The Demon Spell

It was about the time when spiritualism was all the craze in England,
and no party was reckoned complete without a spirit-rapping seance
being included amongst the other entertainments.

One night I had been invited to the house of a friend, who was a great
believer in the manifestations from the unseen world, and who had
asked for my special edification a well--known trance medium. 'A
pretty as well as heaven-gifted girl, whom you will be sure to like, I
know' he said as he asked me.

I did not believe in the return of spirits, yet, thinking to be
amused, consented to attend at the hour appointed. At that time I had
just returned from a long sojourn abroad, and was in a very delicate
state of health, easily impressed by outward influences, and nervous
to a most extraordinary extent.

To the hour appointed I found myself at my friend's house, and was
then introduced to the sitters who had assembled to witness the
phenomena. Some were strangers like myself to the rules of the table,
others who were adepts took their places at once in the order to which
they had in former meetings attended. The trance medium had not yet
arrived, and while waiting upon her coming we sat down and opened the
seance with a hymn.