Master Percy Edgar Smith James. Mrs. James (of Sutton) visits usagain and introduces "Spiritual Seances."May 26, Sunday. - We went to Sutton after dinner to have meat-teawith Mr. and Mrs. James. I had no appetite, having dined well at two,and the entire evening was spoiled by little Percy - their only son - whoseems to me to be an utterly spoiled child.

　　Two or three times he came up to me and deliberately kicked my shins.

　　He hurt me once so much that the tears came into my eyes. I gentlyremonstrated with him, and Mrs. James said: "Please don't scold him; Ido not believe in being too severe with young children. You spoil theircharacter."Little Percy set up a deafening yell here, and when Carrie tried topacify him, he slapped her face.

　　I was so annoyed, I said: "That is not my idea of bringing upchildren, Mrs. James."Mrs. James said. "People have different ideas of bringing up children- even your son Lupin is not the standard of perfection."A Mr. Mezzini (an Italian, I fancy) here took Percy in his lap. Thechild wriggled and kicked and broke away from Mr. Mezzini, saying: "Idon't like you - you've got a dirty face."A very nice gentleman, Mr. Birks Spooner, took the child by the wristand said: "Come here, dear, and listen to this."He detached his chronometer from the chain and made his watch strikesix.

　　To our horror, the child snatched it from his hand and bounced it downupon the ground like one would a ball.

　　Mr. Birks Spooner was most amiable, and said he could easily get anew glass put in, and did not suppose the works were damaged.

　　To show you how people's opinions differ, Carrie said the child wasbad-tempered, but it made up for that defect by its looks, for it was - in her mind - an unquestionably beautiful child.

　　I may be wrong, but I do not think I have seen a much uglier childmyself. That is MY opinion.

　　May 30. -I don't know why it is, but I never anticipate with anypleasure the visits to our house of Mrs. James, of Sutton. She is comingagain to stay for a few days. I said to Carrie this morning, as I wasleaving: "I wish, dear Carrie, I could like Mrs. James better than I do."Carrie said: "So do I, dear; but as for years I have had to put up withMr. Gowing, who is vulgar, and Mr. Cummings, who is kind but mostuninteresting, I am sure, dear, you won't mind the occasional visits of Mrs.

　　James, who has more intellect in her little finger than both your friendshave in their entire bodies."I was so entirely taken back by this onslaught on my two dear oldfriends, I could say nothing, and as I heard the 'bus coming, I left with ahurried kiss - a little too hurried, perhaps, for my upper lip came in contactwith Carrie's teeth and slightly cut it. It was quite painful for an hourafterwards. When I came home in the evening I found Carrie buried in abook on Spiritualism, called THERE IS NO BIRTH, by FlorenceSingleyet. I need scarcely say the book was sent her to read by Mrs.

　　James, of Sutton. As she had not a word to say outside her book, I spentthe rest of the evening altering the stair-carpets, which are beginning toshow signs of wear at the edges.

　　Mrs. James arrived and, as usual, in the evening took the entiremanagement of everything. Finding that she and Carrie were makingsome preparations for table-turning, I thought it time really to put my footdown. I have always had the greatest contempt for such nonsense, andput an end to it years ago when Carrie, at our old house, used to haveseances every night with poor Mrs. Fussters (who is now dead). If Icould see any use in it, I would not care. As I stopped it in the days goneby, I determined to do so now.

　　I said: "I am very sorry Mrs. James, but I totally disapprove of it,apart from the fact that I receive my old friends on this evening."Mrs. James said: "Do you mean to say you haven't read THERE ISNO BIRTH?" I said: "No, and I have no intention of doing so." Mrs.

　　 James seemed surprised and said: "All the world is going mad over thebook." I responded rather cleverly: "Let it. There will be one saneman in it, at all events."Mrs. James said she thought it was very unkind, and if people were allas prejudiced as I was, there would never have been the electric telegraphor the telephone.

　　I said that was quite a different thing.

　　Mrs. James said sharply: "In what way, pray - in what way?"I said: "In many ways."Mrs. James said: "Well, mention ONE way."I replied quietly: "Pardon me, Mrs. James; I decline to discuss thematter. I am not interested in it."Sarah at this moment opened the door and showed in Cummings, forwhich I was thankful, for I felt it would put a stop to this foolish table-turning. But I was entirely mistaken; for, on the subject being openedagain, Cummings said he was most interested in Spiritualism, although hewas bound to confess he did not believe much in it; still, he was willing tobe convinced.

　　I firmly declined to take any part in it, with the result that my presencewas ignored. I left the three sitting in the parlour at a small round tablewhich they had taken out of the drawing-room. I walked into the hallwith the ultimate intention of taking a little stroll. As I opened the door,who should come in but Gowing!

　　On hearing what was going on, he proposed that we should join thecircle and he would go into a trance. He added that he KNEW a fewthings about old Cummings, and would INVENT a few about Mrs. James.

　　Knowing how dangerous Gowing is, I declined to let him take part in anysuch foolish performance. Sarah asked me if she could go out for half anhour, and I gave her permission, thinking it would be more comfortable tosit with Gowing in the kitchen than in the cold drawing-room. We talkeda good deal about Lupin and Mr. and Mrs. Murray Posh, with whom he isas usual spending the evening. Gowing said: "I say, it wouldn't be abad thing for Lupin if old Posh kicked the bucket."My heart gave a leap of horror, and I rebuked Gowing very sternly for joking on such a subject. I lay awake half the night thinking of it -theother hall was spent in nightmares on the same subject.

　　May 31. - I wrote a stern letter to the laundress. I was rather pleasedwith the letter, for I thought it very satirical. I said: "You have returnedthe handkerchiefs without the colour. Perhaps you will return either thecolour or the value of the handkerchiefs." I shall be rather curious toknow what she will have to say. More table-turning in the evening.

　　Carrie said last night was in a measure successful, and they ought to sitagain. Cummings came in, and seemed interested. I had the gas lightedin the drawing-room, got the steps, and repaired the cornice, which hasbeen a bit of an eyesore to me. In a fit of unthinkingness - if I may usesuch an expression, - I gave the floor over the parlour, where the seancewas taking place, two loud raps with the hammer. I felt sorry afterwards,for it was the sort of ridiculous, foolhardy thing that Gowing or Lupinwould have done.

　　However, they never even referred to it, but Carrie declared that amessage came through the table to her of a wonderful description,concerning someone whom she and I knew years ago, and who was quiteunknown to the others.

　　When we went to bed, Carrie asked me as a favour to sit to-morrownight, to oblige her. She said it seemed rather unkind and unsociable onmy part. I promised I would sit once.

　　June 1. - I sat reluctantly at the table in the evening, and I am bound toadmit some curious things happened. I contend they were coincidences,but they were curious. For instance, the table kept tilting towards me,which Carrie construed as a desire that I should ask the spirit a question.

　　I obeyed the rules, and I asked the spirit (who said her name was Lina) ifshe could tell me the name of an old aunt of whom I was thinking, andwhom we used to call Aunt Maggie. The table spelled out C A T. Wecould make nothing out of it, till I suddenly remembered that her secondname was Cathe............