Sharp County record., 1907-03-15

tCopyright, 1907, by Daily Story Pub Coz
am only an optician, but have al
ways had prediction for expert
ments which my friends called IAN
tastic. AS / put the finishing pol
ish on particularly delicate job, am
not ashamed to say that | trembleo
as l sat on the verge of failure or sue
cess i knew not which 1t would De.
If my skill and patience were TO De
rewarded with success, SHOULD nave
mastered one of the most interesting
secrets in the world and invested my
self with a power which would be OF
tremendous value to me.
If, on the other hand, all my toll
and science were to go for nauehI'
the disappointment would assume the
proportions of calamity.
Which would it be?
l poised in my hand the glasses
which I had just put into an ordinary
commercial frame. They were not'
to outward appearances, diHerehC
from the high grade optical lenses
made for special cases. But they
held, or they did not hold, power for
which the human race longed from
time mmemorial-not, as BopDle
Burns sang: "To see themselves as
others see them," but to see others as
they really are.
Think of being able to know for
sure, through the agency Of some In
ner vision, that saw beneath the out
er shell, the real exact, inner sort OF
beings our fellow men are. What
lot of mistakes 1t would keep us from
making! 1t would be money in our
pockets and peace in our hearts every
day of our lives.
Without entering into scientific de-
tails or optical technicalities, | may
briefly explain that | had been for
years working to produce a lens
which, operating along strict scientific
principles, would link psychics and op'
tics together, developing the so-called
sixth sense through the forces which
lies at the base of the various phenom'
ena associated with what is vulgarly
known as "crystal-gazing." But the
application Of optics divested those l
hoped to produce of the fantastic char
acter of the crystal phenomena. In a
word, my lens, If success, would ad'
dress itself to the inner ego-vision and
the wearer Of these innocent looking
glasses would see the men and wom-
en- about him, not as they appeared to
others; not possibly as they appeared
to themselves, but as they really were.
Nothing could be hidden from the all
penetrating gaze directed through
these lenses,
DO you wonder that I was nervous
as | sat there In my library, eager and
yet afraid to put the great secret to
the test? My friends had chaffed me
for a dreamer; even my wife regarded
the whole matter as rubbish. What
a triumph | should have over them all
II had solved the secret! II ! had
failed, no one should ever be the
wiser.
With a sudden crossing Of the men,
tai Rubicon, clapped the glasses upon
my nose. A curious exatation stole
over me as | stared out Of the win
dow. This sensation was succeeded
by one of drowsness and then
seemed to be drinking oceans OF chlor'
oform and inhaling whole atmospheres
of ether that infinitely eXhilarated me
and then mlled me to the most deli
cious languor,
awoke feeling as though / had
rested for a week longed to try the
glasses on a subject but there was nc
one In the house save the maid. My
wife had gone to church and l re
solved to put the minister to the first
test. | wanted to give the glasses Q
fair trial, arguing that they would be
subjected. to less strain II lcveled NJ
a preacher for II anybody ought TO ap
pear Just what he really IL II is q gen
teman Of the cloth, But | was from
Missouri,
| was late for the service, but M
one noticed my unobtrusive entrance
| took seat we'll to the rear ant
looked at the minister though my un
aided eyes ~ he stood there at th'
pulpit-a fine, manly courageous, IN
dependent sort Of fellow he appeared
When he announced his text though
he must intend to give somebody som
hard knocks
Then / slipped the glasses upon m
nose,
Heayensl Was II q new ministe
who had slid into the pulpit during tn
instant | was wlping the gl0ssosY Thi
man boro an outward resemblance 1
tho Rov Dr. p, Founder but II wa
only superficial, II was as II an Inne
man, some astral shape, was shinln
through the skeleton OF the man W
knew. llo looked to mo like sanot
monious politician and saw tho 0strO
fngera reach out and touch the pulse
Of the wealthy and prominent mon
bers Of the congregation, When tn