lly,
however, I shall find it necessary, for the sake of completeness in this
exposition, to meet them with positive refutation, which in reality they
do not deserve.

Having thus got one of the clever and lively little girls under her own
control, Leah soon induced her mother to come to Rochester with the other.
Nothing could show more clearly that she had already formed the resolve to
reap a harvest of gain and renown from this auspicious beginning, than her
decisive course, instantly upon realizing the public wonder and curiosity
which the "rappings" had excited.

It was absolutely necessary to delude some people who were near, and who
should have been dear to her, as well as the careless and easily gullible
public. The good and simple-hearted old mother would never have been a
partner in conscious deception. The matter-of-fact, unspeculative father,
must be brought to a point where he would at least not deny the claims of
the so-called "mediums," his daughters. The honest and outspoken Lizzie
must be awed into discretion by the prospect of great prosperity, which
was opened before them, and the lesson that if she spoke too freely they
would surely be deprived of it. Some stalwart and docile sympathizers must
be enlisted outside of her own people who could be depended upon to stand
by them as against too strenuous inquiry, or hot-tempered public assault.

Immediately upon Margaret's arrival at the house in Rochester, in which
Mrs. Fish lived, and which adjoined a graveyard, the "manifestations"
redoubled. They were produced by the combined efforts of Leah, Margaret
and Katie. Mrs. Underhill narrates that one night, about this time, a
"spirit" walked about in their room, as if in his bare feet, when they
were all supposed to be in bed. She continues: "He answered my question by
stamping on the floor. I was amused--although afraid. He seemed so willing
to do my bidding that I could not resist the temptation of speaking to him
as he marched around my bed. I said, 'Flat Foot, can you dance the
Highland fling?' This seemed to delight him. I sang the music for him, and
he danced most admirably. This shocked mother and she said: 'O, Leah, how
can you encourage that fiend by singing for him to dance?' I soon found
that they took advantage of my familiarity, and gathered in strong force
around us. And here language utterly fails to describe the incidents that
occurred. Loud whispering, giggling, scuffling, groaning, death-st