The Missing Link In Modern Spiritualism Part 33

"Before we had any demonstrations the raps requested us to wait until the domestics had retired. There were two servant girls in the kitchen, whom Mrs. Underhill sent up stairs to bed, so that everything was profoundly still on that floor of the house. Then we fastened the inside blinds of both windows, so as to exclude all light from the street.

"Before commencing the session, at Mr. Underhill's request, I shut and locked the three doors above referred to, leaving the keys in the doors, so that no one, even if furnished with keys, could open them from without. I satisfied myself by careful personal inspection of the furniture, and otherwise, that there was no one in the pantry, nor any one in the dining-room except the three persons who, along with myself, a.s.sisted at the sitting. These persons were Mr. Daniel Underhill, Mrs.

Underhill (Leah Fox), and her nephew, Charles, twelve years old. We sat down to a centre-table, three feet eleven inches in diameter, of black walnut, and without table-cover. (I had previously looked under it; nothing to be seen there.) The gas-burner was immediately over it. I sat on the east side of the table, Mr. Underhill opposite to me, Mrs.

Underhill on my left hand, and Charles on the right. There was no fire in the room.

"The rappings commenced, gradually increasing in number and force. After a short interval they spelled, 'Put out the gas.' It was accordingly extinguished and the room remained in total darkness. Then 'Join hands.'

Shortly after doing so I felt, several times, a cool breeze blowing on my cheek. Then was spelled, 'Do not break the circle.' We obeyed; and, except for a second or two at a time, it remained, on my part, unbroken throughout the rest of the sitting.

"After a few minutes I perceived a light, apparently of a phosph.o.r.escent character, on my left, near the floor. It was, at first, of a rectangular form, with the edges rounded. I judged it to be about four inches long and two and a half inches wide. It seemed like an open palm illuminated, but the light which emanated from it showed quite distinctly its entire surface; I could distinguish no fingers. For a time it moved about near the floor, then it rose into the air and floated about the room, sometimes over our heads. After a time it changed its appearance and increased in brightness. It then resembled an opaque oval substance, about the size of a child's head, m.u.f.fled up in the folds of some very white and shining material, like fine linen, only brighter. As it moved about, I began to hear, at first imperfectly, afterward somewhat more distinctly, the rustling as of a silk dress, or of other light article of female apparel, giving the impression that one or more persons were moving silently about the room. Then the light pa.s.sed behind Mrs. Underhill; then I saw it close to Mr. Underhill, and just opposite to me. Mr. Underhill said, 'Can you not go down to Mr.

Owen? do try.' Thereupon it moved slowly around to my left side. This time the folds appeared to have dropped, and what seemed a face (still covered, however, with a luminous veil) came bending down within five or six inches of my own face, as I turned toward it. As it approached, I plainly distinguished the semi-luminous outline of an entire figure of the usual female stature. I saw, very distinctly, the arms moving. At the lower extremity of its right arm, as if on the palm of the hand, the figure bore what seemed a rectangular substance, about four inches by two, as nearly as I could estimate. This substance was more brightly illuminated than the rest of the figure. It may have been only the illuminated palm, but I do not think it was; it seemed more like a transparent box with phosph.o.r.escent light within it. Whatever it was, the figure raised it above its head, and then pa.s.sed it slowly down close to what seemed the face, and then over the upper part of the body, as one might pa.s.s a lantern over any object, with intent to make it visible. This action it repeated several times.

"By aid of the illuminations thus afforded I saw, more distinctly than before, the general form of the face and figure; but both appeared covered with a half-transparent veil, and I could distinguish no features; nor were the outlines of the body, nor of the limbs, sharply defined. The motion of the right arm with the light was the most marked and frequent.

"While this was taking place I held Mrs. Underhill's hand and Charles's.

As the various phases of the phenomena succeeded each other, I remarked on what I saw; and Mr. Underhill, from the opposite side of the table, responded to my remarks; so that I am quite certain he was seated there.

I expressed a wish that the Spirit would touch me, and Mr. Underhill said, from his place, 'We are very anxious that the Spirit should touch Mr. Owen, if it can.'

"Thereupon I felt what seemed a human hand laid on my head. And, as I looked steadily at the figure, which stood on my left side, I saw its head bend toward my left shoulder. A moment afterward I _felt_, and simultaneously _heard_, just behind the point of that shoulder, a kiss imprinted. I could not, for any physical fact, obtain the evidence of three senses--sight, touch, and hearing--more distinctly than in this case I did.

