The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-05-09
not profit by your discovery, but it will
infallibly hang YOU"

IT
infallibly hang YOU"
Not so," he blandly replied. II am
surgeon, who once had very consider
able practice, but had to stand my trial
for an experiment which proved fatal to
one of my patients. The jury, unable to un-
derstand the sacrifices which an earnest
inquirer is ready to offer at the shrine of
science, declared me mad, and I was
placed in confinement. You see that
can act with impunity."
And he opened the box. broke out in
q cold sweat. Was it all real? Could
the man be in earnest? "But," said /,
surely you can get dead bodies to dissect
without having recourse to crime1 And,
again, If generations Of anatomists have
failed in twenty thousand investigations
to disco yer the use Of the spleen-if you
yourself have always failed hitherto,
why should you suppose that this one
attempt should be more successful than
the othe1sl"
Because, my dear sir" said the man,
with the smile of one who had caught q
bright idea, all former investigations,
including my own, have been made on
dead subjects, while propose to examine
your vital organs with powerful magni-
flying glass while they are exercising
| their normal functions"
What" I gasped. You will never
have the barbarity-," and here my
| voice choked.
"Oh, yes; I have conquered that preju-
dice against inf1icting suffering which is
natural to the mind enfeebled by civili-
zation. For many years secretly prac-
ticed vivisection upon animals. l once
| had cat-an animal very tenacious of
life-under my scalpel for q week. But
we have no time to waste in conversation.
You will not be put to any needless
suffering. These instruments are not my
own, blunted for want of use; took the
precaution of borrowing the case of the
gentlemen 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 1 gazed
upon them with the horrible fascination
Of bird under the power of a snake. OF
only one could l tell the use-a 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 watch on
that to his left, and took off his neck cloth
and collar. murmuring: The clothes are
very much in my way; wish that you
were properly prepared for the opera
tion."
1t flashed across me, in my despair,
that I had heard of madmen being f0iled
by an apparent acquiescence in their
murderous intentions.
"After ALL" I 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; l will not trust you, u
he said, unfastening my waistcoat and
turning back the lapels as far as he could.
Then, taking pair of scissors, he pro.
ceeded to cut my shirtfront away, so that
| presently my chest was barred to his ex-
periments. Whether closed my eyes or
was seized with vertigo I do not know,
but for moment ur two lost sight of
everything, and had visions; sort of
grotesque nightmare it was, the figures
in which l recall but very indistinctly,
but remember that the most prominent
of them was pig, or pork, hanging up
outside butchers shop, the appearance
| "a "AANA NOAW a NY otCA AOuo AVoOAAO OA0ANC
to myself. These delirious fantasies were
dispelled by sharp pang; the anatomist
had made first slight incision. I saw
his calm face leaning over me; the cruel
blade with which he was about to make
another and deeper cut; his fingers, al
ready crimson with blood; and l strug
gled frantically. My operator immedl
ately withdrew his armed hand and stood
erect Then, watching his opportunity
he placed his right foot on the lower par
of my breast bone, 80 that by pressure hi
could suffocate me.
"Listen, my FRIEND" he said; II viii
endeavor not to injure any vital organ
but, if you wriggle about, I shall not b.
able to avoid doing SO. Another thing
| He was interrupted by three SHARP
whistles from the engine, so shrill ant
piercing as to drown his voice.
"1mpede me by these sharp, convulsiv'
} movements, shall be compelled to seve
those muscles, which,"
He never completed his sentence
There was mighty shock, crash as
all the world had rushed together. wa
shot under the seat, where l lay uninjuret
and in safety, amid the most horrible din
breaking, tearing, shrieking cries for hell
and the roar of escaping steam.
had strained the bonds which secures
my elbows in my struggle, and the jerk o
the collision snapped them; 80 that whe1
began to get my wits together foun'
!. my hands free. To liberate my legs wa
then very easy matter, but not to extr
, cate myself-the next thing I set abou,
The whole top Of the carriage from wher
the stuffed cushion part ends was carrie
sheer away; and amid the debris whic
encumbered my movements lay the mar
gled and decapitated body OF the MAD
man, who, intending to assail my lifi
had, by keeping me down at the botto1
. Of the carriage, saved it.
MoRAL.-When alone in q railway ca,
+ riage, it may be worth while to take
, look below the seats.-Eagltsh Magazine
Two Boston Nelghbors.
! THE Boston Traceller of recent da,
l relates the following: "A gentleman an
lady, strangers to each other, occupie
IAr~ = .