CHAPTER XVI

TELEPATHIC AND MESMERIC SPOOFS

Real spiritualism and sham mesmerism--Spoof séances--I ring one off on my landlady--The self-playing piano--The spirit that walked upside-down--Some simple explanations--Manufacturing a telepathist to order--Thought-reading extraordinary--The colour test--Telepathy by wire--A brief dream of wealth-- A sleepy wife and a hidden match-box--The dead-head who was spoofed--A disconcerting reception--Story of Houdini, the “Handcuff King”--More telepathy--Over the telephone this time --A puzzling link--And the explanation 226