The Portland daily press., 1880-03-13

stitution, depending on adventitious circum-
stances. You are positivist, an idealiSt, a
skeptic, mystic, a what-not, why? Because
nature. predisposition, the assimilation of
bony elements have made your skull thicker
in one place, thinner in another. The cranial
wall presses too close upon the brain in one
spot; you sheer at the opinions of your
friend DIR. Bellglory. 1t cramps the devel-
opment of the tissues in another spot; you
deny faith place in philosophy. l assure
you, Herr Strout, we have discovered and
classified already the greater part of the ply
steal causes determining and limiting belief,
and are fast reducing the system to the GER
tainties of SCIENCE
Granting all that,' interposed Strout,
whose head was swimming under the com
bined influence of Affenthaler, tobacco
smoke and startling new ideas, 81 fail to see
how it helps my case. Unfortunately. the
bone of my skull is no longer cartilage, like
an infants. You cannot mold my intellect
by means of congresses and bandages."
"Ah! there you touch my professional
PRIDE" cried Schwartz. "'If you would only
put yourself into my handsv
"And what then?n
"Then," replied the Professor with enthu-
siasm, 81 should remodel your intellect to
suit the emergency. How, you ask? If a
blow on the head had driven a splinter of
bone down upon the gray matter OVERLAPPING
the cerebrum, depriving you of memory, the
power OF language, or some other special
faculty, as the case might be, how should 1
proceed? l should raise section of the bone
and remove the pressure. Just so when the
physical conformation of the Uranium limits
your capacity to understand and credit the
philosophy which your American theologian
insists upon in his son-in-law. remove the
pressure, give you a charming wife, while
science gains a beautiful and valuable fact.
That is ahat offer you, Herr Strout.''
''In other words began Strout.
Gin other words, should trephine you,'
chair and no longer attempting to conceal
his eagerness.
''Well, Herr Professor" said Strout slow
ly, after long pause, during which he had
endeavored to make out why the pictured
face of Gall seemed to wear a look of tri-
umph-"Well, Herr Professor, consent to
the operation. Terephine me at once-to-
night
The Professor feebly demurred to the pre-
cipitateness of this course. '"The necessary
preparations" he urged.
"Need not occupy five minutes replied
Strout. Tomorrow shall have changed
my mind.''
This suggestion was enough to impel the
Professor to immediate action. 'sYou will
allow me-" asked he. ''to send for my es-
teemed colleague in the University, the Herr
Doctor Anton Diggelmann?" Strout as
sented. "Do anything that you think need
full to the success of the experiment.
Professor Schwartz rang. "Fritz," said
he to the stupid-faced Black Forester who
| answered the bell, run across the square
and ask DR.. Diggelmann to come to me i'm
mediately Request him to bring his surgi-
cal case and sulphuric ether. If you find the
Doctor you need not return
Acting on sudden impulse, Strout seized
sheet of paper that lay on the Professors
| table and hastily wrote few words. "Herer'
| he said, tossing the servant gold piece of
ten marks. "Deliver this note at the Prinz
| Carl in the morning-mind you in the morn
| ing"
| The note which he had written was this:
'Blanche-When you receive this l shall
| have solved the problem in one way or an
| other. | am about to be trephined under the
superintendence of my friend Prof. Schwartz.
| If the intellectual obstacle to our union is
removed by the operation shall follow you
| to Bavaria and Switzerland. If the opera
| ton results otherwise, think sometimes kind
| ly of your unfortunate
'Ludwigs- platz, 1870 p. m. G. S."
| Fritz faithfully delivered the message to
DR.. Diggelmann and then hied toward the
| nearest wineshop. His gold piece dazed him.
| "a nice liberal gentleman thatw he thought.
.'ren marks for carrying the letter to the
Prinz Carl in the morning-ten marks. a
| thousand pfennige; beer at five pfennige the
glass, 200 glassesw The immensely of the
prospect filled him with JOY How might
he manifest his gratitude? He reflected, and
an idea struck him. 81 will not wait till
morning." he thought. II will deliver the
| gentleman's letter tonight; at once. He will
say, Fritz, you are a prompt fellow. You
do even better than you are told.''
| ICONCLUDED MONDAY