Table Tipping and a Victim
As could be expected a certain number of people were disposed to take these “manifestations” quite seriously, regardless of the ridicule of their neighbors. A group of these seekers after occult knowledge had gathered one evening to engage in their favorite avocation of “table tipping,” and were unusually favored with “signs.” The small table around which they were seated became so totally unmindful of the force of gravity that a recent novitiate of corpulent figure was induced to seat himself upon it to keep it in place. No sooner had he taken his position than the table began to float about the room.
It was a triumphant moment for the believers. They were succeeding beyond their wildest anticipations. The table, after various oscillations, approached the stairway, still carrying the portly investigator. Clinging to it were a number of enthusiasts who stumbled up the stairway well toward the top. Suddenly the invisible force weakened, and the table with its burden, fell with a crash.
The victim was considerably bruised but otherwise physically uninjured. His vanity had however received a hard jolt and he took no further part in the séances.
There is significance in the fact that although most people of the rural districts long ago lost interest in “spirit” phenomena, it has lately engaged the attention of city dwellers to an increasing extent. Such investigations passed under the ban of country people because of the current impression that they were generally demoralizing in their influence. Those who maintained the churches were skeptical and this developed antagonisms, which affected attendance upon church and Sunday school. The “ouija board” is about all there is left of the old time manifestations in rural New England.