The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-05-15

compactly.
He contemplated me, with his chin in
his right hand, and his right elbow on
his left hand he said, thoughtfully
"Just so. And for the good of society
in the long run-an admirable sentl-
ment, my dear sir let it be consola-
ton to you, if l should cause you any
little annoyance.
He took a shagreen spectacle-case
from his pocket, wiped the glasses care
fully with silk handkerchief, and adj
iusted them on his nose. Then he pro-
duced an oblong box, which he I'M
locked and placed on one of the seats.
After which he sat down quietly in the
place had occupied five minutes be-
fore-a position which brought him
close over my head and chest, as 1 lay
supine and helpless at his feet.
do you know anything of anatomy?"
he asked. L was completely in his
power AS witness in the cross .examin-
ing counsel's, and prudence dictated
that should be equally ready to an
swer the most frivolous and lmpertinent
questions with politeness. L said that
l did not.
"Ah |" he said; "well, perhaps you
may have heard of tie spleen ? Exactly.
Now, science has never as yet been able
to find out the use of that organ and
the man who bequeathed that knowl-
edge to posterity would rank with the
discover of the circulation of the blood
and confer an lnestimable benefit on
humanity for the remainder of the
worlds lease. L propose to dissect
you" I" You will not get much glory
for that, said l., forcing myself to seem
to take this outrageous practical joke in
good part. " An ungrateful generation
may or may not profit by your discov-
cry, but it will infallibly hang you"
"Not So" he blandly replied. GO am
surgeon, who once had very consid-
cradle practice, but had to stand my
trial for an experiment, which proved
fatal to one of my patients. The jury,
unable to understand the sacrifices
which an earnest inquirer is ready to
offer at the shrine of science, declared
me mad, and / was placed in confne-
mCnt. You see that l can act with i'm
punity.
And he opened the box. / broke out
in a cold sweat. Was it all real :?
said L, "surely you can get dead bo-
dies to dissect without having recourse
to crime? And again, if generations of
anatomists have failed in twenty thou
sand Investigations to discover the use
of the spleen, if you yourself have al
ways failed hitherto, why should you
suppose that this one attempt should
be more successful than the others.
Because, my dear sir" said the
man, with the smile of one who has
has caught bright idea, "all former
Investigations, including my own, have
been made on dead subjects, while /
propose to examine your vital organs
with powerful magnifying glass, while
they are exercising their normal func-
tions."
What" gasped. "You will not
have the barbarity-," and here my
voice choked.
ooh, yes l have conquered that
prejudice against inhicting suffering
which is natural to the mind enfeebled
by civilization. For many years L Sc
cretly practiced vivisection upon ami
mails. l once had cat, an animal very
tenacious of life, under my scalpel for
a week. But we have no time to waste
in conversation. You will not be put to
any needless suffering. These instru-
ments are not my own, blunted for want
OF use; took the precaution of bor-
rowing the case of the gentleman under
whose care | have 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 l gazed
upon them with the horrible fascination
OF bird under the power of snake.
OF only one could | tell the use, thin,
trenchant blade, which cut you almost to
look at it, He knelt across me, arranged
his implements on the seat to his
right; laid note book, pencil, and his
his neck-cloth and collar, murmuring,
"The clothes are very much in my way;
l wish that you were properly prepared
for the operation.
1t flashed across me in my despair
that L had heard of madmen being foil
ed by an apparent acquiescence in their
murderOus intentions.
after ALL, / forced myself to-say.
"What is one life to the human race
Since mine is demanded by science, let
me aid you. Remove these bonds, and
allow me to take off my coat and waist
coat"
He smiled and shook his head.
Life is sweet 1 will not crush
you, he said, christening my waiscoat
and turning back the lapels as far as
he could. Then, taking pair of scis-
sors, he proceeded to cut my shirt-front
away, so that presently my chest was
barred to his experiments. Whether /
closed my eyes or was seized with verti-
go, do not know, but for a moment or
two / lost sight of everything, and had
visions sort of grotesque night
mare it was, the figures in which 1 re-
call but very indstinctly, but remem-
Der that the most prominent of them
was pig, or pork, hanging up out
side a butchers shop, the appearance
OF which bore a mysterious resemblance
to myself. These delirious fantasies
were dispelled by sharp pang the
anatomist had made first slight Incl
sion. L saw his calm face leaning over
me; the cruel blade with which he was
about to make another and deeper
cut his fingers already crimson with