703. I will relate what took place at the first sitting that I ever attended. It was in Boston, and I went as a perfect stranger. Before the sitting commenced, and but few had collected, a strolling musician came along and commenced playing at the door, and every tune played at the door was beaten or rapped on the table. The medium was in the room; I saw her walk up to the table and lay her hand on it, and then walk away, but it made no difference with the raps on the table; they continued, without any person near it, as long as the tunes were played at the door. When it came my turn to question, I asked, Are any of my relatives present? _Ans._ Yes. Will you rap at each letter of your name, if the alphabet is called over. _Ans._ Yes! The alphabet was called, and there was a rap at A, one at L, one at F, one at R, one at E, and one at D,—Alfred: a son that died at the age of twenty-two years. Among a great many questions, I asked, How many years since you died. Is it twelve? Is it eleven? Is it ten? Is it nine? Is it eight? Is it seven? There was a rap at seven, but I asked, Is it six? and instantly there were rapped........; the seventh was fainter. I said, He probably means that it is six and a piece, when instantly they were repeated ........; the last the faintest. The raps were equidistant, like the ticking of a clock, and about as loud. I supposed at the time that it was _less_ than seven. After the sitting was over, and we were preparing to leave, I said, It is possible that we may have mistaken the time since my son’s death? There was instantly a loud rap on the table. I then asked, Did you mean seven? and there was instantly an affirmative. I inquired for the odd months, and the answer was four. When I got home, I found the true time was seven years, four months, and two days. These last raps were when no person was within _six feet_ of the table. I confess myself unable to explain the foregoing without admitting that it was my son who responded. If you could have such an opportunity, and inquire for some dear friend whom you loved in life, I think you would witness what would interest you.