is was conveyed to me by the little child's voice, the spirit herself
not having yet emerged from the curtain; but the medium's husband looked
behind it, and told me of the diamond star, which he said was some
"order" in spirit life.

Having no idea who the friend might be, I begged for some further
particulars before going up to speak to her.

"She passed from earth life about five years ago, and in Germany,"
answered the medium's husband, who had conducted the conversation behind
the curtain.

This was less vague, and now for the first time a suspicion of the
spirit's identity crossed my mind; but I would not go up until a name
had been given, and I asked for this before leaving my seat.

My travelling companion--a recent acquaintance--had never heard me
mention the lady in question, who _had_ died in Germany at the time
specified. The little child said the spirit would give the name through
her, and the process was a curious one. Instead of mentioning the whole
name or each letter of it to her father, the child _described_ each
letter to him as you might describe the lines of the large capitals in a
child's reading-book. The father guessed the letter from the child's
description, and asked me if the first one were correct? It was; but I
did not tell him so, merely saying I should like to have the Christian
name in full before giving any opinion.

In due time the six letters (Muriel, we will call it) were correctly
given, and I had then no further excuse for refusing to speak to the
spirit.

I went up to the curtain, and she appeared in front of it. I have been
frequently asked: "Should you have recognised her as your friend had no
name been given?" With every wish to be perfectly truthful, I find it
difficult to answer this question, for the following reason:--None of
the "materialisations" I saw were exactly human in face. There was no
idea of a mask or clever "get up," but if one could accept the theory of
a body hastily put together and assumed for a time, the result is
exactly what might have been expected under the circumstances.

My friend in real life was very pale, and had exquisitely chiselled
features, and the ones I now looked upon were of the same _cast_. The
height was also similar, and an indescribable atmosphere of refinement,
purity, and quiet dignity, for which she had been remarkable; all this
was present with this materialisation. More than this I cannot say, for
no materialisation I have e