The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-05-16

"6ince saw you last, indeed ever since I
talked with you 1t the Cascade 30 many
years a2o, have devoted III my energies
to trying to discover the substance / thon
spoke to you about. studied medicine
that l mi sht the better prosecute my in
quiries i practiced it, partly for the sake
OF gaining living, but chiefly for the op-
portuni,ies it afforded me of making ex-
periments. At the end.of half an average
lifetime l had nothing to show for my
labors. But 1 have at last succeeded.
After wandering half way round the globe
found what was seeking almost beneath
the place where you stand.
II need not give you full account Of all
my trials and failures. It is enough to say
that none of the substances 1 prepared in
tho laboratory produced the desired effect.
l resorted to the employment of plants
whose influence on the human system was
not known. With these had no better
success. had heard that some of our
mountain Indians passed into state of
frenzy after they had drank q decoction of
certain herbs and that while in that cond-
ton they professed to be able to see the true
conditions Of persons who were absent as
we'll rs present. found on visiting them
that that belief was entertained by several
Indian tribes, but could not learn from
them what plants were used for this pur-
pose. Pursuing my investigations in this
matter passed through Mexico and several
of the countries in Central America in all
OF which heard many stories which seemed
to confirm what had heard before. But I
never came in possession OF the coveted Sc
cret..
while in Chill thought of what had
read of the wonderful occult powers pos
sessed by the fakirs in India, and resolved
to 50 there in quest of information. That
there are persons on the banks of the Upper
Ganges who arc able to read the hearts and
thoughts of men became convinced. But
nothing can induce them to impart their Sc
cret TO one who is not q member of their
order. 1t is u heritage of a chosen few and
doubtless will ever remain such. They Sc
cure it by giving up all claims to every
thing elso.
What prompted me to visit Australia l
can not tell, but it was not the desire to see
strange sights or to crafty the love of ad-
venture. While at Melbourne heard won
derful things about the Gypsy woman who
with her tribe was in camp on the outskirts
OF the city. saw her and she tod me more
about myself than knew. She even in
formed me of the object of my search. I
huC" Iu01 OuAS uuohS u6uSutoI VI Luo WE,
for she was q true Egyptian. possessed the
knowledge desired and resolved to obtain
it. presumed that the offer of gold would
not procure what l wished. 1 therefore
concluded to make myself useful to her and
her people If could. soon found it in my
power 10 do so. Her child became sick and
she was advised to leave the vicinity of
the coast. AS the tribe left for the interior
l followed them. But the child continued
to fail till the mother implored me to save
its life promising to give me in return aSy
thing that was in her power. Night and
day Istood over the child until the Gypsy
camp was the scene of gladness.
II had no occasion to remind the mother
of her promise. One day when all the men,
bers of the tribe were absent from camp,
looking for food and fuel. she called me to
her and placed in my hand little bag filled
with the leaves of a plant that was unknown
to me, though was well versed in botany.
had noticed that she had always taken
some Of these leaves in her mouth before
she had hidden the seeker after knowledge
cross her palm with gold. I asked for no
instruction, for was conscious that pos
sessed what desired.
1.-THE next morning went to a hiltock,
covered with scrubby trees, where a
kangaroo had passed tho night, seated my
self on the sod and placed q roll of the leaves
In my mouth. The flavor of them was dis
tasteful as that Of opium or tobacco to a
novice. In the course Of q few minutes all
my mental faculties appeared to be quick
encd. Every event of my life was recalled
and appeared to be re-enacted before nv
eyes. l saw others, not as have seen them
before, but as have reason to think they
really were. The object of my life was &C.
complished. had found what had 50 long
vainly searched for.
'Was satisfied with the result? you may
ask. Attend to what say. The thing chat
haG sought and found was not blessing,
but q curse. / had wished to partake of
something that would enable me to see the
hearts Of men. l have tasted, but 1 wish
that had hungered all my life. now know
that the persons whom l have trusted most
were unworthy of confidence or esteem, and
| that those whom have sighted were my
best friends. know that have accused
of the darkest crimes man whose soul was
free from any wrong. To add to my misery,
1 am conscious that 1 bligtted the life of
one who was the embodiment of honor,
purity and love- l wished to know more
than falls to the lot of mortals to know.
have acquired the knowledge. and it has
~SPsASOA AAO Va OSVAy COt pACtSUlCs /
can not atone for my sins nor make restitu-
ton for my ohenses. In seeking to be like
God find that am a devil.
1T is not my intention to ever return to
my native country. The society Of nv old
acquaintances would only render me more
miserable than I am. With the means 1t
ones command to see human beings as they
really are, there is q constant disposition to
resort to them. 1t is true that there is
pleasure in learning that some persons are
much better than they are considered to BE-
But this does not compensate for tho horror
l experience in seeing that presumed saints
are miserable sinners; the pure, impure
the upright, criminal; tho trusted, unworthy
of confidence; and the honored deserving of
degradation and punishment.
II lately attended a preliminary trial at
which the employe Of firm Of wool dealers
was sent to jail to answer the charge of up
.propriating money. The poor man was in
nocent and the partner whose testimony
ruined his reputation was the real culprit.
am Mortified whenever 20 into what is
called fine society. Not infrequently find
the true ladies and gentlemen are doing the
work of menials in the hail and dining-roo
while some of the guests would demoralize
the inmates of reformatory If they assumed
their true character and uttered the
thoughts that were In their minds.
"Should declare to you the exact charac-
ter OF some OF tho persons with whom we
formerly associated and who arc probably
| now your friends and confdants you would
be startled and most likely be made wretched
evermore. 1 shall, therefore, not do so, un-
less you specifically ask for this informa-
ton. I ind that my discovery and the use
am constantly prompted to make of it
have DESTROYED all my hopes of happiness.
I am satisfied that there was more than
human wisdom in putting bounds to the &C.
quirement of knowledge" "
1give this extract from my old iliend's
letter for the careful consideration of the
reader. It may interest If it does not profit
him. Il u mt mtnS' to make eommasts IN