The Washington times., 1903-03-29

mentioned to Dr. Sterk as having been
/ buried for six months
Six months or six days is much the
| same said Norbert, FOR the pheuone,
non is as extraordinary in the one case
as the other. How is IL accounted for -
/ BY most SIMPLE process OF progress
3 sion The Indian fakIrs and jugglers be-
/ gin by accustoming themselves TO live
! with the minimum Of vital force.
/ through their habit OF remaining mo-
! tionless for long periods Of time They
practice holding their breath. they live
\ in boxes that are more or less hermet-
/ ically scaled. first for hours. then for
I days. and finally for weeks or months
More than that. they manage 70 nh
their stomach. as IL il were 2 storeroom
with atmospheric air that they can af-
terward pass into their lungs by minute
doses al a Time To effect this. the
string Of their tongue is cut so that
they can turn II back and close their
windpipe at will. They know how to
hypnotic themselves by looking fxedly
AT the top OF their nose. and by con
tracing the thoTacic muscles they can
50 stop the movement Of the heart that
7 II is imperceptibIe- They also have poi
sons in their possession that are un-
known to the European pharmacy. and
that can produce all the aforesaid ef-
fects instantaneousIy- You see how
easily all these combined agents can
simulate the appearance of death
Norbert listened TO these explanations
with deep interest. but his interest was
nothing compared TO that OF Kaddour.
He was quite himself again. and was
now taking in. with wide open eyes and
ears. every word OF the doctor
The latter at last perceived this and
dropped the subject for the present. re-
serving il for the drawing room. when
the person principally concerned should
not be a. hand
Well. my boy" he said. patting the
dwarf on the head. anectionately and
professionally. we are certainly much
better. But there must be no more OF
these pranks. because they would not
answer nor take US in now. Virgil will
give you cup OF soup presently. with a
glass OF cIaret. After that you must
take a nap. and wake up quite we'll "
n
would have thought that he was ad-
dressing the most virtuous and charm
ing patient. instead OF a wicked deform-
ity, who had barely escaped a we'll
merited capital sentence by feigninR TO
poison himself. But such is the strength
OF the medical sense OF what is fitting
IN the practice OF the profession. that
every other consideration is lost in the
single minded care for the patient. and
rich or poor. honest man OF criminal.
are all one in their eyes SO long as they
need a doctor.
And such is the strength OF example
that everyone in the observatory acted
likewise. They all forgot the crimes
Of Kaddour. and only looked upon him
first as a singular phenomenon. then.
after some hours had passed by. as a
brother in misfortune. another exile
from earth.
Everyone FASTENED 10 show him little
attentions as soon as he was able TO
rise and go into the Hall Of Telescopes.
where a hammock was slung for him.
The dwarf was mOrosely silent at first.
and did not apparently appreciate their
kindness. The doctor alone seemed to
find grace in his eyes, and he appeared
glad 10 hear his voice.
But when he saw the genial sympathy
was real. and not affected-when he
understood that his crimes were for
given. and that he was treated like a
friend-he was so overcome az last by
so much generosity that one day he
gave proof OF the ract by bursting into
tears.
This proved the signal for a complete
change In his manners and conduct He /
did not speak any more. but his old ex-
preston OF morose defiance gave place to
one OF sadness. OF almost gentleness. II /
was evident that a chord had been
touched in that hard heart