After wintering in the West Indies, I went on to America in the spring, chiefly with the view of meeting Mrs Piper for the first time, and securing a few sittings with her if possible.[5]
[5] The portion of this chapter referring to "Mrs Piper and her Controls" is published by kind permission of Mr Ralph Shirley, editor of _The Occult Review_, in which my article under this heading appeared in March 1906.
I was writing some articles for _Borderland_ at the time, and Mr Stead was specially anxious for me to take this opportunity of "sampling" the famous American sensitive.
This proved no easy task. My visit to Boston, unfortunately, occurred at the very time when an organised attempt was being made by the American branch of the Society for Psychical Research to get into some sort of evidential communication with the late Mr Stainton Moses through his "controls" _Imperator_, _Rector_, etc.
In vain I wrote to Dr Hodgson (to whom I carried letters of introduction) telling him of my chief reason for visiting America a second time. Even the plea that I had known Mr Stainton Moses in earth life, and that we had several intimate friends in common, was of no avail.
Dr Hodgson expressed regrets, but assured me that _no_ sittings could be allowed under existing circumstances, and that it was impossible to make any exception to this rule.
We seemed to have arrived at a _cul-de-sac_, when a bright idea struck me.
Why not ask the UNSEEN themselves for a decision in the matter?
I wrote again, therefore, to Dr Hodgson, suggesting this idea, and mentioning that I should arrive in Boston on a certain date, and could be found at the Hotel Bellevue in that city.
The next day but one after my arrival, and quite early in the morning, Dr Hodgson came to call upon me.
It was my first sight of that genial and delightful personality. At the very moment of shaking hands, he said cheerily, and with a look of half-rueful amusement at his own discomfiture:
"Well, you've got to come! They insist upon it, so there is nothing more to be said."
My preconceived ideas of a critical, elderly, and white-haired professor, taking himself very seriously, were dissipated on the spot; and this was the beginning of a sincere and loyal friendship between us which lasted for nine years on this sphere, and will last, I trust and believe, through whatever forms of existence may succeed to this one.