Athothis : a satire on modern medicine / by Thomas C. Minor.

he desires," said Professor Diabolus, in an awe-inspiring voice ; " and I trust that there are no sceptics present to disturb this happy family reunion." Profound silence fell over the room for a few seconds, then the two shadows disappeared. " This is truly wonderful!" observed Paulus Andrccy- des; " and, strangest thing of all, I can read the thoughts of every person in this circle. For instance, that dark-eyed young man to the right is a journalist, who was inclined but a moment since to spring forward and seize the spirit." " Such an attempt would have resulted in failure," re- plied Athothis ; " since the medium is also a mind reader. The apparitions you have just seen were so vaporous that a mere breath of air would have dissolved the aggre- gation of spiritual atoms. I am fully aware that most of these materialization performances are mere tricks in optical magic, carried on under cover of darkness by impostors, who often are so bungling as to be detected in fraud. Professor Diabolus, however, is an adept in this business, and has, no doubt, a diploma from the Druzes of Lebanon, who are the best modern practitioners of this art." "Methinks this circle has more centers than allowed by Euclid, quoth Paulus Androcydes ; " for, besides the medium, I observe another form, and notice innumerable lights flitting around the apartment." " Those are the gleaming eyes of demons, awaiting their turn to masquerade as the materialized forms of departed mortals," answered Athothis, smilingly. " Musical instruments are suspended in the air with- out any respect for the law of gravitation ; bells are fly- ing around and wildly ringing without the assistance of