The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-08

mlkub buIOW 9Vk1C lIkub upOu IuG 0OCS urine of the Rosy Cross.
 There was considerable applause from this eminent assembly upon the appear ance of Prof. won Baumgarten and his subject upon the platform. The lecturer, in a few well-chosen words, explained what his views were, and how he. pro. posed to test them. |" hold" he said, that when a person is under the in- duence of mesmerism, his spirit is for the time released from his body, and chal- lenge any one to put forward any other hypothesis which will account for the fact of clairvoyance. therefore hope that upon mesmerizing my young friend here, and then putting myself into trance, our spirits may be able to commune to ogether, though our bodies lie still and inert. After time nature will resume her sway, our spirits will return into our respective bodies, and all will be as before. With your kind permission, we shall now pro- ceed to attempt the experiment."
 The applause was renewed at this speech, and the audience settled down in expectant silence. With a few rapid passes the professor mesmerized the young man, who sank back in his chair, pale and rigid. He then took a bright globe of glass from his pocket, and by concentrating his gaze upon it and mak- ing a strong mental effort, he succeeded in throwing himself into the same condi- ton. It was strange and impressive sight to see the old man and the young sitting together in the same catalepdc condition. Whither, then, had their souls fledT That was the question which presented itself to each and every one of the spectators.
 Five minutes passed, and then ten, and then fifteen, and then fifteen more, while the professor and his pupil sat stiff and stark upon the platform. During that time not sound was heard from the assembled savaSts, but every eye was bent upon the two pale faces, in search of the first signs of returning conscious ness. Nearly an hour had elapsed be- fore the patient watchers were rewarded. A faint flush came back to the cheeks of Prot. won Baumgarten. The soul was coming back once more to its earthly tenement. Suddenly he stretched out his long thin arms, as one awaking from sleep, and rubbing his eyes, stood up from his chair and gszed about him as though he hardly realized where he was. Tausend Teufelr' he exclaimed, rap- ping out tremendous South German oath, to the great astonishment of his audience and to the disgust of the Swed- enborgian. "Where the Henker am then, and what in thunder has occurred2 Oh yes, remember nov. One of these nonsensical mesmeric experiments There is no result this time, for remember nothing at all since became uncon- scious; so you have had all your long journeys for nothing, my learned friends, and very good joke too;' at which the regius professor of physiology burst into a roar of laughter and slapped his thigh in highly indecorous fashion. The audience were so enraged at this un- seemly behavior on the part of their ost, that there might have been considera- ble disturbance had it not been for the judicious interference of young Fritz von Hartmann, who had now recovered from his lethargy. Stepping to the front of the platform, the young man apologized for the conduct of his companion. "I am sorry to say," he said, "that he is a harum-scarum sort of fellow, although he appeared so grave at the commencement of this experiment. He is still suffering from mesmeric reaction, and is hardly accountable for his words. As to the ex- pertinent itself, do not consider it to be a failure. It is very possible that our spirits may have been communing in space during this hour but unfortunately, our gross bodily memory is distinct from our spirit, and we cannot recall what has occurred. My energies shall now be de- voted to devising some means by which spirits may 6c able to yecollect what oc- CUTS to them in their free state, and trust that when have worked this out, l may have the pleasure of meeting you all once again in this hall, and demon | strasng to you the result" This ad- dress, coming from so young a student, caused considerable astonishment among the audience, and some were inclined to be offended, thinking that he assumed | rather too much importance. The majority, however, looked upon him as young man of great promise, and many comparisons were made as they left the hall between his dignified conduct and the levity of his professor, who during the above remarks was laughing heartily iu corner, by no means abashed at the failure of the experiment.
 Now although all these learned men were filing out of the lecture-room under the impression that they had seen nothing of note, as matter of fact one of the most most wonderful things in the whole his- tory of the world had just occurred be- fore their very eyes. Prof. won Baumear- ten had been SO far correct in his theory that both his spirit and that of his pupil had been for time absent from his body. But here strange and unforeseen com plication had occurred. In their return the spirit of Fritz von Hartmann had en- tered into the body of Alexis von Baum garten, and that of Alexis von Baumgar- ten had taken up its abode in the frame ot Fritz won Hartmann. Hence the slang and scurrility which issued from the lips of the serious professor, and hence also the weighty words and grave statements which fell from the careless student. It was an unprecedented event, yet no one