"Immediately afterward I saw this luminous body pa.s.s behind me; what seemed, by the touch, to be hands gently laid hold of both my shoulders and turned me round to the right. I looked on that side and the figure now stood by my right shoulder.

"After pausing there for a few seconds, it moved toward the window furthest from me, and we heard the sounds as if some one were attempting to open the window-blind.

"Mr. Underhill, from his place, remarked that it would probably be able to effect this; for it had done so on a previous occasion. The blind was in four compartments, each of which could be opened or closed by raising or lowering a wire attached to movable slats. The figure opened the upper left-hand quarter of the blind, so that a faint light shone in from the street lamps. I was looking at the window when this occurred.

"Up to this time the appearance, gradually becoming more luminous, had been in sight, moving about the room fully five minutes. There was not the slightest footfall when it moved. My hearing is very acute; I listened for every sound; and as, in the intervals of conversation, the silence was unbroken, I could have detected the fall of the lightest footstep.

"From this time the light which illuminated the figure gradually faded, and soon I could no longer distinguish any form. The slight rustling sound, unaccompanied by footsteps, still, however, continued.

"Suddenly we heard a noise as of the door opposite to me being unlocked; then of its being hastily opened and shut; then the rustling sound approached me on the left, and a key was laid on my left hand. Then a second door was heard to be unlocked in the same way, and I heard another key laid on the table just before me. Then a third door (that of the cup-board, by the sound) was heard to be unlocked and opened, and a key, as if pitched over our heads, was heard to drop with a clatter on the table.

"While this was going on I commented, from time to time, on each occurrence, and received answers from Mr. Underhill, from his place at the table opposite to me.

"While we were conversing, there was a rattling of the crockery in the cup-board. Mrs. Underhill expressed her apprehensions as to some favorite china, but Mr. Underhill replied, 'I will trust the Spirits;'

and then added, 'Cannot the Spirit bring something to Mr. Owen?' Almost immediately there was set down on the table, close to my left hand, some object which I touched, and it proved to be a cut-gla.s.s goblet. In setting it down, what seemed a human hand touched mine, and immediately afterward was laid several times on my shoulder. I expressed a desire that it would distinctly grasp my hand, to which Mr. Underhill responded. Instantly a small hand, or what in touch resembled one, took hold of my hand and grasped it. Then it clasped my bare wrist, gently but with a firm grasp; then my lower arm, then my upper arm; each time with a distinct grasp. I could not have distinguished the touch from that of a human hand. It was a little cooler than mine, but not disagreeably so. There was nothing chilly or clammy or otherwise unpleasant about it. There was after this, throughout the sitting, no sound whatever of opening or closing doors.

"While it was touching me thus, Mr. Underhill said, 'Can you fill the goblet you brought to Mr. Owen with water?' There was a rustling but no footstep, a slight noise in the pantry, and then the sound of something dropped into the goblet; but, putting my hand in, I felt no water. In doing so I broke the circle only for a moment. Then, just behind me, I heard a sound as if the gla.s.s of the clock on the mantel-piece were touched and shaken.

"All this time there was no word spoken except by those at the table; but, once or twice, there was a whistling sound in the air.

"When, soon after, we were bidden by the raps to relight the gas, I found three door-keys on the table, the goblet also, and within it a lump of loaf-sugar. Both the room doors were closed, but on trying them I found that neither was locked. Two of the keys on the table fitted them. The door of the pantry, which the third key fitted, stood open, and the cover of the barrel of sugar was pushed partly off. The left-hand upper portion of the blind, at which we had seen and heard the figure, was open.

"These are facts, all briefly noted down the same evening on which they happened, and written out in full the next morning.

"The allegations, by the raps, were that the Spirit present was that of a daughter of Mrs. Fox, who had died young, and that other Spirits were present (among them an Indian Spirit), aiding her to show herself to our circle. Emily--that was the girl's name--had been Mrs. Underhill's favorite sister, long mourned over, and had lain, during the last hour of her life and at the moment of death, in Mrs. Underhill's arms. Mr.

Underhill stated to me that he had seen the same Spirit, as distinctly, several times before; and that he had been able to distinguish the features. He appeared also, on this occasion, to have perceived the whole figure, and especially the features, more distinctly than I did, though my natural sight has always been keen, and, except within ordinary reading distance, is still nearly as strong as it was thirty years ago. With these exceptions, all present, so far as I could judge by comparing notes with them during and after the sitting, seemed to have seen and heard the succession of phenomena here described just as I myself had done.

