March 13, ’85.

Cornelia Winnie.’

An examination of the envelope marked No. 1, by cutting it open at the edges, revealed the same story of fraud:  three of the seals had been cut out, and replaced.

An examination of No. 2, in the same way, readily disclosed the reason why the Spirits had failed to answer, although the question assuredly presented no greater difficulties than in No. 1.  An attempt had been made to start two of the seals, but meeting with unexpected resistance in the silk stitches, and finding that further effort would end in tearing the envelope in a very palpable and mundane fashion, the Spirits had grown disheartened and taciturn.

We shall meet this Medium again, but for the present we will leave him, after pausing for a minute over his business card, which, after stating his terms in prosaic dollars and cents, thus apostrophizes his clientele: 

    “From the bright stars,
    And viewless air
    Sweet Spirit, if thy home be there,
    Answer me.—­Answer me.”

Happily my experience enables me to remove all doubt as to the locality of the Spirit’s ‘home,’ and to state with positiveness its exact location.  But like the German philologist’s example of the remarkable incongruity in English between spelling and pronunciation, that what was written ‘Boz’ was pronounced ‘Charles Dickens,’ so I cheerfully add to this list of incongruities that what is written ‘bright stars’ is pronounced ‘Boston,’ and ‘viewless air’ is pronounced ’Dartmouth Street.’

I next turned my attention to Mr. R.W.  Flint in New York.  From him I received the following circular in answer to my inquiries: 

     “DEAR

     I am controlled by one spirit, purporting to be my guide who is the
     scribe for the spirits, delivering (in his own hand-writing) what
     is dictated to him by the spirit of communicating.

     I am in a normal (not trance) state, but unconscious of the
     composition.

     My hand is moved to write from right to left (backwards),
     independent of my will.

     By holding the written side up to the light, the answer can be
     read.

     The spirit-letters should be SECURELY sealed, addressed to the
     spirit, giving his or her name in full, and signed by the writer’s
     name in full; but no address on the envelope.

     When left open they cannot be answered, my agency being efficient
     only when my mind is passive, and blank to both questions and
     answers.

     Put your questions clearly, directly, briefly.  The mixed and many
     kinds defeat the object of the investigator.

     I have my photograph for sale, exhibiting my Spirit Guide’s hand
     and arm, or form of control; taken while answering a sealed
     letter.”

[The terms here follow, with honorable notification that the money is returned in all cases when the letters are not answered.]