Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-03-15


ly determined to return to this coun-
try.
Here the old subject came back to
me with redoubled force, but fought
against it manfully. One night |
Went down to college and purchased
a cadaver.
II had an operation to perform
the next day on the throat ola man
up town, so thought / would look
again at the muscles and tendGns OF
the neck and throat, so as to be sure
of what was about.
There was one young student in
the disseeting room whenmy cadaver
was brought up, and as he wanted
an arm sold him one off the body |
was to Operate on.
1T was of an italian, man who
had been found drowned in the East
river months before, and the body
had probably been picked for weeks.
well, we remained there an hour,
chatting merrily. He was saving
the arm to pieces, and | was cutting
the neck and throat. He finally cut
off the arm entirely Mt the shoulder,
and then, noticing an abrasion ON
the forehead ,cut the skin away to see
| what it was.
Il shall never forget the cut.
1t was square-about an inch in
width-and once, when his knife slip
| ped, hemade a peculiar running slash,
| which reached almost to the left ear.
He left me soon afterward alone in
| the room-not exactly alone, either,
for each of the 20 tables held body
under way of dissection.
lit got around toward IL O'Clock,
and unconsciously began to dwell
on the old subject. 1t took hold of
me with more than the old force, and
l began to think how the body was
operating on would look restored. to
life
II did not intend to experiment,
but all the materials were on hand;
| was alone mt the dead OF night. sur
rounded by the dead only, and be-
gan to work.
AT first failure crowned my efforts.
/ grew anxious to succeed and tried
harder.
Suddenly the hard, gray flesh
took on better color; the blood
flowed from the arm, neck and fore
head, and with sigh the body sat
up and looked at me with face /
shall never forget.
Il plunged my knife into the body
again and again, and mt last had the
satisfaction OF seeing it fall back
again on the table To make sure
that it was dead beyond doubt |
drew my 'scalpeP across the throat,
severing the jugular vein and carotid
artery, and then, more dead than
alive, got back to my home.
II was i'll for months afterward,
and when recovered started again
for foreign lands, but Travelled here,
there and everywhere trying to shake
off the horrible specter. just IL year
after | was in Berlin, and on the ami
versary of the night had raised the
dead attended a ball given by the
American consul. / dressed early,
and, presenting my card was at once
admitted to the reception room, and
until midnight enjoyed myself as we'll
as knew how.
Il stood near the entrance talking
with the daughter of the house, when
a voice at my side said:'Signor,
card" and turning saw
servant standing at my side. |
took the card, and was about to
give him some directions, when /
glanced at his face.
''It was the face of the body had
brought back to life There was no
mistake. There were the scars of the
cuts of my knife at his throat, the
square cut on the forehead, with the
long gouge to the ear, and the left
arm was missing at the shoulder.
Il fell insensible, and when | recov-
cred could not find the servant.
Madame knew Of no servant with one
of his arms missing and the sears on
his face as described them, but the
daughter had seen the man as did,
SO there was no mistake.
every year since that time the
man has appeared before me, in one
shape or another, on theanniversary
Of that horrible night in the dissect-
ing-room; and is it any wonder that
] want to end it all with q bullet?
Sometimes / think am dreaming or
crazy, and have brought you here
tonight to examine me one way or
the other"
As the doctor finished hesank back
in his chair, wiping away the perspir-
alton, which stood in beads on his
forehead
The hands Of the clock showed the
hour of IL, and the doctor was about
to speak again, when the door bell
rang, clear and loud.
The doctor started to his feet. his
face CHASTITY white and his body
trembling from head TO foot, and
would have fallen to the floor if the
visitor had not supported him.
{ He looked up at the scribe with q
, piteous look in his eye and mumbIed.
"There he u.s."
Forcing him back in his chhiry the
| reporter signified in whisperf for him
to remain quiet while he went to the
door and oupuinCr 81 euap nj at1f.tripa1