Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-09
TUE GREAT EEIsPLlT7 EXPERIMENT


vl,d the sons Of man none had such an
Attraction for the learnedsProfessor Won
Raumcar,en as those which relate to
nsyehology and the illdehned relations
between mind and matter. A celebra-
ted anatomist. a profound chemist, and
one Of the first PSYCHOLOGISTS in Europe,
Il was a relief for him to tarn FROM
these subjects and 10 bring his varied
knowledge 10 bear upon the study
Of the soul and the mysterious
relationship Of spirits. At first, when
as young man he began TO dip into
the secrets Of mesmerism, his mind
seemed to be wandering in strange
land where all was chaos and darkness,
save that here and there some great I'M
explainablc and disconnected fact
doomed out in front Of him. As the
years passed, however, and as the
worthy Professors stock Of knowledge
increased, for knowledge begets know
ledge as money bears interest, much
which had seemed strange and unac-
cOuntable began TO take another shape
in his eyes. New trains Of reasoning
became familiar to him, and he per-
ceiyed connecting links where all had
been incomprehensible and startling.
BY experiments which extended over
twenty years he obtained a basis Of
fact upon which it was his ambition TO
build up new exact science which
should embrace mesmerism, spiritual
ism, and all cogna,e subjects. In this
be was much helped by his intimate
knowledge Of the more intricate parts
OF animal physiology which treat Of
nerve currents and the working of the
brain for Alexis Won Baumgarten was
Regius Professor Of Physiology at the
University Of Keinplatz, and had all
4 the resources Of the laboratory 10 aid
4 him in his profound researches.
Professor Won Baumgarten was tall
and thin, with Ratchet face and steel
bray eyes, which were singulsrly bright
Ind penetrating. Much thought had
,krrowed his forehead and contracted
bis heavy eyebrows, so that he appeared
81 wear perpetual frown, which often
znisled people as to his character, for
though austere he was tender-heayted.
He was popular among the students,
who would gather round him after his
]ertures and listen eagerly to his strange
fheories. Often be would call for vol
unteers from among them in order to
coniuct some experiment, so that
ertntually there was hardly lad in
(. tie class who had not, at one time or
snoiher, been thrown into a mesmeric
tr>nce by his professor.
OF all these young deyotees Of science
there was none who equalled in enthu-
sjaksn Fritz Won Hartmann. 1t had
often seemed strange to his FELLOWSHIP
dents that wild, reckless Fritz, as dash
i1< d young fellow as ever hailed from
the Rhinelands. should devote the time
and trouble which he did in reading up
abstruse works and in assisting the
s PfofessOr in his strange experiments.
The fact was, however, that Fritz
w8sa knowing and lOng-headed fellow.
Months before he had lost his heart to
Yeung Elise, the blue-eyed, yellow
haired daughter Of the lecturer. Al
though he had succeeded in learning
f<em Der lips that she was not indilfer-
ent 10 his suit he had never dared 10 an
nonnce himself to her family as a for
nal suitor. Hence he would have found
it . lifhcult matter to see his young lady
had be not adopted the expedient
Of making himself useful to the
professor. BY this means he frequently
was asked to the old mans house,
where he willingly submitted to be ex-
perimented upon in any way as long as
there was a chance Of his receiving one
bright glance from the eyes Of Elise or
one touch Of her little hand.
Young Fritz Won Hartmann was
handsome lad enough. There were
broad acres, too, which would descend
10 him when his father died. To many
he would have seemed an eligible suit
or; bnt Madame frowned upon bis pre-
3ence in the house, and lectured the
Professor at times upon his allowing
such . wolf TO prowl around their
lamb. To tell the truth, Fritz had an
eyil name in Keinplatz. Never was
there riot or duel or
any other mischief afoot but the
young Rhinelander figured as a
ringltAder in it. No one used more
free or violent language, no one drank
mere, no one played cards more habit
ralIy, no one was more idle, save in
the one solitary subject. No wonder,
then, that the good Frau Professorin
gathered her Fraulein under her wing
and resented the attentions Of such a
Ncurais Stya. AS to the worthy lee
fuztr, be was too much engrossed by
his strange studies TO form an opinion
upon The subject, one way or the other.
For many years there was one ques-
ticn which had continually obtruded
itself upon his thoughts. All his ex-
perimtnts and his theories turned upon
single point. A hundred times day
the Professor asked himself whether il
was possible for the human spirit to
exist apart from the body for a time and
then return to il again. When the pos
sibibility first suggested itself to him
Bis scientific mind had revolted from
Il. II clashed too violently with
preeoncsived ideas and the prejudices Of
his Early training. Gradually, how
ever, IS he proceeded further and fur
thur dong the pathway of original re
search, his mind shook Off its old fet-
tsrs md became ready to face any con-
clusi1n which could reconcile the facts.
Th<re were many things which made
him believe that it was possible for
ufnd 30 exist apart from matter. At
last Il occurred TO him that by daring
ard original experiment the question
might be definitely decided.
s . II is evident" he remarked in his
esItbrated article upon Invisible Enti-
lis. which appeared in the KenptGtS
Hcekealiehs AedieGlsehrif about this
6mc, and which surprised the whole
scientific vorld-"it is evident that
under certain conditions the soul
o. mind does separate itself from
5hs body. In the case Of q mes
nefized person the body lies in a
tstslsptic condition, but the spirit