The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-10-14

rations of anatomsts have failed, in
twenty thousand investigations, to dis
cover the use Of the spleen-if you your
self havs tailed hitherto-why should
you suppose this one attempt should be
more successful than the others. 7"
.,Becalse, my dear SIR said the man,
with thasroile of one who has caught q
bright idea, all former investigations,in In
cludiugsmy own, lave been made upon
dead snbjeets, while 1 propose to exam
inc you'd vital organs with powerful
magnifying glass, while they are exer-
cising their normal functions"
'.WhaIP / gasped. "Yon will never
have the barbafity y" and here my voice
choked
&C, - q i have conquered that pref
ludice agaiiiss hiiliclfig suffering whiohsis
natural 10 the mind enfeehled by civil
zation. For many years secretly prac-
ticed vivisection upon animals. once
had cat, an animal very tenacious Of
life, under scalpel for week. But we
have no time to waste in conversation.
You will not be put to any needless snf
fering; these instruments are not my
own, bluntcd for want of use l took the
precaution OF borrowing the case of the
gentleman under whose care had been
placed, before making my escape"
While speaking thus, he took out the
hideous little glittering instruments and
examined them one by one. They were
of various appalling shapes,and | gazed
upon them with the horrible fascination
of bird under the power of snake
Of one only could I tell the use-a thin,
trenchant blade, which cut you almost
to look at it. He knelt across me, ar
ranged his implements On the seat to his
right; laid note book, pencil and his
watch on that to the left, and took off
his neckcloth and collar murmuring:
"The clothes are very much in my
way l wish that you were properly pre-
pared for the operation"
1t flashed across ME in my despair, thai
1 had heard of madmen being foiled by
an apparent acquiescence in their mur.
derous intentions.
cater all" forced myself to say,
"what is one life to the benefit Of the hu
man race? Since mine is demanded by
science, let me aid you. Remove these
bonds, and allow me to take off nay coat
and waistcoat." 1aiIH
He smiled and shook his head. ,.
."Life is sweet; l will not trust you, y
he said, unfastening my waistcoat, and
turning back the lappels as far as he
could. Then taking a pair of scissor:
he proceeded to cut my shirt front away
so that presently my chest was barred te
his experiments. Whether l closed my
eyes, or was seized with vertigo, I dc
not know, but for moment or two
lost sight of everything ,and had visions
a sort of grotesque nightmare it was, the
figures in which recall but very indis
tinctly but remember that the mos
premihszt among them was "a pig, OF
rather q pork, hanging up outside :
butchers shop, the appearance of which
bore mysterious resemblance to my
SELF These delirious fantasies were dis
PEELED by sharp pang; the anatomis
had made first slight incision. l saw
his calm face leaning over me; the crue
blade with which he was about to make
another and deeper cut; his fingers al
ready crimson with my blood and
struggled frantically. My operator i'm
mediately withdrew his armed hand anC
stood erect Then, watching his opror
tunity, he placed his right foot on tn,
lower part of my breast bone,so that b,
pressure he could sufocate me
"Listen. my friend" he said; 81 viii
endeavor not to injure any vital organ
but if you wriggle about / shall not b.
able to avoid doing so. Another thing
if yon-." ~
| He was interrupted by three sha-l
whistles from the engine, so shrill an
piercing as to drown his voice.
"lmpede me by these absurd conyul
sive movements, shall be compelled t.
sever these muscles, which" 7aso
He never completed the sentence
There was mighty shock, crash as
all the world had rushed together
was shot under the seat, where / lay uu
injured, and in safety, amid the most hor
rible din of breaking, tearing, shriekin
cries for help, and the roar of cscapin!
steam. 19fs es.s aa stfssnes
! had strained the bonds which secure
my elbows in my struggles, and the jer
of the collision snapped them; so ths
when | began to get my wits together,
found my hands free. To liberate m.
legs was then avery easy matter, but no
80 to extricate myself, the next thing
set about. The whole top of the CARR
age from where the stuffed cushion par
ends, was carried sheer away; and annie
the debris which encountered my move
ments lay the mangled and decapitate,
body of the madman who, intending t,
assail my life, had, by keeping me dowl
at the bottom of the carriage, saved it.
MoRAL.-When alone in railway car
riage, it may be worth while to look be
low the s6dt