to
puzzle them much more. There was apparently nothing to lay hold of, and
only a very shadowy, indistinct picture was given in consequence.

In my own case the colours were put on freely, firmly, and without the
least hesitation, and in every single instance the sketch was remarkably
truthful, and yet would not have described the life of one other woman
in three or four hundred.

That there is a good deal of guesswork done even under the supposed
influence of "trance" is quite evident to me. I am not prepared to say
that such trances were in no case genuine, but the remarks made during
them were frequently of a tentative nature, and the slightest good "hit"
was followed up with as much ingenuity as Sir Richard Owen displayed in
putting together his skeleton from a single bone.

I was told some six or seven times that my mother (who died during my
infancy) was my guardian spirit, and six times her name was given to me,
with some difficulty in one or two cases, but invariably without the
smallest guessing on the part of the clairvoyant or any hint from me.

One of my most successful interviews in New York was with a Mrs Parks of
Philadelphia--a very pleasant, good-looking, healthy woman, quite unlike
the usual cadaverous medium with whom one is more familiar.

Her terms being rather higher than those usually asked in America (where
competition has made mediums a cheap luxury), I demurred at first; upon
which she said brightly: "Well, don't come if you don't feel like paying
that; but I never alter my prices. But I won't take your money if I
don't give you satisfaction. Some get satisfaction from one person and
some from another--you will soon see if I am telling you the truth about
your friends, and I won't take a penny from you if you are
dissatisfied."

I left the house saying I would think it over, and Mrs Parks did not at
all press me to come, and from my manner could hardly have expected to
see me.

I had a most satisfactory interview with her next day.

After referring to my mother's presence, and giving her name without any
hesitation, she gave me several messages with regard to character which
were singularly appropriate, and finished up by saying: "Your mother
does not wish you to go to mediums or mix yourself too much up with such
persons. It is not necessary for you to do so; she says you have enough
mediumistic power for her to be able to communicate with you directly."

I could not help saying: "We