"Here he is now!" Vixley exclaimed. "Say, Flora, you go out the back door through the kitchen, will you? It won’t do for him to see you here." "Sure! I’ll spare him. The Doc says he’s scared to death of a pretty woman," and she disappeared down the hall. Professor Vixley went to the front door, welcomed Mr. Payson with an oily smile, took his hat and coat and then let him into a small chamber next to the front room. There were two straight chairs here on either side of a table which was draped with an embroidered cloth. Behind was a high bookcase. "Well, I’m all ready for you, Mr. Payson," said the medium. "We’ll see what we can do. If we don’t get anything I won’t charge you a cent. Have you ever seen any slate-writin’ done before?" "No, I haven’t," said Mr. Payson, "but I’ve heard a good deal about it." "It’s a very interestin’ phenomena. Now, before we begin, p’raps you’d like to examine this table; it’s been examined so often, that it’s pretty well used to it by this time, but I want to have you satisfied that there’s no possibility of trickery or deceit." As he spoke, he took off the cover, and turned the table upside down. Mr. Payson looked it over gravely and knocked on the top to see if it were hollow. The investigation finished, Professor Vixley said: "May I ask who recommended you to me?" "Madam Spoll—I suppose you know her." "Oh, yes, and I admire her, too. Madam Spoll is a wonderful woman. I don’t know how this community could get on without her. She’s brought more satisfaction to them desirin’ communication with their dear departed than all the rest of us mediums put together. She’s doin’ a great work, Mr. Payson. But she has more success with what you might call affairs of the heart, while I find my control prefers generally to help out in the way of business. We’re all specialists, nowadays, you know." "I should think that the spirits could help in one way as well as another." "Now would you?" said Vixley, fixing the old man with his glittering eyes. "Spirits ain’t so much different from people on this side. Some o’ them is interested in one thing, and some in another, same as we are. Some is nearer what I might call the material plane and some has progressed so they don’t take much interest in earthly affairs." "It seems to me that I’d always have an interest in my friends," said Mr. Payson. "Does it?" Vixley replied. "Where was you raised?" "In Vermont. I lived there till I was ten years old." "Well, are you much interested in the kids you knew when you went to school there?" "Perhaps not." "Well, then, that’s the way it is with spirits who have got progression. Their life on earth seems like childhood’s days to them. Lord, they have their own business to attend to. I expect it keeps ’em pretty busy."