By this time the Professor had aroused himself, and read with little difficulty:
“Lissa, my dear sister: How long I have desired to speak with you and let you know I am near you. The only added happiness I could wish for in this life is recognition of my friends on earth. If you will let me converse with you, and Alice, and mother, I will improve every opportunity. I can see you, so cast away all doubt and fear, and help me to communicate with you. Believe,
Elsie.�
Lissa found she could trace the words as read, now that she knew what they were.
The Professor produced two slates, between which he placed a small pencil, and immediately all in the room heard distinctively the sound of the scratching of the pencil as it apparently wrote upon the slate.
When the slates were brought forth from beneath the table and opened there was a long communication upon one of them for Mrs. McCleary, purporting to have come from her mother, and Mrs. McCleary declared it was in her own handwriting. She could “recognize it anywhere,� she said.
Whereupon Sol Garrett took part in the conversation.
“I’ve been a thinkin’ sence I sot here a good deal about this here writin’ business. An’ it seems to me mighty curis how my old mother came to write me a message when she never in her hull life writ me a word, nor never learnt how. Even her will was signed with her cross-mark. I reckon she must ‘a ben learnin’ pretty fast sence she died.�
Donald’s eyes twinkled merrily as he glanced at Russell’s face, which really showed embarrassment for a moment.
“We cannot tell, Mr. Garrett, what her opportunities may have been in the other world. We may know hereafter much that is hidden from us now,� he said after a little preliminary cough to clear his throat.