The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-03-16

soon, o Socrates, for am almost readyW
Then | would turn and meet the devilish
gaze of the monstrous beast; sneering
maleyolence dragged me back to earth
and to earth's hatred 70 w9ti .a.
y NY detestation of the abominable
beast was the sole lingering trace of the
old nature. When he was not by, my
soul seemed to hover. around and above
my body, ready to take wing and to
leave it free forever. At his appearance
an unconquerable disgust and loathing
undid in second all that had been
accomplished, and was still myself To
succeed in my experiment | felt that
the hateful creature whose presence
barred out the grand old philosophers
soul must be dispatched at any cost of
sacrifice or danger.
~ will kill you, you loathsome ami
malp' | shouted to the rat, " and then
to my enuancipated body will come the
soul of Socrates which awaits me yon-
DER" b..
The rat turned on me his leering eyes
and grinned more sardonically than ever.
His scorn was more than ] could bear.
threw up the side of the wire cage and
clutched desperately at my enemy. |
caught him by the tail. | drew him
close to me. | crunched the bones of
his Shiny legs, felt blindly for his head,
and when / got both hands to his neck,
fastened upon his life with terrible
grip. With all the strength at my com
mand, and with all the recklessness of a
desperate purpose, ! tore and twisted
the flesh of my loathsome victim. He
grasped, uttered horrible cry of wild
pain, and at last lay limp and quiet in
my clutch. Hate was satisfied my last
passion was at an end, and l was free to
welcome Socrates. .rt ....--
When awoke from long and dream
less sleep the events Of the night before,
and, indeed, of my whole previous life,
were as the dimly remembered incidents
in story read years ago.
The owl was gone, but the mangled
carcass of the rat lay by my side. Even
in death his face wore its horrible grin.
1t now looked like Satanic smile of
triumph. =N r.
/ arose and shook off my drowsiness.
A new life seemed to Jingle in my veins
| was no longer Indifferent and negative.
| took lively interest in my surround
ings, and wanted to be out in the world
among men, to plunge into affairs and
exult in action. a
Pretty Emma came up the hill bring
ing her basket. ~ am going to leave
you," said /. ~ shall seek better
quarters than the Schloss Schwinken-
schwartz t.e Yl
"And shall you 90 to Cologne" she
eagerly asked, to the garrison where
the emperor's soldiers are %
Perhaps SON my way to the
world"
"And will you go for me to Fritz ?"
she continued, blushing have good
news to send him. His uncle, the mean
old notary, died last night. Fritz now
has small fortune, and he must come
home to me at once.' -.t.---
"The notary" said I, slowly, "died
last night?" la-.o
Yes, sir and they say he is black in
the face this morning. But it is good
news for Fritz and me-
Perhaps" continued 1, still more
slowly" perhaps Fritz would not be-
lleve me. | am stranger, and the men
who know the world like your young
soldier are given to suspicion"
Carry this ring" she quickly re-
piled, taking from her finger a worth
less trinket. "Fritz gave it to me and
he will know by it that trust you.'
My next visitor was the learned Cal
carius. He was quite out of breath when
he reached the apartment l was prepar-
ing to leave. ....,. '''
" How goes our metempsychosis, my
worthy pupil ?" he asked. 81 arrived
last evening from Bonn, but rather than
spend another night with your horrible
rodents, | submitted my purse to the
extortion of the village inn-keeper. The
rogue swindled me-" he continued, tax
ing out his purse and counting over a
small treasure of silver. 4" He charged
me forty groschen for bed and break
fast"
The sight of the silver, and the sweet
chink OF the pieces as they came in con-
tact in Prof. Calcarius's palm, thrilled
my new soul with an emotion it had not
yet experienced. Silver seemed the
brightest thing in the world to me at
that moment, and the acquisition of sill
yer, by whatever means, the noblest ex-
ercise of human energy. With sudden
L L
sprang upon my friend and instructor
and wrenehed the purse from his hands.
He uttered cry of surprise and dismay
Cry awayP / shouted; sit will do
no good. Your misery screams will be
heard only by rats and owls and ghosts.
The money is mine" a.
Z What's this?' he exclaimed. "You
rob your guest, your friend, your guide
and mentor in the sublime walks of
metaphysical science? What perfidy has
taken possession of your soulp'
| seized the herr professor by the legs
and threw him violently to the floor.
He struggled as the gray rat had strug-
gled. tore pieces of wire from my
cage and bound him hand and foot SO
tightly that the wire cut deep into his
fat flesh.
Ho hop said /, standing over him:
"what feast for the rats your corpu-
lent carcass will make" and I turned to
GOOD Gottn he cried. You do
not intend to leave me? No one ever
comes here"
"All the better" 1 replied, gritting
my teeth and shaking my fist in his face
the rats will have uninterrupted OPP
portunity to relieve you of your super
fiuous flesh. Oh, they are very hungry,
l assure you, Herr Metaphysician, and
they will speedily help you to sever the
mysterious link that binds soul to living
body. They well know how to loosen
the individualized Ego from its feshy
surroundings. l congratulate you on
4