against
the blankets, through which those members are gingerly squeezed by what
might be a hand, if there was one under the table. A person being told
to take hold of the top of the table at the ends, he does so, and finds
it so heavy that he can barely lift it. Setting it down, he is told to
raise it again several inches; and at the second lifting it is no
heavier than one would naturally judge such a piece of furniture to be.
Another person is asked to lift the end furthest from the medium;
having done so, it suddenly becomes quite weighty, and, relaxing his
hold, it comes down with much force upon the floor. Thus, by the
power--exercised beneath the table--of an assumed spirit, that piece of
cabinet-ware becomes heavy or light, and is moved in various ways, the
medium not appearing to do it.

In addition to her other "fixins," this medium has a spirit-dial, so
called, on which are letters of the alphabet, the numerals, and such
words as "Yes," "No," and "Don't know." The whole thing is so arranged
that the pulling of a string makes an index hand go the circuit of the
dial-face, and it can be made to stop at any of the characters or words
thereon. This "spirit-dial" is placed on the table, near the end
furthest from the medium, the string passing through a hole and hanging
beneath. In the end of the string there is a knot. While the medium
remains in the same position in which she sat when the other
"manifestations" were produced, communications are spelled out through
the dial, the index being moved by some power under the table that pulls
the string. A coil-spring makes the index fly back to the
starting-point, when the power is relaxed at each indication of a
character or word. The orthography of these "spirits" is "bad if not
worse."

Now for an explanation of the various "manifestations" that I have
enumerated.

The medium is simply handy with her feet. To sound the accordeon and
ring the bell at the same time, she has to take off one of her shoes or
slippers, the latter being generally worn by her on these occasions.
That done, she gets the handle of the tea-bell between the toes of her
right foot, through a hole in the stocking, then putting the heel of the
same foot on the keys of the accordeon, and the other foot into the
strap on the bellows part of that instrument, she easily sounds it, the
motion necessary to do this also causing the bell to ring. She can
readily pass her heels over the keys to produc