The Forrest City times., 1901-07-05
THE BLISS OF FALLING.
SensattOns Are Pleasant Even II Death Does Follow the
 Plunge.

Even the landing after the fall was free from anything of pain or ter TOT. Merely a jar and then uncon- sciousness. Prof. Heirn first cited the sensations described by a Swiss climber, who fell from the top of the Karpfstock. in Switzerland.
 "The plunge, which was taken backward, was in nowise acompan jed by the anxiety felt when one dreams of falling. l seemed to be borne in the most pleasant manner gently downward, and had complete consciousness during the entire fall. Free from all pain or fear, contem- plated my position and the future of my family, which I knew was as- sured by the insurance I carried. And this contemplation was accom- plished with rapidity which l had never before known. Of the losing of my breath, of which people talk, there was no suggestion, and only the heavy fall on the snow-covered ground caused me to lose suddenly and painlessly all consciousness. The bruising of my head and limbs on the rocks as fell caused me no pain. The reawakening, however, brought with it entirely different and far less agreeable sensations"
 Of his own experience of the sen sations of falling, Prof. Heirn said: 'As soon as I stumbled I saw that l should be dashed over the rocks, and awaited the shock. I dug my fingers into the snow in the enedavor to stop myself, but merely tore open my finger tips, causing them all to bleed, but feeling no pain from so doing. l plainly heard the striking of my head and back against the rock, and the thud when I landed. Pain. however, 1 did not feel until half an hour later, when I revived. During the fall came a flood of thought. Every thought and impress sion was clear, in nowise dreary and confused, and was logically connected with the one which followed.
 First, 1 contemplated the prob ability of my fall, and said to myself: The rock over whose edge I shall be dashed, evidently descends sheer, for l cannot see the ground on the other side. It becomes, therefore, a question whether or not there is snow at the foot. If so, the snow will be melted near the wall and will form a ledge on which I shall land, and thus escape with my life; if not, then l shall strike on the rocks be- low and death will be unavoidable
 "Another train of thought busted itself with the effect my fall would have upon my companions. l said to myself that when I landed, no matter whether 1 was hurt or not, l must, if possible, call out with all my might: I am in nowise iniured.' in order that my comrades might arouse themselves from their terror and be able to make the difficult de- scent necessary for the bringing of assistance to me. l also thought that l should not deliver my lecture which, nve days later, was to mark my en- trance into the professorship. 1 real ized how the news of my death would shock my family, and in thought tried to console them.
 Ahch saw, as 1T upon stage, my entire life pass like series of tab leaux before me. I saw myself the chief actor. Everything seemed glo- rified as by some heavenly light, and all was beautiful and free from pain. from anxiety and sorrow. Even the memory of sad events was distinct. but not sad. Exalted and beautiful thOn0htG the single scenes, and a divine quiet ude sank like sweet music into my soul Ever more and more plainly l felt myself surrounded by a heaven of glorious blue, filled with clouds of rose color and of violet. sank gently and pairlessly into it, and saw that l was flying through the air toward a field of snow. Objective observa, tions, reasoning and subjective feel ing were indulged in clearly and si- simultaneously. Then I heard a dull thud, and my fall was ended. At the same moment it seemed to me that black object rushed by me, and l called two or three times as loudly as l could: T am in nowise inJured.' l took some drops of the liquor. l reached out for my snow glasses, which lay unbroken beside me on the snow; felt my hack and my limbs to see that no bones were broken.
 When l struck I lost conscious. ness. Every sensation, every activ- ity of mind and nerve was annihilated for half hour. The black obiect which passed me was the passing of consciousness. And, without realiz- ing this half-hour interruption. thought and activity were resumed exactly where they stopped. Between the stopping and resuming was an absolute blank. The beautiful heaven ly visions were noticeable only dur ing the time that I was flying through the air, and could see and think" Prof. Heirn said at the close of his lecture that death by falling is sub- jectively pleasant death. Without