbegintalkingrapidlyonsomespiritualisticsubject。Iremembersaying，“Youmustgivemetimetothink。“I
thoughtIusedgreatcare，soastowriteeachnamewiththesameprecision，andtriedtobetraynoemotionwhenwritingthedeadperson’sname。Iselectedthename“CoraHolt“forthedeadperson’sname。ThiswasthenameofanauntwhohaddiedinanotherState。
AssoonasIhadwrittenthenamesheaskedmetocutthemapartintoslips，havingonenameoneachslip。NowhereIdonotrememberwhetherhefoldedthemhimself，orhadmehelp，asIwasnotexpectingthemtobefolded。However，wefoldedeachoneintoabilletwiththewritinginside。
Henowdirectedmetoplacetheminahat，andtoholdthehatunderthetable，takeoutthebilletsoneatatime，andthrowthemonthetabletop。ThisIdidwhilehestoodwithhisrightarmextendedtowardthetableandaboutonefootaboveit。AfterIhadthrownafewbilletsonthetable，asIthrewthenextone，Iheardthreelouddistinctraps。Hesaid，“There，that’stheonethatisdead。OpenitandseeifIamright，butdonotletmeseeit。
Folditupagainandplaceitinyourpocket。“Iopenedthebillet。Ididnotknowwhatthenamewouldbe，asIhadmixedthemunderthetable；yetIhadafeelingthatitwascorrect。Iopeneditandsureenoughthenamewas“CoraHolt。“Irefoldedit，placingitinmypocket。ImustconfessthatIfeltamomentarycreepyfeelingpassoverme，asmyemotionswerewroughtuptosuchapitchbytheintensemannerinwhichIhadwatchedallthedetailsoftheexperiment。Iinformedhimthathewasright，butdidnottellhimthename。Henowtookmyhandinhis，andleadingmeintotheparlor，hadmestatetothecompanywhathadjustoccurred。Nowplacinghishandonmyhead，hesaid：“Iwillendeavortogiveyouthename。“Closinghiseyes，hisbodytrembledorshudderedwithakindofparoxysm，andapparentlywithagreatefforthepronouncedthename“CoraHolt。“Thiseffortseemedtogreatlyexhausthim，andcomingoutofhistemporarytrancehebeggedustoexcusehim，sayingthattherewereopposingspiritspresentandhecoulddonomorethatnight；thathehaddoneallforusthatlaywithinhispower。Henowtookhisleave。
Thiswasallveryimpressivetomeatthetime，excepttheraps。
ItwasonlyafterwardsthatIthoughtouttheexplanation，whichI
willgivefartheron。Astotheraps，theyhadthesoundasofapenciltappingloudlyonathinstripofwood，oraruler，andnotthesoundoftappingonatable。Ihadpreviouslyknownofthemechanicalandelectricalrappers，suppliedbycertainconjuringdepots，andwornonthepersonofthemedium，orattachedtoatable。Myimpressionwasatthetimethatpossiblyhehadarapperinthesleeveofthearmextendedoverthetable，andbydirectingtheattentiontothetablethesoundwouldappeartocomefromthere。AsIwassittingrightagainstthetable，Iwillsaythatthesounddidnotappeartometocomefromthetable，butmorenearlyfromhisperson。
Referringagaintothetestgivenmyfather，themediumfirstannouncedhisprices，whichhewouldacceptifsatisfactory。Thiswasagreedtoandpaid。HethenhadmyfatherwritenamesonpaperinamannersimilartothewayIhavedescribed，excepthedidnotrequestmyfathertowriteadeadperson’sname；instead，herequestedhimtowrite，amongothernames，hismother’smaidenname，hiswife’smaidenname，hisfather’sname，alsothenamesofcertainmembersofhisfamilyandofsomeofhisfriends，someofwhomshouldbedead。Thismyfatherdid。
Amongthenameswrittenbymyfatherwashismother’smaidenname，viz。，“CelestinaRedexilanaPhelps，“anamecertainlyoutoftheordinary。Healsowrotehiswife’smaidenname，hisfather’sname，hisbrother’sname，andseveralothernames——sixoreightaltogether。
Whenthemediumhadthebilletstakenoutofthehathesaid，“Youhavetherethenameofyourmother；thenameissomethinglike’CelestianotCelestinaRoxalenanotRedexilanaPhelps，’“thusgivingwrongpronunciationstothefirsttwonames。However，whenmyfatheropenedit，sureenoughitwashismother’smaidenname。
