times before he could make it out.

After reading the question, it may be noticed that Dr. Slade winks three
or four times rapidly; this may have been partly to veil from his
visitors the fact that he had been looking intently downward, and partly
through mental abstraction in devising an answer. He evidently breathes
freer when this crisis is past.

Convulsive spasms attend the reversing of the slate, which is then
generally held between his knees; only once did we note that he placed
it _on_ his knees, and once we believed that he supported it by pressing
it against the leg of the table. The answer is written without looking
at the slate, in a coarse, large, sprawling hand, at times scarcely
legible. While writing he keeps his eyes steadily fixed on his visitors,
and generally rests a minute or two after it is finished. Presently the
slate is held near the edge of the table and close up to it, and a
tremulous motion imparted to it suggests that Spiritual power is then at
work and that the writing is in progress.

Dr. Slade performed several little tricks which he imputed to Spiritual
agency, but which were almost puerile in the simplicity of their
legerdemain, and which have been repeated with perfect success by one of
our number; such as tossing a slate pencil on and sometimes over the
table from a slate held apparently under the table, or the playing of an
accordion when held with one hand under the table. This Medium's fingers
are unusually long and strong, and the accordion, being quite small and
with only four bellows folds, can be readily manipulated with but one
hand, and when under the table is held by the keys.

Two compasses, which we placed on the table during one seance, remained
unaffected by Dr. Slade's presence.

At our last seance with him we noticed two slates which were not with
the other slates on the small table behind him, but were on the floor
resting against the leg of that table, and within easy reach of his hand
as he sat at the larger table. As we had previously seen prepared slates
similarly placed we kept a sharp watch on these slates. Unfortunately,
it was too sharp. Dr. Slade caught the look that was directed at them.
That detected glance was sufficient to prevent the Spirits from sending
us the messages which they had so carefully prepared. The slates were
not produced during the seance, but when it was over one of our number
managed to strike them with his foot so as to displace th