after the close of my address, and while we were talking together, some
one who was aware of Mrs. Smiley's mediumship suggested: 'Let's go
somewhere and have a sitting.' The plan pleased me, and, after some
banter pro and con, we made up a party of six or eight people, and
adjourned to the home of the chairman of the lecture committee, a
certain Miss Halsey. I want to emphasize the high character of Miss
Halsey, as well as the casual way in which we happened to go to her
rooms, for it puts out of the way all question of collusion. There was
no premeditation in the act, and Miss Halsey, who was the librarian of
the city, and a pronounced disbeliever in spiritistic theories, had
never met Mrs. Smiley before.

"The circle was made up about equally of men and women, all of them
well-known residents of the town. So far as most of the phenomena
resulting from this sitting are concerned, they have very little value,
for they took place in the dark and the medium was not closely guarded.
It was only toward the end of the sitting, which, by-the-way, took place
in Miss Halsey's library and music-room, that the unexpected suddenly
happened, the inexplicable came to pass.

"We were gathered about a long table, with Mrs. Smiley at one end
sandwiched between the editor of the local paper and myself. Behind me,
and just within reach of my hand, stood an upright piano, with its cover
down, but not locked. We had heard drumming on the table for some time,
and writing had apparently taken place on the pads in the middle of the
table. But all this was inconclusive, for the reason that Mrs. Smiley
was not fastened as she is now. I took it all with a pinch of salt. My
mental reservations must have reached the minds of the 'guides,' for
with startling suddenness they left the table and fell upon the top of
the piano. After drumming for some time, the invisible fingers seemed to
drop to the strings beneath, and a treble note was sounded as if plucked
by a strong hand."

"You are sure the piano was closed?"

"I am coming to that. Highly delighted by this immediate response to my
request, I said to the 'forces': 'Can't you demonstrate to us that these
sounds are not accidental or caused by the jarring of cars in the
street? Can't you pluck the bass strings?' Instantly, and with clangor,
the lower strings replied. Thereupon I said: 'Can't you play a tune?' To
this only a confused jangle made answer. I was unable to secure any
orderly succe