"Up to this time, never having witnessed any such phenomena as these, I had often doubted within myself how I should be affected by witnessing an apparition, or what I had reason to consider such.

"It _seemed_ to me that I should experience no alarm; but of this in advance of actual experience, I could not be a.s.sured. Now I know just how far I can trust my self-possession. Awe I undoubtedly felt--awe and intense interest; but, in looking back on my feelings throughout that wonder-bringing hour, I feel certain that a physician might have placed his finger on my wrist, even at the moment when that dimly illuminated Presence first bent over me, with scarcely six inches intervening between its veiled face and mine--its hands placed on my head, its lips touching my shoulder--and not have found the beatings of my pulse unduly accelerated; or if he had detected acceleration, it could not, I am very sure, have been justly ascribed to any tremor or fear, but solely to the natural effect of solemn and riveted expectation. If a man, under such circ.u.mstances, may trust to his own recollections not twenty-four hours old, I can aver, on my honor, that I was not, at any time while these events were in progress, under other excitement (though it may be greater in degree) than a chemist might be supposed to experience while watching the issue of a long-projected and decisive experiment, or an astronomer when the culminating point of some important observation is about to be reached.

"I beg it may not be supposed that I mention this as boasting or courage. There was, in truth, nothing of which to boast. The preceding and attendant circ.u.mstances were such as to preclude alarm. I was not alone, nor taken by surprise. I was expecting some phenomena and hoping that they would be of a phosph.o.r.escent nature. And though I had not any expectation of seeing an actual form, yet, as the allegation was that a deceased sister, beloved by one of the a.s.sistants, was present, and as all the demonstrations were gentle and seemingly arranged by friendly agencies to satisfy my desire for the strongest evidence in proof of Spiritual appearance, I was under very different circ.u.mstances to those which have often shaken the nerves even of the boldest, while encountering for the first time what is usually called a ghost.

"I state the fact of my equanimity, then, merely as one of the attendant circ.u.mstances which may be fairly taken into account in judging the testimony here supplied in proof of the appearance, in visible and tangible form, of an alleged Spirit of a deceased person. It is often a.s.sumed that a man who believes he sees an apparition is (to use a common expression) frightened out of his senses, and so, is not ent.i.tled to credit as a witness.

"If it be objected that, before the sitting closed, the doors were unlocked, I reply first, that all the remarkable and interesting portion of the phenomena _occurred before this happened_; and secondly, that, as the keys of the locked doors were left in them, they could only be opened from the inside. If, in reply to this last, it still be urged that Mr. Underhill, deserting his post for a few seconds, might have opened one of the doors, I reply that I happened to be conversing with him at the moment we first heard the key turned. I add that during the next sitting, when still more wonderful phenomena occurred, I took a precaution (as will be seen) which made it impossible that either Mr.

Underhill or any of the company should leave their seats, even for a moment, without my knowledge."

A GHOST SPEAKS.

"Five days after this I had the session here referred to, in the same room, with the same a.s.sistants, during which similar phenomena were repeated, but with one highly noteworthy addition.

"The date was the twenty-sixth of October, 1860, and it was an evening session, from half-past ten till midnight. The same precautions which I had taken before the commencement of the former sitting, as to locking all the doors, looking under the table, examining the room and furniture, etc., I carefully adopted on this occasion also. As before, we waited until the servants had retired and all was still.

"After a time there was spelled 'Darken;' then 'Join hands.' We obeyed; but on this occasion I took an additional precaution. Grasping Mrs.

Underhill's right hand and Charles's left, I brought my own hands to the centre of the table, and Mr. Underhill, across the table, laid his hands on mine. This we continued throughout the entire sitting. I am able, therefore, to a.s.sert that, from the beginning of this sitting till the end, the circle remained unbroken.

"After a few minutes, there appeared a luminous body of an irregularly circular form, about four inches in diameter, floating between us and the door, which was back of Mrs. Underhill. It was somewhat brighter than when it first appeared on the previous occasion, that is, on the twenty-first of October.

"Then, after an interval, the light, rustling sound seemed to indicate the approach of some one. The figure was not so distinct as on the previous occasion, the lower portion losing itself in a grayish cloud.

The highest light seemed to be on the spot corresponding to the forehead. But I saw no features; nor did I see the arms moving. Very soon I was gently touched on the head, then on the shoulders, then laid hold of, as with both hands of some one standing behind me. Then the figure seemed, by the sound, to move away toward Mr. Underhill. He stated that the figure was approaching him. He asked it if, as a test, it could take something out of his pocket; but there was no reply, by raps or otherwise. Immediately I heard a sound as if some one were moving the key about in the door opposite to me.

