Seen and Unseen

ant month with old friends on a well-known station belonging to the late Sir Arthur Hodgso

gentle recriminations, she "having supposed the delay on my part might mean an entire change of plan," and I having supposed-from her letters-that Sydney was such a Paradise that she could hardly be dragged from it even by a flaming sword, we agreed to cry "quits," and continue our tr

o in the year 1886. I had been accustomed to seeing them ever since that date, and had been fre

es, presumably diamonds. I told my friend about this, but neither she nor I could imagine any significance in it. At that time we had not even met any of our

ke upon me suddenly. Within a fortnight of our sailing this suspicion was confirmed, and the little bird's warning or suggestion amply j

extreme interest from artistic, social, and various other points of vie

hama to Vancouver (Washington territory), the

acArthur, a kindly and genial naval man. He was an Australian by birth, but belon

able. The sittings were held, generally after dinner, in either my cabin or that of my "stable companion" Miss Greenlow. So far as I remember, we three were the only sitters, and I am

e veil, but had never given me the slightest sign of her presence. But she came several times during this voyage,

ancouver), and she was very keen to go there from Washington territory on this occasion. I was not keen fo

now pleaded so anxiously should be

ere; take my advice." And on one occasion, just before landing, she added: "Y

to my share, told me of the sudden death of our family solicitor, which would have b

njoyment nor her convenience would be affected by my decision one way or the other. I had no wish to go myself, and, moreover, thought it quite probable that my dear old nurse's warnings might be amply justified. But there were other grave considerations to be take

ose days had to be made in an overcrowded cargo boat.) I took a chill in those Arctic regions, which later developed into the longest and most serious

em blindly, in spite of every other consideration, on the other; these seem to me the Scylla and Charybdis of our lives. It shows that we must judge

test. But my dear old nurse, who considered only-probably saw only-the physical evils to be avoided, was enti

ng me to be nursed through a long and painful illness by kind friends and connections in Toronto. One of my doctors-the brother of my hostess-kindly made time to take me and my nurse

induced this gentleman to accompany me one evening to a séance held by

itualism" a lamentable lapse "from the good sense shown in the rest of the book!" I represented to him that for a physician to deny all possibilities of Hypnotism or

me to find one out, I boldly suggested that he should plunge into still de

Dr Covernton's attitude of mind or other causes, noth

t. A gentleman and lady were sitting in the circle who had brought with them their little boy, a child of seven years old. I had asked the lady if she considered

ong with us to see his Granny. We took him once, and since then he always insists

her. This he did without a moment's hesitation, and the curtain fell, and concealed them both from view. The interview lasted for some minutes, and when the little boy reappe

y to play with him as usual," and the fragile old lady knelt down on the floor, and p

urred, which spoilt the rest of the evening for the poor child. Granny had evidently for

net at her back, but right through the carpet under our feet, and well within a y

loud of mist, and even this was quickly withdrawn, apparently through the floor. No trap-door theory could account for this, because the woman had disappeared, and only the wisp of ethereal garments remained, before the latter were

ident took place, in light sufficiently goo

ts said they had brought him many times before, and such a fiasco had

t for the child. If she had only gone back into the cabinet he would not have b

lation, and the parents were obliged to take him away, still sobbing, a

ried in vain to put either Dr Theodore Covernton or myself under the influence, so was obliged to have recourse to his wife. Naturally this was considered a "most suspicious circumstance" by my companion; but I notice