He soon informed me that the stars had told him something of my coming and of the question that was worrying me; and he asked me if I desired to consult the stars as to my destiny, to have him decipher it from the lines of my palm, or whether I should prefer to converse with the dead.  The last was my choice.

Not far from a window at one side of the room there was a small table on which were a few articles.  He directed me to be seated at this table, and handed me a slip of paper of a size of probably four by five inches.  He directed me to write the question I desired answered on this paper, and when through to fold the paper in halves three times with the writing inside.  I did so while he walked to his bowl of water apparently paying no attention to me, and then returned.

When he had returned to a position opposite me at the table, he reached to take my writing out of my hand; seeing which I quickly bent down one corner of the paper and gave it to him.  He directed one sharp glance at me as I did this, at the same time picking up an envelope from the table with his other hand.  He held this envelope open flap side toward me, and slowly inserted my paper into it.  As he did this, looking sharply at me, he remarked, “I am no sleight-of-hand performer.  You see your question is actually in the envelope.”  This was the case; for it was close to me and I could plainly see the top of it against the back of the envelope, the lower portions being inserted; and I could see the little corner folded down, as I had bent it, and I was certain he had not exchanged it.  In fact he took occasion to use his hands in such manner that I could see there was nothing concealed about them, that he “palmed” nothing, and that he made no exchange.  I was entirely satisfied that all was fair, and that no exchange had been made.

Next, he sealed the envelope, and holding it toward the window, called my attention to the fact that as the envelope was partly transparent I could see my paper within it and that it was actually there.  This was really the case.  He now took a match, and lighting it applied the flame to this identical envelope without its leaving my sight; and proceeded to burn the last vestige of it and the paper within it, allowing the ashes to drop into a small vessel on the table.

There was no doubt that he did not exchange envelopes and that he burned it before my very eyes.  He now took the ashes and emptied them into the bowl of water on the side table.  A little blue flame appeared on the surface of the water after that for a moment, and then disappeared.

He now brought from a drawer a number of slates—­about eight or ten small slates with padded edges.  They were the smallest size of slates, I should judge; and with them he brought another slate, a trifle larger, probably two inches both longer and wider.  He requested me to examine thoroughly or to clean them all to my own satisfaction, and to stack the small ones on the table, one on top of the other; and when all were thus placed, to place the large slate on top of the stack.