Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-10-22
The Result Of a
Lecture
A Young Professor Gets OF
His Beat on the Sub
icct Of Love
BY EVAN HARRINGTON
BY EVAN HARRINGTON
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

when was called to the chair Of
mental philosophy in the University Of
D.. woman's college. was given
TO rationalism. materlalism and all
that group Of isms popular at the time
and was fond of cmbodylng them in
my lectures TO my classes. | dictated
these lectures. and they were taken
down by the students In blank books.
was lecturlng one morning. my sub
jcct leading me into something at
which the girls prlcked up their ears.
This was the passage that attracted
their attention:
Music Is an appeal 20 the fancy. excit-
ing the imaginative faculty. now soothing
the listener into a pleasant lnnsuor. as
IN the case Of lullaby. now stirring tho
passions. as IN the case Of martial strains.
All our emotions are based on such In
iiucnces. Love though TAR more durable.
is apt 10 be excited IN the same way. The
Imagination Is operated on by circum-
stances. When these circumstances arc
attractive love Is produced: when they
are dlsagreeabie they engcnder hate.
Love once excited may absorb ones
whole being. But that Il Is not in itself
spiritual-in other words. etornal-is man
ifest from the fact that It may be repeat
ed again or again. We're this not so tho
indian custom OF the wifos immolation on
the funeral pyre OF her husband would be
a necessity.
There was no sound In the room ex-
cept my monotonous dictation and
during the pauses at the end OF every
half dozen words the ripple of hun
dred pen points on as many lecture
books. / was bit uneasy at this por-
ton Of my discourse. fearing the girls
might do or say something that would
embarrass me. was about to pro-
coed after the last word. necessity"
when Kate Swami. the chief mischief
maker In the class. laid down her pen
and rose from her seat
May I ask. professor" she said de-
murely while her eyes snapped VI
ciously. does sense of justice per-
tain to the subject we are studying?'
Certainly"
"Then IL love were eternal would
IL not be just that the husband should
immediate himself on the funeral pyrc
of his wife as well as the wife on the
funeral pyre of the husband?"
The class Uttered
MAN." said. with an affectatIon Of
modesty for my sex. lis not supposed
TO be endowed with ms strong. unchang.
ing love proclivitics ms woman. This
is because he is not as emotional.
Nevertheless grant that II love were
spiritual, which consider 10 be the
same rs eternal. husband who lost
his wife might do well to end his
mourning on the funeral pyre OF his
wife"
you mean then. professor. | sup
pose" pursued the mink. that, while
It would be a necessity on the part of
h widow to so end her mourning. a
man under similar circumstances
might do well to thus immediate him
self"
was in for II. The satire was deli
cate. but sufficiently biting 10 be un.
derstood by Miss SWANS classmates.
Their faces were turned up TO me.
each wearing tantalizing smiles and
all expecting my rejolnder. ! resolved
TO silence the young lady by a corepli-
ment.
II am quite sure. Miss Swami" said.
that II you were widow and pro-
posed to end your earthly existence on
your husbands funeral pyre mob OF
bachelors would prevent Il"
Amid another litter. this time not at
my expense. signiied that the dis
cussion was ended by proceeding with
my dIctation. Unfortunately there was
n lot more In my lecture on what
called the emotion OF love. and feared
that Miss Swami or some other mem
Der OF the class would trip me up
again. would have omitted the rest
we're II not that ! could not do so and
preserve the continuity OF my lecture.
was not long IN striking a passage
that brought about more trouble:
That the emotion Is human iastead OF
divine Is indicated by the fact that love
which has existed Tor years may turn TO
hate. Agair II may be lost. Indeed. with
out another mental faculty. memory. u
cannot continue even through life. There
are many Instances where. the faculty Of
memory having been destroyed. persons
have not even been cognizant OF those
they have loved. As the brain Is cam
era as well as storehouse OF photo
graphic plates. so love
stopped. realized that might as
well tire n canister Of ideas antagonis-
tic TO woman's nature as finish the
sentence.
go orr cried every one IN the room.
lis n congiomerate union of emotions
produced by the perceptive faculties OF IN
organic brain.
Smothered groans were mingled with
the sound OF scribbling. To escape
from situation which considered
appalling closed the book from which
had ben debating and. rising. bow.
ed dismissal 10 the class. Half the
girls had risen TO hurl back my views;
but. the lecture being ended. they were
unable 10 do so. A dozen came 10 my
desk with defiance IN their eyes; but
taking up my hat. ! said with smile;
Pardon me. young ladies: ! have an
engagement at this hour. and 10 be on