New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-31
THE RAJAH's NEMESIS.
BY W. @. MORROW.

i n arisfnr from deprivation of the
tools with which she is aecustcmed TO Work ana ana
the facts OF the case s are , saSosny p w
was summoned from Calcutta to proceed 70
the heart OF India being wanted by certain fan
and powerful raiah 70 perform sat
found the raiah TO be o man OF loity cnaraceer'
noble and generous; but as circumstances aiser5
ward developed, he was possessed OIL sense OF
cruelty purely Oriental and in sharp CONTRAST 20
the extreme Incidence OF his disposition. ne was
50 grateful for the success which ATTENDED my
the palace as long rs it should please me to stay |;
the the invitation.
for he was man OK marvellous capacity OF malice
and yindictiyeness. His name was Neranya, ana
ssean N f nss sAs Sized Is s ses
ike the Indians from whom he differed also in
complexionl he WIS extremely active, alert nef-
vo Won Am, aad sens 1--we for e his nsa master Sss
0nce his violent temper led him TO the COM
mission OF an atrocious crime-the iatal stabping
Of . dwarf In punishment for this the rslan
ordered that aNeranyas right arm the Offending
onel be severed from his body. The sentence
was sTssgea II sshsr s Sn i aSS b sy
q surgeon, was compelled, in order TO save Neran-
vas life TO perform second amputation upon
the stump of the arm, which left not vestige Of
Just here. as q possible partial explanation Of
the terrible and extraordinary things which foL
lowed, Il must call lntculXenb hbteuuOu W hlnbpch
which has long engaged my notice.
We see that when one arm has been lost the
other acquires an unwonted dextenty, thus
n.easusably compenssting Tor the loss rg Further,
nimbleness is exhibited in the feet for they como
20 discharge TO considerable extent the functions
o SO gre al ,n e o ee SUeS
had not existed in them since our Abandonment
10 the evolutionary process, OF the sree-climbing
habit Thus, with the toes an arraless man may
IaQr n hnl a nor an N n
pistol to cut food with a knife, and convey IL
20 his mouth with q fork. TO sew. and TO do q
purely oraamentaI as painting, playing a harp,
and the like. once saw an arTnless man give his
wife sound thrashing with rSwhide whip.
II. now. one Of the legs be removed the remain
It's agility being marvellous. But suppose that
this member too should be parted with-has
nature reached the end of her resources Re-
member the dexterity that she developed in those
mtmbers which remained after the amputation OF
Others was primarily Of character to take tho
place OF that which enabled the others to minister
to tho needs OF life. Granted that both arms and
& both legs are gone, has nature, I have asked.
reached the Limit Of her resources, in the accom-
plish5nent of an earnest and controlling purpose,
lFaieworthy or peryertcds
Let MS inquire into the philosophy Of the process
hy which this compensating dexterity is developed.
done hy the concentration Of tho viii and the
persistent exercise of the muscles In obedience
t sil but e my understanding this explana-
Z ing persistence OF this principle, and the ways
ia which this persistence is maintained, are all
sc as9 pig, MYSTERIES, necessarily ana forever
tfanscendentalsm mot followed, however, by the
greater scientists 10 maintain that we have q
sriritual, as well as material, nature; and by
scyoiutlor. there has grown ont OF th0t belief
another, that this spiritual nature is mperishable
irdestrnctib ie-tha fashionable though inaccurate
tom Is : immortal The spirit is assumed TO be
the ego, the conscionsness--that which fixes ndi-
yliuaiity and determines identity.
Nov, we know that mind is consciousness and
that the mind has its seat within the. brain. But
the brain is identical in It's chemical structural
molecular and functional characteristics with the
4 nerves which lead from it and ramify through
TIE body; therefore nels the mind and consequently
and hence jt follows that il the spirit
Is indestructibe and should be separated from the
form and pSsa Of tRs S SOaS The
fact Of our being unable 90 see 10 presents no
obstacle 70 the argument; for we are unable 20
sec countless things which we are certain exist
The argument thus pnt In logical shape may
account, by unconscious synthetical reasoning, for
fhe prevalent belief, seemingly inherent, that the
spirit retains the form OF the body after death !;
fcr theirs is no other conception Of tie human
spirits forin-wo never imagine il as having the
shape OF ball, or comet or balloon, or a
cloud, or as being forrnless
Then 1t must fellow that, assuming the spirit
70 be indestruetible and as having the form Of
the body, the amputation OF . limb does not
szisrminats that part o. the spirit which occn-
spirit must be admitted as an essential factor of
iaen4ty and Individuality, that part Of the spirit
always be present in the place where the limb
had been. and must there, IN that place. possess
al the consciousness and intelligence which
s belonged to is before the limb was amputated.
This argument may be pursued 70 some ast0nish-
ing conclusions which do not vitality concern the
purposes OF this relation. | might be asked for
Instance, IL the p0tentiaity Of spirit Is dependent
upon its possession and control Of body, OF
Whist avail is IL TO speculate upon the unseparated
existence OF the spirit Of an amputated limb ?
Hut there are some who declare that this depend
ence need not and does not always exist
This, IL must be understood, is mot the line
Of srgmens prsn,sd ~ sclsntls Tor they have aye
sngulsr phenomena resulting from amputation
bus are they not Inconsistent They admit the
i1seratabe mystery q the principle Of life ss and
explain che evidently marvellous results OF 9
serious Interference with the normal opesation q
hs pneRs e N s cdse Snser 81 oo muo
explanation OF these wonderful mysteries
Let as proceed With the strange story Of
Xeranya After the loss OF his arm, he developed
al increased fendishness, an augmented vim.
fiic1iveness His love for his master was changed
10 hate and in bis mad anger, he hung discretion
S3spossion that he could not conceal his feelings
xsranya's hate By treating .shim, with contempt
ariyins The wretch 20 frenzy IN mad
z:Sonaept be sprang upon the Talah With
tr,ifp bQf he Wsfs seized ana oiSarDed. 10 NJ
,nssr alsable dismay Che rajah sentenced him 10
FMS osnce 70 safer asnputation Of the remaining
., s,s - n WAS done as in the former instance.
This had temporary effect In curoing the man,
ersr;t az rather In changing the outward mani
fssfsfou Of his ainbclfD nafare. Being armlesss y
,sses ~ Arst iarsely ut the mercy Of those VIII
,,inisfcred 10 hts wsnts-a duty which undertook
IA Sec was properly discharged, for 1elt an N
<s,~ ifhis selise Ut heIplfssness, combined wit
Z dararabie scheme for revenge which he Ia.
srursfiy formed, caused Netauya 20 change al
ssnrsa}h quiet. insinpafjng manner, which he car
rr,i Ia srtfully as not only 70 secure peace an
& foaafor5 which he Ind never known nefofes nu
& S e, VI, saet Including the rsiah himself
Neranra, being exceedingly anick, nimDie sn'
irSe1ifrsnt, and having tremendous VIII tafl "a
& SSe ssef and foes md In due time he was abb
& .ssforxn wonderful fe8ts WITH those mepbers