Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-09-28
A ROMANCE OF
PHRENOLOGY.
By PAUL PASTNOR.

49, O@DO
1t Is a curious fact that l never in
my life heard the subject of phrenol-
ogy preached without a laugh being
raised at its expense which very nat
urally annoys the supporters of this
theory, and brings on a warm argu-
| ment. 1t was a discussion of this
kind in the dining room of Baron
Ethel that first made me acquainted
with Professor Selden, than whom a
warmer enthusiast in the doctrine of
Spurzheim never existed.
1t appears that, to please the COM
! pany, Selden had examined their
heads, and with many wise looks
pressed the bumps which he declared
to be unerring indications of the pro-
pensities of men. Some unfortunate
wight in the company, however, had
evidently shocked the examiner by
demonstration of wicked propensi-
ties, for he strenuously refused, on
this occasion, to pronounce upon the
several organs of this person, declar-
ing "he might give offense," he
--@o@AS W. 'AOhoJ wv
A laugh went up from the little
circle, which flushed the cheek on
Selden, but he said nothing.
The conversation now drifted into
a different channel. A dreadful MUIR
der had been committed in the neigh
borhood of the Black Forest. A
young girl had elOped from her par
ents some weeks before. The COM
panion of her flight was supposed to
be young man who had been stay
ing in the neighborhood; he had dis
appeared about the same time. She
had just been found, savagely MUIR
dered, while the supposed partner
OF her guilt had reappeared, and de-
clared that he had with difficulty es-
capped from the hands of banditti.
VINO had, without any apparent mo-
tive, seized and imprisoned him. To
prove this he showed several severe
wounds, which he had received in the
struggle. This story, however, ap-
peared so improbable that no belief
was attached to it, and the young
man was hurried to prison, there to
abide his trial.
This story was repeated, with pain
ful minuteness, to the company in
Baron Eitzel's dining room by one
CHARLES Hoffman, a handsome young
fellow who had lately rrrived in
Baden, and was already a general
favorite in society. No one was more
pleased with him than the old baron.
1t was even rumored that he had
proposed to, and was actually accent
ed by Minna Ethel, with the full
sanction of her father. AS a narrator
few could excel him. His vivid de-
scription lent life to his stories, and
when he chose, as on the present oc-
casion, he could harrow the nerves
OF even the most apathetic on depict
Ing horrors in their most appalling
colors.
I'll go to see his execution my
self; could enjoy the death tortures
OF such a wretch" Indignantly ex-
claimed the Prince of Insbruch, a
young nobleman, as he took a pinch
of snuff, and handed to his next
neighbor his splendid box, which
dazzled the eye by the richness of
the diamonds encircling it. "If such
wretch existed on my estates, I'd
have him racked"
And well would he deserve it."
chimed in another of the company.
May he be punished in the world
to comet" fervently calculated
Charles.
NAY, nay" cried the baron; chat
is saying too much. 1t is true the
man deserves an earthly punishment;
but you are allowing your anger
against crime, my dear boy, to
carry you too far"
Thus various subjects were dis
cussed and argued, but during the
whole evening Selden spoke not an
other word. At last the hour for
breaking up arrived, and, according
to etiquette, the prince moved first.
Just ere doing so, however, he re-
quested the return of his snuffbox.
The person to whom he had handed
it declared that he had passed it 20
the next, who, in his turn, denied any
knowledge of its whereabouts, as did
the rest of the company. Every ore
had seen 1t, every one had handled it,
but none could now produce it. The
servants had not even entered the
apartment; the door had not been
Enclosed, none had stirred from the
table
The affair began to wear a serious
aspect. The old baron felt his honor
wounded, but still hoped that it
might prove to be an ill-timed pleas
antry Under this impression, he
rose and said:
Gentlemen, some person among
you has doubtless concealed the box,
intending thereby to give our illus
trious friend fright, and, in good
faith, he deserves it, for thus care
lessly forgetting to look after a
trinket said to be worth $4,000
forms; but as he seems really uneasy
about it, l must beg the person who
has taken it to instantly return it,
and confess the joke"
And the noble affected to laugh.
None, however, responded, and Ethel
saw, with increasing uneasiness, that
he must now take up the matter more
seriously.
MY friends, you cannot feel
offended when | offer myself as the