: "Now, Planchette, now, Planchette, behave; do your
duty. Now, Planchette, write at once," etc.; and I felt as if I were
in Bedlam. One thing is certain, that if Planchette's answer had
approached in the remotest degree the answer to the question of my
thought, I would then and there have broken Planchette in half, and
left my friends in the possession of their remaining brains until
they had procured another.

The strangest experience, however, that I met with in connection
with this absurd delusion occurred during a visit that I received
from Mrs. B---- S----. That lady was staying with her daughter in
Stockbridge, and did me the honor to call on me at Lenox with that
young lady. Among other things spoken of I asked my distinguished
visitor some questions about this superstitious folly, Planchette,
nothing doubting that I should hear from her an eloquent
condemnation of all the absurd proceedings going on in the two
villages. The lady's face assumed a decided expression of grave
disapprobation, certainly, and she spoke to this effect:
"Planchette! Oh dear, yes, we are perfectly familiar with
Planchette, and, indeed, have been in the habit of consulting it
quite often." "Oh, indeed," quoth I, and I felt my own face growing
longer with amazement as I spoke. "Yes," continued my celebrated
visitor, with much deliberation, "we have; but I think it will no
longer be possible for us to do so. No, we must certainly give up
having anything to do with it." "Dear me!" said I, almost
breathless, and with a queer quaver in my voice, that I could hardly
command, "may I ask why, pray?" "The language it uses----"
"It!--the language _it_ uses!" ejaculated I. "Yes," she pursued,
with increasing solemnity, "the language it uses is so reprehensible
that it will be quite impossible for us to consult or have anything
further to do with it." "Really," said I, hardly able to utter for
suppressed laughter; "and may I ask, may I inquire what language it
does use?" "Why," returned Mrs. S----, with some decorous hesitation
and reluctance to utter the words that followed, "the last time we
consulted it, it told us we were all a pack of damned fools." "Oh!"
exploded I, "I believe in Planchette, I believe in Planchette!" Mrs.
S---- drew herself up with an air of such offended surprise at my
burst of irrepr