Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

338 ADDITIONAL CORROBORATIVE EVIDENCEno difTcrcncc, He stayed through most of the day on Thursday, and returnedsoon after breakfast next morning, and remained most of thefor nearly three weeks.timelie became satisfied, before the close of the secondday, that neither the girl in the kitchen nor the childrenin producing the strange movements.of the neighbours were in the house, and smallhad any agencyDuring the day (March 12th) someblocks of wood were seento fall in different places in their presence j but only one person noticedthem in a way to excite inquiry, and that person was requested not tomention what she had seen.1G72. " On "Wednesday, ]March 13th, the manifestations commencedearly in the morning, in the middle chamber, the room in which twochildren slept, and began while they were both asleep. A book, standingin the library, ten or twelve feet from the bed, leaped from theshelf intothe middle of the room. The blower, which was in the grate, leaped outon the floor, a distance of at least six feet, the noise of which firstawakened the children. At the breakfast-table several articles werethrown ; among them a large potato, which had been sent from Pennsylvania,and laid up in a closet in the east chamber, fell on the table directlyby the side of Dr. P.'s plate, in a manner that no person could have doneit without instant detection. The doctor's curiosity was much excited,and he watched, with all the scrutiny he was capable, every person inroom. He took up the potato and let it fall from different heights, inorder to determine how far it must have fallen to have made the concussionthat it did; and it was adjudged by all that the distance could nothave been more than twelve or fifteen inches.1G73. ^' Ilev. Mr. came in soon after breakfast, and remainedduring the day. Several Bibles were opened at different passages, whichseemed to be selected with a great deal of care, and indicated either byplacing small pieces of paper on them or turning down a leaf. Thesethings first occurred in the middle chamber, where the library stood.While the family were at dinner similar things were done in the parlouradjoining the dining-room. Two Bibles and an Episcopal prayer-bookwere opened at different passages, chairs turned forward on the floor, twosolar lamps placed on the floor, a hat and man's cap put one on each;nearly every thing in the room had been moved, and in so short a time,that it seems wholly inadmissible that any person about the house couldhave done it; beside, the whole household were in the dining-room, all seatedat the table, except the servant, and she was employed waiting on the table.1G74. ^' In the afternoon the demonstrations were confined to the middleparlour ; Dr. and Mrs. Phelps, and Mr.,and, a part of the time,the eldest daughter, being present ; in the absence of the daughter thedoors were locked, and the three first named only were present.1G75. '^ The throwing of various things occupied the afternoon. Thearticles thrown were picked up and placed upon thethemantel, and between