ASPR Journal, V14 - Iapsop.com

170 -Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research.
that it was an intelligible message at all. One has to know
certain facts to give it any meaning whatever. My stepmother
was quite old, 82 at her death. She had been more than usually
active at that age and aided in the housework at my home. She
could never remain idle. But it was very hard going up and
down stairs and she often complained of the weariness of it to
my sister. The stairs were carpeted and so were "soft stairs".
The effort here was to distinguish between the stairs in New
York which she had to climb and the stone stairway which every
one has to climb to reach Mrs. Chenoweth's house, which was,
of course, in Boston and mine in New York. The clue to all this
is the reference to the " hard work " and the stairs, characterized
as" soft", and to the distinction between Boston and New York.
The incident is especially evidential because it could not possibly
have been known to the psychic, Mrs. Chenoweth. Even its confusion
and fragmentary character help it in this respect.
This was the first communication of my stepmother through
Mrs. Chenoweth tho a day or two previous to this my father's
name was given and probably indicated an attempt on her part
to send a message. _ But there have been no further sustained
attempts by her since that time. The present effort was interrupted
by my mother who had died 47 years previously and a
series of messages given which are among the best I ever received
from any one for sustained evidential interest and compactness.
They began the next day. There was confusion at
first between the two personalities which is most interesting. It
should receive special notice as very difficult to explain on any
theory of normal processes.
Not quite clear was the message at its close, but the beginning
was good for your mother, not your stepmother, but the mother
long gone from your earthly habitation. There is one small detail
which seems as if it might make good evidence, which we wish
to repeat.
She held in her hand a small garment of bright color. It was
apparently a night gown for a small child, and was of a distinct
flame color, not red, but orange.
Now it \vas not my mother that was conununicating at any
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