"Soon after Mr. Underhill said the figure had again approached him. I saw the illuminated circular substance close to his head, but could not distinguish any figure. Mr. Underhill said that he could dimly discern the figure.

"After a time it moved round to the lad Charles, who exhibited much alarm, crying out, 'Oh, go away! pray don't!' when it approached, as I saw it do, close to his head, which he had bent down on the table. It was now very bright, so that, by the light, I could see the outline of the boy's head. Charles afterward stated that he saw it distinctly, and that a hand touched him repeatedly. While it was close to Charles, it appeared to me as if a white handkerchief or some article of the like texture were thrown over a hand or some similar support. I saw no figure. When it rose behind Charles, as if to leave him when he cried out, I could perceive what resembled a hand grasping some illuminated substance, the outline of the hand appearing as a shadow across the illuminated ground.

"Then it moved, as I could see, to Mr. Underhill, and after a time crossed over to me, and touched me gently on the shoulder. Of a sudden it occurred to me that one other evidence was lacking. I expressed a desire that, if it could, it would speak. It seemed to make several efforts to do so, as indicated by a slight, guttural sound; then I heard a sound resembling the syllable _es_, twice repeated.

"Then, by the raps, was spelled out, 'Sing.' Mrs. Underhill complied.

The figure which had seemed to move away and return, again touched me from behind, drawing me slightly toward it. Then, in a brief interval of the singing, I heard, in a low voice, just behind me, 'G.o.d bless you.'

As additional a.s.surance that it was no momentary illusion, I asked that it would speak again; and again, in an interval of the music, I heard, in distinct tones, the same words, 'G.o.d bless you.' They seemed to be p.r.o.nounced close to my ear. The voice was low--apparently a woman's voice--just louder than a whisper, and the words seemed to be p.r.o.nounced with an effort, in subdued tones, as a person faint from sickness might speak. I particularly noticed, also, that each word was p.r.o.nounced separately, with a perceptible interval between, and there was not the usual accent on _bless_, followed by the shortened _you_; but each word was equally accented. In other respects the sound resembled the human voice, when low and gentle.

"Mrs. Underhill afterward stated to me that she distinguished the word _you_, but not the others. Mr. Underhill said he had heard articulate sounds, but could not make out any of the words; he only knew that something had been said to me.

"After a time I saw the figure pa.s.s behind Mrs. Underhill and remain, for a few minutes, near her husband; then it returned to me, appearing on my left side. I saw the outline of a head and face, but still, as before, covered with a veil which concealed the features. I perceived, however, what I had not observed before, what seemed tresses of dark hair dropping over the face, and the dim outline of an arm raised one of these tresses, and then dropped it again, several times, as if to attract my attention. Behind was the vague outline of a figure, but less distinct than during the previous sitting. Then the figure pa.s.sed behind me. I was leaning over the table, so that Mr. Underhill might not have so far to stretch in order to reach my hands. I felt a kiss on my shoulders, then there was the feeling of two hands laid each on one shoulder, and I was drawn very gently back till my shoulders, above the chair back, were pressed against what seemed a material form. Almost at the same moment my hand was kissed.

"Mr. Underhill cried out, 'Ah, you were drawn back;' and Mrs. Underhill said, a little impatiently, 'Every one is touched but me. Can't you come to me?' The words were hardly p.r.o.nounced when she screamed out, as in alarm; she had been suddenly and unexpectedly kissed on the forehead.

"From that very moment the manifestations entirely ceased. No luminous object to be seen, not another touch, not a rustle, not a sound of any kind in the room. I listened attentively, and am certain that no door opened or shut, and scarcely a minute or two elapsed ere it was spelled out, 'Light the gas.'

"When we had done so we found everything as before, with a single exception. I ascertained by looking under the table and in the pantry that there was no one in the room but ourselves; I found all the three doors locked, but the key belonging to the door opposite to me was missing. We asked where it was; the raps replied, 'Look.' We could not see it anywhere. Then we examined our pockets, and, from one of his coat-pockets Mr. Underhill produced a key which was found to fit the door. Mrs. Underhill asked if her alarmed exclamation had injured the Spirit?

"Answer by the raps: 'Not much.'

"Mrs. U.: 'I'm so _much_ afraid I hurt her!'

"Answer: 'It frightened her.'