The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (March 1895)

The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. 43 sudden turn of the rod reversed the whole arrangement, and the luminous objects were visible to those sitting beneath. In a hall where plenty of space is available, floating forms of a nebulous appearance can be caused to appear, and travel outwards over the heads of the audience, and also to take one of the exhibitors by the hand, and, raising him from the floor, to glide through the air across the stage and put him down on the other side. Fig. XXIII. This must necessarily be accomplished in utter darkness, and to avoid detection and to keep secret our means of operating it is usual to turn the gas quite out. By arranging a small Rhumkoff coil in connection with the sun burner in the ceiling of the hall, the gas may be instantly lighted or put out from the main, a very necessary arrangement in all performances of this character. Those who are familiar with stage properties will understand that the form of the spirit can be made in light wicker work to cover the front of the body and head of the performer (n0 back is required) which frame can be draped with material prepared with the luminous paint. When required for exhibition it is first exposed to the rays of the magnesium lamp, and then being fitted on to the performer the spirit makes its appearance and glides about the stage where required ; but now, how is it to float in the air over the heads of the audience. The means of accomplishing this effect is so simple as to verge on the ridiculous, there are no complicated pieces of apparatus required nor are the accessories expensive. The person representing the spectre disengages himself from the basket framework, being assisted by others, who, taking care to keep behind the luminous figure, are of course invisible, and proceeds to fit our old friend the long pole into a socket provided in the frame, after which, the spirit form is slowly elevated Fig. XXIII, at the same time being allowed to move outwards over the heads of the spectators. This needs care, as the pole must be kept quite out of the reach of walking sticks and any structural obstacles which may be present. Some years ago I read in one of the London daily papers an account of an exhibition in Blackburn, given by a company, the head of which was a lady said to possess considerable power asa medium. It would appear that the previous effects had not given unqualified satisfaction, and when the materialized spirit fori which should have floated from the stage over the heads of the audience to the end of the hall and back again showed signs of getting tirec| almost as soon as his journey had commenced matters came to a climax. Some persons shouted for the gas lights to be turned up, others tried to ‘‘hook” the figure, which in turn became violently agitated as one might naturally suppose under such trying circumstances, and at last down it came on to the heads of the audience below. The gas was turned up, and it was discovered that the ‘spirit form’’ consisted of a light framework covered with cotton wool, made luminous by chemical means. A wire had been quickly stretched from end to end of the hall directly the lights were lowered, and the figure being slung on this should have travelled along when pulled by twine, I may sum up the subsequent proceedings by saying that the ghost was laid for ever so far as that company was concerned. The wire is not to be compared with the pole in my estimation, as a means of raising the figure, and is always a source of anxiety, while the pole on the other hand is only brought forward when required, and taken right away immediately afterwards.