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surface of a middle slate； where but a moment before there was
nothing； seems to be truly a marvel。 The subject having cleaned
and stacked these slates himself； and having seen them examined so
many times； naturally feels impressed that the message comes by
some superhuman power。
THE NAME OF THE DEAD
In the book entitled Psychics： Facts and Theories； by Rev。 Minot J。
Savage； at page 15； the following account will be found：
〃Soon I began to hear raps； apparently on the floor； and then in
different parts of the room。 On this； the lady remarked； simply：
'Evidently there is some one here who wishes to communicate with
you。 Let us go into the front parlor； where it will be quieter。'
This we did； the raps following us； or rather beginning again as
soon as we were seated。 At her suggestion I then took pencil and
paper （which I happened to have in my bag）； and sat at one side of
a marble…top table； while she sat at the other side in a rocker and
some distance away。 Then she said： 'As one way of getting at the
matter； suppose you do this： You know what friends you have in the
spirit world。 Write now a list of namesany names you please；
real or fictitious； only among them somewhere include the names of
some friends in the spirit world who； you think； might like to
communicate with you； if such a thing were possible。' I then
began。 I held a paper so that she could not possibly have seen
what I wrote； even though she had not been so far away。 I took
special pains that no movement or facial expression should betray
me。 Meantime she sat quietly rocking and talking。 As I wrote；
perhaps at the eighth or tenth name； I began to write the name of a
lady friend who had not been long dead。 I had hardly written the
first letter before there came three loud distinct raps。 Then my
hostess said； 'This friend of yours； of course； knows where she
died。 Write now a list of places； including in it the place of her
death； and see if she will recognize it。' This I did； beginning
with Vienna； and so on with any that occurred to me。 Again I had
hardly begun to write the real name； when once more came three
raps。 And so on； concerning other matters。 I speak of these only
as specimens。
〃Now； I cannot say that in this particular case the raps were not
caused by the toe joints of the lady。 The thing that puzzles me in
this theory； is as to how the toe joints happened to know the name
of my friend； where she died； etc。； which facts the lady herself
did not know； and never had known。〃
It has been the writer's good fortune to witness practically this
same experiment； performed by a very expert medium； Dr。
Schlossenger； who was traveling over the country a few years ago。
I was residing at that time in Falls City； Neb。； a place of a few
thousand population。 For two winters I had traveled some as a
magician； so when the medium came to town； and began to perform his
miracles； certain members of the community suggested having me
witness one of his seances； thinking I would be able to discover
whether his tests were genuine； or whether they were performed by
the aid of trickery。 Accordingly； one evening； a prominent
physician invited me； with certain relatives and friends； to attend
a seance given in his parlors。
When we arrived I was introduced to the medium； an elderly
gentleman with a long white beard； and wearing glasses。 He
appeared to be slightly deaf； as he placed his hand to his ear and
had my name repeated。 He was introduced to the remainder of the
company en masse； the names of the visitors not being given to him。
The medium soon announced that 〃his mission on this earth was to
absolutely prove to humanity the immortality of the soul。〃 He now
offered to give some tests to those desiring it； and asked for a
small table which was placed in an adjoining room。 He invariably
held his hand to his ear； to catch what was being said； being
apparently quite deaf。 He also used this same expedient when
listening to the voices of the unseen spirits； and reporting their
communications。
My father and another gentleman were selected for the first test；
as they were considered very skeptical in such matters。 As they
retired to a closed room I did not see the experiment； but will
give some parts of it as reported to me； farther on。 In a short
time they returned to the parlor； engaged in a discussion over the
matter； and my father remarked； 〃I do not know how you got your
information； but I feel certain it was not from my brother； or he
would have given a certain point correctly。〃 The medium then said；
〃If I will tell you where your father died； and the disease he died
of； will you be convinced？〃 My father replied； 〃I suppose I will
have to be； if you can do that。〃
They then retired； and the medium succeeded partially in the
experiment； and would have certainly succeeded entirely； had my
father followed his instructions。 I will describe what was
reported to me of this test； farther on。
I now offered myself for a test。 I retired to the room with the
medium； and incidentally offered him one dollar and fifty cents；
the same my father had given him； but he refused the money； saying：
〃Your father is not convinced； and I will not take any more money。〃
He now took a sheet of paper from a tablet； and drew five straight
lines across it； spacing the sheet into six spaces about equal。
Next taking my hand； and looking earnestly into my face； he said：
〃Promise me that if I succeed； you will not make light of this。
Promise me； for this is very sacred to me。〃 I did so。 He now
directed me to write names in the spaces on the sheet； any names I
pleased； writing but one name in each space。 All the names were to
be of living or fictitious persons except one； this one to be the
name of some one I had known who was then dead。 He said； 〃Be fair
with me； and I will scratch out the dead person's name。〃 These
were his exact words； therefore I in no way tried to hide my
writing from him； although he stood at a distance and did not
appear to watch me。 I took a pencil and began writing the names；
being unprepared I had to think of the names I wished to write。 I
desired to select names of persons living at a distance； so that he
could in no possible manner know them。 While I was writing he
talked incessantly； which in spite of myself divided my attention。
At the same time he kept urging me to write； and immediately after
urging me； would begin talking rapidly on some spiritualistic
subject。 I remember saying； 〃You must give me time to think。〃 I
thought I used great care； so as to write each name with the same
precision； and tried to betray no emotion when writing the dead
person's name。 I selected the name 〃Cora Holt〃 for the dead
person's name。 This was the name of an aunt who had died in
another State。
As soon as I had written the names he asked me to cut them apart
into slips； having one name on each slip。 Now here I do not
remember whether he folded them himself； or had me help； as I was
not expecting them to be folded。 However； we folded each one into
a billet with the writing inside。
He now directed me to place them in a hat； and to hold the hat
under the table； take out the billets one at a time； and throw them
on the table top。 This I did while he stood with his right arm
extended toward the table and about one foot above it。 After I had
thrown a few billets on the table； as I threw the next one； I heard
three loud distinct raps。 He said； 〃There； that's the one that is
dead。 Open it and see if I am right； but do not let me see it。
Fold it up again and place it in your pocket。〃 I opened the
billet。 I did not know what the name would be； as I had mixed them
under the table； yet I had a feeling that it was correct。 I opened
it and sure enough the name was 〃Cora Holt。〃 I refolded it；
placing it in my pocket。 I must confess that I felt a momentary
creepy feeling pass over me； as my emotions were wrought up to such
a pitch by the intense manner in which I had watched all the
details of the experiment。 I informed him that he was right； but
did not tell him the name。 He now took my hand in his； and leading
me into the parlor； had me state to the company what had just
occurred。 Now placing his hand on my head； he said： 〃I will
endeavor to give you the name。〃 Closing his eyes； his body
trembled or shuddered with a kind of paroxysm； and apparently with
a great effort he pronounced the name 〃Cora Holt。〃 This effort
seemed to greatly exhaust him； and coming out of his temporary
trance he begged us to excuse him； saying that there were opposing
spirits present and he could do no more that night； that he had
done all for us that lay within his power。 He now took his leave。
This was all very impressive to me at the time； except the raps。
It was only afterwards that I thought out the ex