The Humbugs of the World: An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All AgesBarnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
General
The Humbugs of the World: An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All Ages
Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
Impostors and imposture
In addition to her other "fixins," this medium has a spirit-dial, so
called, on which are letters of the alphabet, the numerals, and such
words as "Yes," "No," and "Don't know." The whole thing is so arranged
that the pulling of a string makes an index hand go the circuit of the
dial-face, and it can be made to stop at any of the characters or words
thereon. This "spirit-dial" is placed on the table, near the end
furthest from the medium, the string passing through a hole and hanging
beneath. In the end of the string there is a knot. While the medium
remains in the same position in which she sat when the other
"manifestations" were produced, communications are spelled out through
the dial, the index being moved by some power under the table that pulls
the string. A coil-spring makes the index fly back to the
starting-point, when the power is relaxed at each indication of a
character or word. The orthography of these "spirits" is "bad if not
worse."
Now for an explanation of the various "manifestations" that I have
enumerated.
The medium is simply handy with her feet. To sound the accordeon and
ring the bell at the same time, she has to take off one of her shoes or
slippers, the latter being generally worn by her on these occasions.
That done, she gets the handle of the tea-bell between the toes of her
right foot, through a hole in the stocking, then putting the heel of the
same foot on the keys of the accordeon, and the other foot into the
strap on the bellows part of that instrument, she easily sounds it, the
motion necessary to do this also causing the bell to ring. She can
readily pass her heels over the keys to produce different notes. She is
thus able to make sounds on the accordeon that approximate to the very
simple tune of "Bounding Billows," and that is the extent of her musical
ability when only using her "pedals."
To get a congress-gaiter off the foot without using the hands is quite
easy; but how to get one on again, those members not being employed to
do it, would puzzle most people. It is not difficult to do, however, if
a cord has been attached to the strap of the gaiter and tied to the leg
above the calf. The cord should be slack, and that will admit of the
gaiter coming off. To get it on, the toe has to be worked into the top
of it, and then pulling on the cord with the toe of the other foot will
accomplish the rest.
The racket with the dishpan is made by putting the toe of the foot into
one of the handles or ears, and beating the pan about. By keeping the
toe in this handle and putting the other foot into the pan, the operator
can "stand a pull" from an investigator, who reaches under the blanket
and takes hold of the other handle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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