newal of the favors from the wind sprites.

It was evident enough, soon after, that we had incurred their anger in some way, for they persisted in giving us head-winds, with little, chopping seas, during the remainder of the afternoon. Our sailors and marines worked well at the long oars; but long before we could discover the little white rag left fluttering upon a cypress limb at the feeder, twilight came down, and night followed the twilight.

Many and often-repeated false alarms were given, as some one fancied he saw the signal-flag through the gloom, and several times we were involved in a labyrinth of half-sunken logs and cypress-trees, to our imminent peril. Then came debates as to the probability of our having passed the feeder mouth. And we doubled on our course, hoping to verify the vehement assertions of the Middy, that he had seen an opening in the trees. Alas! it was a delusion. The Baron had given up all hopes of meeting another bruin long before night set in, and had relapsed into a moody reverie. | Some of the other members of the crew, when unemployed at the oars, tried hard to emulate his stoical nursing of his pipe, while, it may as well be confessed, vivid visions of a ghostly boat's crew, rowing around the lake in never-ending circles, obtruded themselves.

Perhaps some Moore, of coming lyric fame, might chance upon these lone shores, and embody our fate in immortal verse; but what good? we would not be there to read it. Of what practical use is posthumous fame? Better far a warm corner in even so humble a cot as that of our last night's occupation. The Civil Rights Hotel and its sable proprietor would have been hailed with joy at this moment. Possibly we might meet the lonely paddler called to mind when our commander recited:

"They made her a grave, too cold and damp
For a soul so warm and true.

And she's gone to the lake of the Dismal Swamp,
Where all night long, by her fire-fly lamp,
She paddles her white canoe."

"By Jupiter! I believe you've exorcised her. See there!" exclaimed the Middy, and, looking as indicated, we caught the distant gleam of a little light, sometimes dipping and disappearing entirely, then sparkling again, and finally throwing an uninterrupted streak of light across the intervening water.

"Ve vill try the effect of a salute on her ladyship," said the Baron, taking up his rifle.

Then the sharp crack of the weapon rang out and died away in rippling detonations upon the opposite shores.

The approaching light waved and tossed in reply, followed by an answering shot. An end to romance. We knew, then, that our visitor was, without doubt, the bear hunter from the lock. And so it proved. His family had told him of our visit in the morning, and he rightly guessed, when we failed to come by at night, that we were lost, and so started in his dug-out to put a light at the signal tree. Our lantern had been discovered almost as soon as his.

A night upon the floor, in the midst of an already closely-stowed circle of sleepers, seemed luxury indeed, after the escape from the chilly confines of the lake; and a dull, rainy day following was accepted as the brightest of morns as we poled along the current setting toward the canal. Somewhat later, in clearing weather, we were exhilarated by a race with the steamer from Elizabeth City to town.

The adventures of the "Dismal Swamp Exploring Expedition" will occupy a prominent place in the annals of the Plymouth's quarter-deck, and without doubt was told to the marines by their returning comrades with embellishments suited to the tastes of that highly credulous branch of the service.

SLY about it as a witch,

Mary does the strangest sewing; Ruffle and embroid'ry stitch-What it is is past man's knowing; Mary knows, Mary knows.

Just the oddest bits of clothes

Made like doll things, quaint and funny; O'er them how her bright face glows

Does she work odd spells for money? Mary knows, Mary knows.

Ah! she thought no one was near

When in scented drawer she laid them;

Why did dear wife drop a tear

As she stood and softly kissed them?
Mary knows, Mary knows.

G. B. G.

PART I.

It is proposed in the following pages to set forth the experience of three amateurs who attempted for themselves to investigate and explore a few of the mysteries of that which has commonly been called "spiritualism." They were especially prompted so to do at the particular point of time selected, by the fact that just then a fresh wave of superstition seemed to be sweeping over the community, even the daily secular newspapers containing provokingly mysterious accounts of "mediumis," "séances," "manifestations," and materializations." A very natural desire not to be too far behind the age, even in a knowledge of other "spheres" than their own, led them to inquire into the meaning of the strange phrases which seemed so familiar to the ears of some. The party who set out with this end in view were by no means disciples of the faith they were about to question, but, on the other hand, were rather skeptical in their sentiments. Not so much so, however, that they felt unable to render an impartial verdict upon the evidence. One of the three investigators was an author, S―, whose name would be well known if mentioned. Another was a physician, whose skill in the diagnosis of disease led to the hope that he would detect any delusion or hallucination of which his friends might be come the victims; a third was the writer, who proposes to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." They wished to examine, on different evenings and in different places, two phases of professed spiritual manifestations; viz., "materialization of spirits," and "independent writing."

