The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1905-04-20

HROFESSOR Voorhek, scientist,
- was strolling about the clearing
on the Bright homestead one
sunny June morning in very |
pleasant frame of mind. So buoyant
were his spirits that he actually hum !
med "Home, home, sweet home;
though you're ever so single there's no
place like home" and decapitated in
nocent dandelions with cunning strokes
of his cane.
After the disastrous event of the
"Lactealograph" he had felt rather
blush for while, it is true; but now
he had regained his customary equa-
nimity of mind. He sauntered over to
the barn, where Mr.. Bright and his
hired man, Jimmy, were engaged in
the unpleasant task of killing sheep.
"Ah," exclaimed the professor, "when
will man cease to kill and shed blood
Did you ever stop to think Mr.. Bright
what an awful thing it is to rob fell
low creature of that which 1t holds
most dear-life-in order that we may
satisfy our carnivorous instincts?"
"Yes," replied Mr.. Bright, sit seems
bad. Still, it appears to be the law of
Nature for the stronger to devour the
weaker, from the smallest insect up to
man. Survival of the fittest, you know,
professor"
"But we ought to be educated above
that time-worn phrase now," returned
the philosopher. "We should not lose
sight of the pain we cause. Animals
see, hes, move, understand-and dis
play in many cases great amount of
knowledge-and, am confident, they
can think. If that is true, what must
they think of us, their murderers ?"
"It does look rather wicked agreed
Mr.. Bright 81 do dislike to butcher
an animal that have kept for some
time and become kind of familiar
with, and cause it as little pain as 1
can"
"Why don't you scientific men try
and fix it so that animals won't feel
any pain ?" said Jimmy. elk 'em so
they'll be born that way, mean"
"Oh, ah, impossible, James, impossi.
ble," said the professor. "The nearest
we have come to that is the gas, the
chloroform or the electric needle in the
spinal marrow, and men cannot
stop to asphyxiate or chlorbform every
beet they kill"
Tho he apparently dismissed the
thought with that he seemed to fal
into a deep reverie afterwards. HI
observed the men in silence while the,
dressed the sheep. Presently he tool
out his penknife and cut off severa
particles from various parts of the an
imal, and retired to his room. Her,
he examined them carefully through /;
powerful magnifying lens. He poret
over these bits of animal matter fo
three solid hours. Then he rushed ou
bareheaded and with his spectacles OF
one side of his nose, and shouted t.
Jimmy to procure for him a live ami
NAL of any kind and regardless of ex
pense. They had become accustome
to the professors whimsical moods b
this time, and were not surprised a
anything he might demand or under
take. So Jimmy brought him laml
This he carried to his room an
promptly chloroformed and vi7isectet
With "Trixy," the cat, for his sol
companion he went through the mos
mysterious and complex performance
the next few days. Every little whi
he would rush out for more"
in the form of goose, duck or chicken
The last creature to fall under h
murderous hand was one of Mr.
Bright's Jersey calves. Towards tt
evening of the fifth day since he bega
his present experiment the professt
Strengthened up from among his il
struments and chemicals. Before hi
there lay on a saucer half doze
feshy. juicy-looking pellets, each abol
the size of hazelnut. The deep fu
row on his massive forehead smoothe
out, and smile Of satisfaction spres
itself over his expressive features. T
heaved deep sigh Of relief.