Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-12-26

LdUte-WuO IIdu uSSn siCIlilS IuelcjSuOOlu-
ing his heavy red moustache all the time
bad been dining, his eyes fixed on his
plate-looked up of sudden and gave me
quick and searching glance.
knew him then; it was Medhurst, an
old schoolfellow. As boy be had always
been mystery to us; that quick sudden
glance OF his always had such strange ef-
feet upon all on whom it fell. eve used
to say that be had the Evil Eye, and Won
derful tales used to be told at school about
the effect of Medhurst's look. Still | was
glad to see him any relief from the lore
illness and monotony of my life was plea
SAINT. He recognized me also, and came
over and sat beside me.
"Well," be said, after we had Shaken
bands-he had strange f1abby, chill
ly hand, which somehow sent an ICY
thrill to my very heart-''well, and so you
wish you were dcadH'
"Did you hear me?'' l said. 'Oh, it
was nonsense, of course. | often say so.
A foolish habit l have. don't mean 1T. Z"
alt was nonsense" he said; he talked in
low, mouotonous voice, intelliglble
enough to the ear for which it was intend
ed, but not to be overheard by others.
at was ronsense, but very rational pru-
dent wish. | wish 50 myself; and what Is
more" be said, 81 have the means to car
ry out both our wishes"
laughed uneaSily. "YOu are joking"
81 never Joke. Until now," he went
on, "the great lettering influence which
has restrained those wise men, who see the
folly and emptiness of life-whO measur"
ing their feeble capacities for enjoyment
with their unlimited capabilities for suffer-
ing, would gladly resign possession which
has no advantage for them-the great de-
terring influence has been. the doubt
whether death be really complete sever
ing of the body and soul; whether, indeed,
there is not lingering capability Of feel
ing still hanging to the relaxed nerves,
lingering consciousness in the decaying
brain; that, IN addition to the bitterness
of death, one may taste also the gloom Of
the grave, the horrors of the charnel-
house"
"GCod heavensw l cried. "What
horrible idea q" He fascinated me. this
man. would gladly have risen and gone
away, but he stopped me with his eye.
"Llsten," he said. 81 have overcome
this impediment; | have oIened the gates
of death to all mankind. To you, my
yeung Schoolfcllow, | will reveal this Sc
cret; lest, tempted some day to cross the
boundary, should die, and leave mankind
as wtetched as ever. You see tEis powder
ed herb; it is ike mint, is it not !-the
smell, the taste, everything is like mint
YOU would not know them apart; and yet
in small quantity Of this powder lies
release from all the miseries of life. Don't
shrink back; it is innOcuous in small doses
produces merely pleasing langour; but IN
such a quantity as teaspoonfnl, t pro-
d,.ces lethargy; twice the quantity brings
on Syncope; thrice inevitable death. |
have often ventured as far as the second
stage, but have always stopped short of the
third. But | lave brought back thus
much assurance from the world ofshadowS;
consciousness ceases altogether at the
second stage. There are no dreams in the
the sleep OF death.
"1he preliminary stage of letbargy is
ightful-I often indulge in it; but have
had doubt sometimes whether | might
not possess an exceptional physical organ
lzation; whether the herb would produce
exactly the same effect on others. | de-
tegmined to try the effect on large scale.
| came here tonight to do it. | have no.
ticed that each frequenter Of these rooms,
on pea-soup nights, which are frequent,
takes one plate of soup, to which he adds
one spoonful of mint. Well, ] watched
mv opportunity. | came here as soon as
the door was opened; and, whilst the
waters back was turned, emptied the
contents Of the plate OF mint into my poe
ket, and filled the plate with my own
powder. The experiment was bold one.
| might have caused the death Of innocent
persons. However, | pcr>evcred, the in
terests of science overpowel considerations
Of humanity. The experiment has COM
pletelg succeeded. Each habitue OF these
rooms has swallowed his plate of soup, his
spoonful of precious herb; each has gone
through the stage of lethargy. There arc
some now. you observe passing through
that stage"
| threw an agoniAed glance around.
Yes, sure enough, there were two or three
men lying back IN their chairs, their heads
sunk on their breasts, in a state OF COM
pete lethargy.
"And," he went on, " | can see the
symptoms of the approaching lcthargy up
on vOu-tho dlated pupil of the eye. the
expression OF anxiety in the face. Yes,
all is perfect; the symptoms ATE"
But" | gaspcd, Il have taken three
spoonfuls y
"Martyr OF science!" he cried, sprinEing
up and graspiug me by the hand, how
carefully, how pain!ully | wIIl watch every
symptom of your declining vitality. Dear
tr eni, your case will be m era in the his
tory of humanity. Like CurtiuS, you have
leaped into the cha>m for the public veal.
but isn't there an antidote - L
gasped ga remedy :"
&c There is none and were there, yOu
would not go back from the noble path?
Nv dear friend, initiate the example OF
the ancient Roman; a quietude and ser
entity in your last hours is indispensable
for the proper noting of your phe-
nOmera.'
g But won't die!' l shouted, getting
up Ny limbs trembling bereath me; l
felt the very chills of death upon me.
Il won't, | won't ~ Here | screamed,
Send for a doctor for policeman.
Quick! Quick! I'm poisoned!'
All the lethargic men jumped to their
feet. the walters came running in, the
proprietor appeared pale and wonder