With this object in view, then, the trio ascended the steps of a moderately respectable mansion in a moderately respectable portion of the city at about eight o'clock on a winter evening. This house contained the apartments, temporarily hired, of the medium, or professor, whose card, with the exception of the proper names, was as follows:

HENRY S. JOHNSON,

Medium for Full-Form Materialization in the Light Select Seances.

No. 111 W. St.

Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday Eve'gs. 8 o'clock. The Wonderful Child Medium Magnolia will be present each evening.

We pulled the bell, the door opened, we entered a dimly-lighted hall, and a rather short, squarelybuilt, sharp-featured, low-browed, pock-marked man, perhaps thirty-five years of age, stood before

us.

"Is Mr. Johnson in ?" we asked.

"I am Mr. Johnson," said the door-tender. Mr. Johnson did not impress us as a man who would be a very skillful manipulator in any attempt at tricks of legerdemain. He shot quick, nervous glances from his deeply-set blue eyes, and the expression of his countenance was that of one habitually suspicious, and on the defensive against prejudice, criticism, and ridicule. He had not the cool, collected, self-possessed manner which we supposed would characterize an adept in deception. That he was an illiterate man was soon made evident by his conversation.

We explained the object of our call, were courteously received, and ushered into the front parlor.

The room was modestly furnished, its walls were hung with pictures, the gas was lighted, a fire was burning in the grate, and there was a general air of homeliness and comfort which might prove attractive to the average spirit from some less favored sphere. We found it already comfortably filled with about eighteen people, all of them appearing respectable and intelligent, even more so, perhaps, than the medium himself. Among them were long-bearded, dreamy-eyed, solemnvisaged old men, who, we learned, had been wrestling for years with the mystery called spiritualism; of these, one was a very intelligent old gentleman, a member of the editorial staff of an important newspaper, and one who had entire confidence in the truth of that which others in the room believed to be a delusion. Of the latter class were several keen-eyed skeptics, one a wideawake newspaper reporter, who, like ourselves, had come to witness developments. We noticed some well-dressed sad-looking ladies, whose countenances wore the anxious expression of those who possibly might be hoping to obtain some token of

the little girl. You may do it, as you are one of the skeptical ones," said he, offering the strips to the doctor.

A large brass ring, six inches in diameter, was then placed on the child's lap and the tent closed. The medium followed the skeptical guard to the

"Or you," said he to the writer; "you are one also" (this assertion of the medium is offered as a proof that the writer is not a spiritualist in disguise)," and I wish a committee to be selected to see that the work is thoroughly done."

Under the direction of the medium, the hands of the child were tightly bound together behind her back. She was then placed in the cabinet, seated upon the stool, and firmly fastened by the strips to the rings in the upright post. Her neck, her hands, and her feet were thus securely and immovably fixed.

"Now," said the medium, "let all examine to see that the little girl is securely fastened; she is a good little girl, who likes to go to school, and has taken a prize for scholarship, which she is very proud of," said he, pointing to a small medal hanging from her neck.

The medium then produced two small dinnerbells, one of which he placed in the child's lap, and the other on her head, and dropped the curtain which closed the tent, shutting her from the view of the spectators.

"May I stand in the other room in the rear of the cabinet?" said the writer, who was still acting as a member of the skeptical committee.

"Certainly you may; we wish to give every opportunity for investigation," said the medium. "But wait; we must first see whether the power is present," he continued. "Now let us all sing; we generally use the melodeon, but our performer is not here this evening."

The lights in the room were still burning brightly. The stout lady commenced singing the words, "Nearer my God to Thee." Perhaps the third line had been reached, when there was a decided if not a violent ringing of bells in the cabinet, and the sound of one dropping on the floor. The curtain was thrown open, and there was the child medium, bound as immovably as at first.

It seemed quite evident that the "power" of some kind was present, and two or three skeptics, the writer included, proceeded to act as rear guard, to protect the tent from intrusion in that quarter.

"Light," called the child-medium from the cabinet, and medium and skeptical guard, who had discovered no surreptitious invasion of the tent, darted to the front. The drapery was raised and Jenny was seen sitting demurely with the ring around her neck, which, a moment before, had been in her lap. It certainly had not been placed there by her own hands, for they were firmly bound.

