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She was unexpected, but that made no difference; the Davenports had little company, and they were always ready to welcome the beloved sister and aunt. Linda's home was a shingled brown eight-room house, built in the first years of the century, and consequently showing the simplicity and spaciousness that were unknown in the architecture of the eighties.
If the Davenports were exhibiting simply as jugglers, I might admire their dexterity, and have nothing to say against them; but when they presumptuously pretend to deal in "things spiritual," I consider it my duty, while treating of humbugs, to do this much at least in exposing them.
The very thorough exposure of the Davenports thus made is an additional proof if such were needed of the truth of what I have alleged about the impostures perpetrated by them and their "mysterious" brethren of the exhibiting sort. Once the "spirits" were "stumped" with a shingle a very proper yankee jaw-bone of an ass to route such disembodied Philistines.
Polly named her list, and took a secret satisfaction in seeing the impression which certain names made upon her hearers. "How in the world did you get the Davenports and the Greys, my dear?" said Mrs. Shaw, sitting erect in her surprise. "Mrs. Davenport and mother are relations, you know." "You never told us that before!" "The Davenports have been away some years, and I forgot all about them.
It had been auctioned, forfeited by the purchaser, it had figured in a lawsuit, and now at last it was in the possession of the delighted Davenports.
Of course, if I had suggested it, she would have done it as easily as she cut out the tender infants for the 'cute gentleman behind me; so, to adopt the language of Miss Fay's fellow-citizen, I "bit in my breath and swallered it down." I adopted the course Mr. Maskelyne told me he did with the Davenports, sat with my eyes open and my mouth shut.
A violin, bell, and tambourine, with perhaps a guitar and drum, are the instruments used by the Davenports in the cabinet. The one who plays the violin holds the bell in his hand with the bow. The other chap beats the tambourine on his knee, and has a hand for something else.
The audience were seated around the room. The lights were blown out, and the spirit of an eccentric individual, well known to the Davenports, and whom they call George, addressed the audience through the trumpet. He called several of those present by name in a boisterous voice, and dealt several stunning knocks on the table. George has been in the spirit-world some two hundred years.
He and a long-legged friend went to one of the "dark séances" of the Davenports, during which musical instruments were to fly about over the heads of the audience, bang their pates, thrum, twang, etc. Addison and his friend took a front seat; as soon as the lights were put out they put out their legs too; stretching as far as possible; and, to use the unfeeling language of Mr.
The Davenports were the first to inaugurate on anything like an extended scale the alleged appearance of the human body, or rather of certain members of the human body, principally arms and hands, through the peep-hole of their cabinet. Then came 'spirit-voices' with Mrs. Marshall, and aërial transits on the part of Mrs.
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