Myfathernowtookanotherbilletwhichhadwrittenthereonhisfather’sname。Thisthemediumgavecorrectly，statingthatthiswashisfather’sname。Thenextbillethadwrittenthereonthenameofmyfather’sbrother；thenamewasJamesAsahelAbbott。“
Themediumthensaid：“YourbrotherJamesishere，andhesaystotellyouthatheishappyandthatyouaremakingagreatmistakenottobelieve。“
NowthisbrotherhadalwaysbeencalledbyhissecondnameandnotbythenameofJames。Myfathersaid，“Ifyouaremybrother，givemeyourfullname。“Themediumreplied，“JamesAsh-a-bellAbbott，“
givinganentirelywrongpronunciationofthesecondname。Thisitwas，withsomeothererror，thatledtothediscussiontheyhadonreturningtotheparlor，andinwhichmyfatherremarked，“Ifyougetyourinformationfromthedead，theyshouldbeabletopronouncetheirownnamescorrectly。“
Myfather，notbeingfamiliarwiththemethodsoftrickery，couldnotwithexactnessgivealltheminutedetailsofthetestasI
wouldhavewished；andasIneverhadanopportunitytoseethisexperimentmyself，Icanonlysurmisethemeansemployedinitsproduction。
Thesecondexperimentwithmyfatherhadbeenanefforttotellthediseaseofwhichmygrandfatherdied，alsotheplacewherehedied。
Themediumrequiredmyfathertowriteontheusualruledpaper，anameofadiseaseandalsoanameofaplace，ineachspace，thatis，onediseaseandoneplaceineachspace。Heremarkedingivingdirections，“LikeNewYorkmeasles，Philadelphiasmallpox，etc。“
Herequired，however，thatmyfatherwriteINTHESAMESPACEthecorrectdisease，andalsothecorrectplaceofhisfather’sdeath。
Theremainderofthespacesweretocontainthenamesofanydiseaseoranyplacehemightchoose。
Thismyfatherdid，writinginonespace“Sacramentodysentery。“
Thiswasthecorrectdisease，butthecitywastheplaceofmygrandfather’sburial，andnottheplaceofhisdeath，thelatterbeingavillagecalled“Hangtown。“Themediumquicklygavedysenteryasthedisease，andSacramentoastheplaceofmygrandfather’sdeath。Itwasplainthathadmyfatherwrittenthevillagewherehisfatherdied，insteadofhisburialplace，themediumwouldhavesucceeded。
This，however，provedbeyondadoubtthatthemediumobtainedhisinformationFROMTHEWRITING，andnotfromthespiritsofthedead。
Afterthinkingthematterover，Idecidedthat，whileIwasuncertainastothemannerinwhichDr。Schlossengerhadperformedalloftheseexperiments，Icouldreproducetwoofthemwithcertaintyasoftenashedid。IimmediatelymadethetrialandfoundIcouldsucceedfullyninetimesoutoftenonanaverage。I
mightstatethatthedoctoralsofailedaboutonetimeintenonanaverage；nevertheless，thepeopleofthecommunityweregreatlyexcited，talkingofhismiracles，ingroupsonthestreets，forsomedays。Themediumwascoiningmoney，yetIfoundafewcaseswherehefailedtotally。Thefailureswereseldommentioned；itwasthesuccessesthatexcitedthepeople。
ThemethodIuseinreproducingthefirsttestgivenme，istosodirecttheattentionofthesubjectsbeforethewriting，bymydiscourse，astocausethemtoselectunconsciouslythenameofthedeadpersoninadvance。Thisiseasilymanagedwithalittlepracticeintalking，andstilltheywillneverguessthatitisdoneonpurpose。
Now，astheybegintowrite，theywillnaturallypausebeforewritingeachname，tothinkofanametowrite。Thepausemaybebutslight，yetthereissomepause。Ofcourse，whentheywritetheselectedname，nopausewillbenecessary；andifhurriedproperlyatthattimetheywillmakenone。Thisistheobjectoftheincessanttalkingduringtheexperiment。Iflefttothemselves，thesubjectswill，inaboutonehalfofthecases，writetheselectednameinthethirdspacefromthetop。Inabouthalfoftheremainingcasestheselectednamewillbewritteninthefourthspacefromthetop。Thisisespeciallytrueifinyourinstructionsyoudirectthesubjectto“mixthedeadperson’snamesomewhereinamongtheotherswhereyoucannotknowwhereitis。“