At any rate I accepted the suggestion.  On a sheet of note-paper I wrote: 

’Can Cornelia Winnie, or any other Spirit (Dr. Hare refers me to the former), give me any particulars of the life or death of the colored woman who once animated this skull here in my Library.  I am entirely ignorant myself on the subject.’

This was folded, placed in an envelope, gummed and sealed precisely as I had folded, gummed and sealed the previous letter.  This I marked with ink on the outside ‘No. 1.’

On another sheet of similar note-paper I repeated word for word, and line for line, and dot for dot, the very same question.  This paper was also folded and put into an envelope, BUT two or three stitches of red silk were then passed through the flap of the envelope and the enclosed paper, sewing the two securely together; these stitches were made at the point of the flap, and again at each of the four corners.  Over these stitches, and concealing them, seals of red sealing wax were affixed.  Exteriorly the two envelopes were precisely alike.  The stitched envelope was marked on the outside ‘No. 2.’  As the contents of both were identical, a clairvoyant Spirit that could answer No. 1 could answer No. 2, but nothing less than superhuman power could extract the paper from No. 2 without so tearing the envelope as to betray an un-Spiritual origin.  These two envelopes were enclosed to our Medium with the following note: 

’Dear Doctor Mansfield.  The answers to my sealed letter were so satisfactory and so very curious that I should like to follow up the interesting subject, if I am not taxing your powers too heavily.  I therefore enclose two more sealed envelopes, marked No. 1 and No. 2.  If it be possible, I should like to have you sit with No. 1 first.  If the Spirits respond, pray send me word and let me know how much I am indebted to you.’

My object in asking the Medium to sit first with No. 1 was that, if he were fraudulent, finding the ease with which No. 1 could be opened, he would undertake the opening of No. 2 with such freedom and assurance that the envelope would be torn beyond the healing power of mucilage, and a confession of failure would have to follow.

In a few days the envelopes were returned with the following brief note: 

’Dear Furness:  Send you what came to your P K the 2d gave no response my terms are $3 for each trial—­warrant nothing.

Respectfully,

J.V.M.’

The Spiritual communication enclosed reads as follows: 

’I Bress de Lord for deh one mor to talk to de people of my ole home I been thar lots o tim since I com here—­but o Lord de Massy—­they no see Winne cos she be ded and she jus no ded at tall—­now—­as to dot Col gal—­Hed I could not say—­sure—­but I think it Dinah Melish—­she who lov de Lord too.  I think it seem Dina top not.  Will see Dina som time and then i ask her—­do you no Minister Du Cachet well he here—­and want the [there here follows in the original a rude drawing of a decanter and wine glass.  In this scandalous allusion there is no trace, it will be observed, of phonetic spelling in the proper name] just de same.  I Bress de Lor I don’t want it.