St. Landry democrat., 1885-09-19
The Flight of a Soul.
A NEBRASKA MAN WHO THINKS HI
KNOWS THE SECRET OF LIFE, AND
EXPLAINS IT.
Chicago Tribune,

Chicago Tribune,
LINCOLN, Aug. pa most remarka,,
BILE discovery was recently developed
in this CITY. It is of such an astounding
nature that the correspondent hesltates
to give the circumstances to the public,
on account of being barred at present
from giving names, although there is
no good reason why it should not be
done. However, the gentleman who
has made the discovery requests lt.
This disclosure consists in providing
beyond the possibility OF doubt by
scientific means the existence of the
human soul, laying bare the greatest
secret of nature, and proving the doc
trine of eternal faith, that the soul OF
man doth live,n the disclosures and
proofs of which will shortly startle and
astonish the entire world.
For the sake of convenience the gem
tleman alluded to will be called Mr.
Holland, a man of small stature, a mild
eve, and thoughtful countenance and
devout Christian, possessing a pecu-
liar belief that the soul OF man is a
counterpart of the body itself, and IN
this theory of the dual man he sought
the key of life and death. He reasoned
that within this body of bone and sineW
was yet another body existing III va
pory form which death alone should
free, and that by a simple microscopic
device the dull sight of human eyes
might penetrate the rninutest particles
the air we breathe, and see the. soul
take form and flight to the boundaries
of another world.
His attention was attracted to this,
he says, by man lying upon sofa
suffering with pain IN his foot, and
vet there was no foot there TO suter,
to the hip. I" For years" says Mr.. Hol-
land, this incident ran through my
mind, until at last I resolved upon an
experiment. | procured the most
powerful lenses could find, and COM
pleted an invention OF my own, and
when I had my light arranged perfect.
ly, so / tOuld examine the microbes OF
the air, called upon friend who had
last his arm, and explained that want
ed him to put his imaginary hand where
I directed He laughingly accompanied
me to my rooms and did as desired.
The moment / adjusted the glass a
world of revelation broke upon me.
The dual hand lay beneath my glass
| asked him to make letters with his
imaginary finger. He did so, and to his
wonder and astonishment spelled out
the sentences he wrote. That was con-
elusive evidence to me- continued Mr..
Holland, :" and you know the rest"
The second experiment was one OF
the greatest difficulty that of watch
ing the soul itself take flight. The
friends of dying men would not allow
experiments, and, indeed, it would have
been delicate matter to ask it. Hospi-
tails afforded opportunities, but physi-
clans and attendants had no faith in
the experiments of the quiet genGle-
men, whom they no doubt alluded to as
a g crank, . so for nearly a year he was
waiting and watching for o man ready
to die.
The opportunity came at lass; 0 con-
sumptive Wanderer from the East
sought relief in the Western air. He
fell Denniless, and was about to be
taken by the authorities to the country
Doorhouse, when Mr.. Holland inter-
posed ana had him removed to his own
home, to nurse and watch him die.
Through many long hours of the night
Mr.. Holland sat by the bedside of his
charge, tanning the spark OF life lest
it should go out in the night, when all
efforts at the experiment. would be lost,
and leaving orders by day with his
wife to cali him the moment the pa
tient seemed to be sinking.
The fatal moment came about 10
o'clock yesterday morning. Stretched
unon low bedstead, with the death
rattle sounding in his throat, lay q
young man of perhaps twenty three
years OF age. Mr.. Holland quietly
notioned the correspondent to a seat,
and continued watching the features of
the dying man with silent interest.
Presently he arose and adjusted the
curtains OF the window 80 that q flood
of light fell aslant the dying man. He
wheeled from @ corner of the room
what looked like q photographers
camera, arranged the lenses TO focus,
and then produced large lens of some
twelve inches in diameter and placed it
i0 grooves made to fit behind the appa--
ratus. The back part was then covered
with black cloth so as to obscure the
light, and from time to time, as the
breathing of the man grew heavier. Mr..
Holland made inspections OF the 1ntrn-
ment.
At precisely 1880 O'Clock sndden
tremOr passed through the body, and
arose from the bedside, and said, in q
whisper:
Now is the time u
Together Mr.. Holland aud the cores
pondent passed their heads under the
blackcloth and beft their eyes intentiy
upon tho glass. Particles OF dust in
the air were magnIfed several thousand
times. and for time their motion kept
a nerfect dazzle upon the glass.
Then as the vapor gathers into clouds,
On an object anneared to be forming a
foof1 above the body upon the bed.
Particle seemed to Geek particle, as by
some molecular attraction, until an OBJ
kSSA1O = nln q ENlka LIE