The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-04-28
FALL FROM GREAT HEIGHTS.
The Sensation Described by One Who
Exnaricnced Il.

Experienced 1t.
A German scientist, Professor Albert
Helm, who fell over precipice In the
Alps. but lived to tell the tale, makes
that story a very encouraging account
70 those with an inclination to high
Jumps and, the like.
His fall was only seventy feet yet
that would be more than enough to
satisfy a temperate person. His story
is full of interesting detail.
At first he seemed to himself to be
fying through the air. His fall really
could have occupied only few sec
onds. but his train of thought was
long and full of interesting details.
Il clearly saw" he says, ''the possi-
bility of my fate. said to myself,
THE rocky wall from which am now
being hurled prevents my seeing what
| is at its base The snow may be melt
ed there or there may be none. II
there is any. my life may be saved.
| Otherwise death is inevitable.
eff | am conscious on reaching the
earth. | have by me bottle Of arc
MATES and my alpenstock. will
grasp it. for it may serve me in good
stead I thought, too, of removing my
eyeglasses lest their splintering might
cause injury
"Other and gentler thoughts for those
/ was to leave behind came upon me
For myself felt Indifferent, caring
really little whether | should be much
| injured or not, but from motives OF
consideration for others felt impell
ed, as it were, to make light of the
matter. | seemed to call aloud, I an
not much hurtY
81 recollected that in five days more
| was to have delivered an Inaugural
discourse and thought of the grief my
death would cause to those near and
dear to me. Anon, lying. as it were, OF
the limit of a far distant horizon. ap
peared distinct and divers images anC
episodes of my past life. The whole
mental picture stood out clear cut an(
illumined by divine and mysterious
light
"All things seemed lovely and O
good report. There were no misgiv
ings. no anxieties, no sorrow, pain o.
terror
''There were no sensations Of contes
or strife. All was merged in feeling
of genial good will and kindly feeling
Such feelings predominated over al
and formed what was truly unique
and lovely picture.
Gradually heaven of glorious blu
fiecked with crimson clouds of gossa
mer lightness surrounded me. In then
was waited to and fro. borne up iron
below. but painlessly and pleasantly
while vast and moving snow fell
seemed to accompany me. Anon tn
perception of objects, subjectiv
thoughts, medley of various feelings
seemed to circle in concentric maze
around as common center.
"Then came dull thud, which
heard very distinctly. but did not fee
and my fall was ended. At that in
slant dark veil passed befo-e me.
81 called aloud three or four times
am not much hurt grasped my glass
|
limbs to make sure they were nc
broken.
"Then ! saw my companions slowl
approaching. They told me good hal
hour had elapsed after my fall befor
spoke.
81 had lost consciousness, and tina
explains the dark veil Later the pow
er of thinking returned. was cor
scious only so long as | was falling Q
the perception of beautiful images A
the moment of contact with earth the
disappeared"
On another occasion DR.. Helm wa
injured in a carriage accident. He sal
that he distinctly heard and counte
the bone fractures-seven in all
which he received. He quotes the ev
dence of an italian who had simila
experienced