The Veil Lifted: Modern Developments of Spirit Photography
Religion
The Veil Lifted: Modern Developments of Spirit Photography
Spirit photography; Spiritualism
A mischievous young lady of scientific proclivities who attended the
meeting of the British Association, and who was addicted to practical
joking, listened attentively to Dr. Gladstone’s observations upon the
properties of quinine referred to, and having carefully noted the
discussion that followed, reasoned within herself thus: If solution of
quinine can make invisible marks upon paper, which will come out black
in a photograph, it ought to do the same when applied to the skin. So
she procured some of this solution, and upon her fair brow she painted
with it a death’s head and cross-bones. These, of course, were invisible
to human vision. Thus prepared, she went to a photographer to have her
portrait taken. All went right until the operator went an to develop
the plate, when she soon heard an altercation between the photographer
and the attendant boy, in which it was evident that the latter was being
charged with having coated an old or dirty plate.
A second negative was taken, with this result, that the operator, after
bestowing a puzzled, affrighted look at the lady, rushed downstairs to
the principal of the establishment. Both returned to the dark room, and a
third negative was taken, when it became evident that intense excitement
was being produced in the dark room. After an excuse to the lady about
there being electricity in the atmosphere, which had affected the
chemicals, she was requested to sit once more.
Scarcely had the plate been developed, when both photographer and
assistant rushed out from the dark room, pale and excited, and explained
that on the brow of the sitter in each negative was emblazoned the
insignia of the King of Terrors. The negatives were produced leaving no
doubt of the fact. What was to be done?
The sitter hinted something about not being disposed to be made a fool
of by one who she was satisfied was a spirit photographer, and that she,
for one, would not allow herself to become the victim of such absurdity.
This upset the equanimity of the photographer, who expressed his earnest
conviction that she was an emissary and personal friend of the common
enemy of mankind.
“I shall look in again to-morrow,” said the lady, in her sweetest tones,
“if you promise not to play any of your silly ghost tricks upon me.”
“Not for ten thousand worlds,” said the artist, “shall you ever set foot
within my studio again!”
“Oh,” she laughingly rejoined, “I shall drop in through the roof and
visit you some day when you are disengaged;” and with that she departed.
“I knew it!” gasped the photographer. “I felt a sulphurous odour the
moment I came near her. Send immediately for my friend, the Rev. ——, and
get him to offer prayer, and free the studio from the evil influences
remaining after a visitation from one whose feet, although clad in boots,
would, if examined, be found to be cloven.”
[Illustration: DAVID DUGUID.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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