A CORROBORATIVE AND TECHNICAL ACCOUNT OF PSYCHICAL PHENOMENA,
INVOLVING THE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL SCORE ON A SLATE, SECURED BY
"BLAKE."[3]
This record was secured during three sittings, which took place on the
forenoon and afternoon of Friday, March 13th, and on the forenoon of
Saturday, March 14, 1908. These sittings were held in a dwelling-house
on a quiet street of ordinary character. They began in a second-story
front room, and were transferred to a parlor just below, where there was
a piano. The room, in either case, was fairly light; now and then the
window-shades were lowered, but reading and writing were easy at all
times. Three persons were present: the psychic, a robust, alert,
intelligent woman of thirty-five; Hamlin Garland; and the writer, who
combined the functions of amanuensis and editor.
The psychic was not in a trance, and stated that she had never gone
into one. She conversed throughout in ordinary voice and manner, save
when, with a certain emphasis, she undertook to hasten the pace of her
lagging "controls." The three sittings were attended by little noise,
pounding, or violence; there was no breaking or crumpling up of slates,
as had been the case during an earlier sitting on Thursday.
The psychic's principal "control"--to be known here as "Dr.
Cooke"--spoke in whispers, and his words were repeated aloud by the
psychic herself. These whisperings were only occasionally audible to the
writer, but they were plainly heard by Mr. Garland. It may be added that
on at least two occasions, however, the writer heard and understood
replies which the psychic declared had not been audible to her. During
the latter portion of these sittings, especially that of Saturday, the
"control" seemed to withdraw altogether, and for two or three hours the
circle was in apparent communication--direct, rapid, uninterrupted--with
an intelligence that may conveniently be termed the "Composer."
The paraphernalia for these sittings comprised the following:
1. A small, light, walnut centre-table, which Mr. Garland himself had
assisted in repairing before the proceedings began.
2. A silicon book-slate, eight inches by five inches. There were six
pages--the insides of the covers and a double leaf. These leaves lay
close and flat, like those of a book.
3. A few bits of slate-pencil, from one-quarter of an inch to
three-eighths of an inch in length; also a longer slate-pencil used by
the writer.
4. A small writing-pad and lead-pencil, for general memoranda and
notations.
5. Certain fruits and flowers, such as roses, sweet-peas, pineapples,
and grape-fruit. These met the psychic's needs or fancies, and were
brought into close relation with pad or slate when the "forces" seemed
inclined to weaken.