The Portland daily press., 1890-08-26
AN ExPERlM EMIT.
independently

complete my education abroad. AS l
wished to perfect my already excel
lent knowledge of modern languages,
thought that residence in some CONT
mental town would enable me to accom-
plish both purposes.
Whether | chose the university of Got
tingen or Heidelberg | do not care to
state; and if the ingenious reader can
learn from internal evidence that | pur-
sued my studies at neither Of these great
institutions of learning let him not be
surprised. Iprefer not % indicate pre-
cisely the scene of the strange happening
about which l am going to tell, for rea-
sons which will be readily understood
by any one who attentively peruses this
story,
Let it be enough, then, to say thatI
entered Il foreign university, was prop
erly matriculated, joined one of the
numerous student clubs, learned to COM
ply with its foolish customs, and became
thoroughly identified with the students.
Wewere instructed principally by lect-
ures. Some of us took notes, some drew
caricatures or scrawled verses upon the
otherwise blank pages of our books, and
only very few became thoroughly i'm
bued with the enthusiasm for learning
which animated many of the learned
men who expounded to us the accumu-
lated wisdom Of the ages and propounded
novel theories of their own.
While was not equally interested in
all of the lecturers, there were one or two
of them who deeply impressed me-none
more deeply than Herr Schwartz. He
was short, thick set man, with tightly
curling black hair and beard. His ma
tionality am not certain about, but
think he was German or Austrian. He
lect red upon Comparative Anatomy
and Physiology" and was an advanced
and uncompromising evolutionist By
advanced do not mean an evolutionist
of these latter days-one of the men of
science who admit away or explain SO
much that they state nothing definitely
-Abut one of the old and imperfect dis
ciples of Darwin. Herr Schwartz had not
the slightest doubt of mans descent from
the monkey or from some allied form. So
much I so learned from his lectures;
and when my close attention in the lect-
ure room had drawn his attention to me
and we became better acquainted found
his views to be even more downright and
avowed than ! supposed.
Outside of his lecture hours Herr
Schwartz was believed to spend the
greater part Of his time in his laboratory
"a large and mysterious building stu.
ated upon the outskirts of the town.
Much curiosity existed among the stu.
dents as to the nature of the researches
he carried on in this gloomy building.
but never, so far as we knew, had any
student been admitted within its window
less walls.
Great. then, was my surprise one morn
ing when the learned lecturer was TAX
ing long walk with me-a thing that
he had done once or twice since he dis
covered my intense interest in his bold
theories-to receive an invitation to come
with him to inspect his laboratory. My
establishment must have been evident in
my expression, for he said;
"Come is 1T so strange that should
ask a student to my laboratory"
Indeed, no." | answered, with some
hesitation; but | imagined"-
Eyes" no interrupted, ''you thought
because ! had never thrown open my
working room to the general rabble of
students that there was some mystery
about it-something wished to conceal.
All, no. You are different; you have a
truly scientific mind. To the ordinary
intellect what am doing would seem
but nonsense. Incapable of compre-
hending M, they would see in my ex-
periments but the vagalies of lunatic.
But once have shown you the plan, the
reason, the theory upon which / work,
you will see the logical basis for each
wheel and each cog in the whole appar
atus"
~ am proud, indeed, Herr Schwartz"
began, but he did not wait for the end
of my sentence.
"There is no reason for pride" he said,
waving his hand disdainfully. "You
cannot helpit. You are from the United
States You judge all things without
prejudice and upon their merits. 1t is
the result of your environment. nothing
more. Will you Gomez"
''Most willingly" l answered. when
shall my visit be made?'
To-day" he said promptly
"But it is your lecture day." said,
looking at my watch; "and in fact You
will have no more time than is necessary
even if you should go now to the lecture
room"
"Bah!" he answered, with curl of the
lip "What care for the gaping faces
of those boobies now? 1t is true have
spent two years in pelting their dough
faces with crumbs of science which not
one of tfeln can receive. But now all
that MY apparatus is at last
READY. Today it Will be put in opera
ton"
"Will it not be better, then, for me to
postpone my visit for another timer" /
asked, not wishing to inconvenience the
experimenter.
You do not understand" said Herr
Schwartz, turning to me with n smile.
81 do not ask you to come into the place
SO long sacred to my deepest musings,
my most important researches, merely
as a spectator to be amused, nor as a
student to be instructed. Ineed help
For a long time have been on the look
out among the young men in the uni
versity, hoping that when the day of
final proof should come might be able
to secure just the right assistant. Well,
/ have found the man sought, and you
aTe he. l cannot perform the expert
ment, for which have passed years in
laborious preparation, without the aid
OF the right brain and the right hand ="
by this time we had arrived at the
top OF slight eminence from which the
laboratory was distinctly visible. 1t
was large, square building with hem
spherical roof-not unlike an astronom-
ical observatory. AS this strange. Win
dowless structure came into view Herr
Schwartz halted, and, turning his back
uron it, solemnly addressed himself 70
me:
"Wait." he said. 1T is not vet foo
late for you to withdraw. You have
known me long enough to be sure am
of sound mind, and to know whether
YOU can rely upon my good faith. / as
sure Won that in the experiment an
about TO make no harm can come to you
! alone will take all risks and be respon
ssble for all the results. That Is bu
right. since / alone shall reap whateve
benefit may spring from the momentou
trial Speak, then, and let me know
whether / have rightly concluded that
can rely upon your nationality and you
intellect. Are you willing to assist m'