"But see," said the medium, "those flowers," evidently himself somewhat surprised at what seemed to be an unexpected and unusual part of the programme. And, truly enough, from Jenny's pretty mouth were hanging by the stems two beautiful carnation pinks in full bloom.

"See," said the stout female, "a materialization of flowers."

What may have been meant by "materialization" may be somewhat obscure, but that the flowers were material was evident, for the writer selfishly secured one of most delightful fragrance, placed it in his button-hole, carried it home, and still preserves it as a souvenir of Jenny and her spiritual confederates.

"Oh! what beautiful flowers! Will not the spirits send one to me?" said one of the sadlooking ladies in the circle.

"Darkness be over me, My rest a"

Again, at a signal from Jenny, the curtain was raised, and between her lips two more flowers were seen, one a white, the other a red carnation pink. "One for this lady, and the other for that," said Jenny, indicating the direction by a glance of the eyes; and she was not satisfied until she saw the flowers in the possession of those who, something had impressed her, were the rightful

owners.

"Will some one lend me a finger-ring?" said the medium. A heavy gold one was loaned by one of the spectators, and was placed in Jenny's mouth. The curtain dropped:

"Light!" called Jenny, and light was afforded. "Now examine and see what has become of the ring," said the medium to the skeptical committee advancing from the rear. One did so examine and discovered the ring on the forefinger of one of the little hands bound behind the back to the ring in the post.

"Now," said the medium, "some of our visitors say the child manages to throw the ring from her mouth and catch it on her finger. Now let us see if she can throw it back again into her mouth." The curtain was dropped. "Light," called Jenny, almost before the light had been fairly excluded. The curtain seemed not to have been closed for more than a few seconds. The ring was shining again in the mouth of the child, which a minute before had been upon her finger.

A tall silk hat was placed on Jenny's lap, the tent closed and opened, and the hat was seen covering her head completely. The curtain was dropped, and in a few moments the hat had been carefully replaced in her lap, and with this manœuvre the part taken by the child-medium in the séance was at an end. She was not unbound, but cut loose from her fastenings, and the red marks and ridges around her slender wrists showed that they retained their original position. The careful watch of the skeptical committee in the rear could discover no movement in the tent curtains during the performance; neither did there seem to be any material or materialized trap-door, however necessary it might be to afford a satisfactory explanation of the "phenomena."

This part of the séance having closed, the more serious work of the evening was about to com

mence.

"Now," said the medium, "if any person present should be called up to meet the materialization,' he will be introduced by one of the ladies," meaning, as we afterward learned, one of the females at the ends of the circle, who acted as assistants. "If the spirits should offer to shake hands, you are at liberty to take the hand so offered; but remember on no account to attempt to lay hold of or to interfere in any way with the manifestations."

The medium then placed a chair in the cabinet, turned down the gas, leaving only a small lamp burning near the front of the room, so shaded that only the outlines of the tent were dimly visible in the obscurity. He then most earnestly requested all in the audience to join in the singing, retired to his tent, now no longer guarded, and closed the folds which formed the door.

Again the concert, led by the stout female songstress, heartily seconded by Jenny, commenced. "Come, spirits, come,

Come now with power."

If it is a land of song where spirits dwell, they would hardly have been induced to leave it by the melody furnished by the two end ladies. For a time the harmony seemed productive of no good result.

"Please all join in singing," said the stout

lady.

"If you don't all sing, how can you expect them to come?" said little Jenny, a trifle pettishly, it must be confessed. Gradually, however,

"A hand. Sometimes I see the whole arm up to here," said the girl, pointing half-way from her elbow to her shoulder.

"harmonize," some of the faithless ones, who probably never had made the attempt before, and it may be hoped never will again, added to the lack of harmony by sundry quavers of treble and base. At last, on the dark background of the tent there appeared to glide stealthily along a

"Oh, I knew."

"But don't you feel afraid in that dark tent?" "Oh, no; not at all," said Jenny, with a smile at the thought.

In answer to another inquiry, she said that the medium was her brother.

the base a circular dish. The triangle soon became evidently the shirt-front, and the dish the face of a figure, whose outlines became more or less visible to those nearer or more remote. The apparition did not walk, it glided, or slid, as if on parlor skates, first outward and then modestly backward toward the cabinet, much as a spoiled