Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-09-29
By EVAN HARRINGTON

l was but twenty-eight years old
when l was called to the chair of
mental philosophy in the University Of
B., a woman's college. was given
to rationalism, materialism and all
that group of isms popular at the time
and was fond Of embodying them in
my lectures to my classes. l dictated
these lectures. and they were taken
down by the students in blank books.
was lecturing one morning. my sub
ject leading me into something at
which the girls pricked up their ears.
This was the passage that attracted
their attention:
Music is an appeal to the fancy, excit-
ing the imaginative faculty, now soothing
the listener into a pleasant languor. as
in the case Of lullaby. now stirring the
passions as in the case of martial strains
All our emotions are based on such in
fiuences Love, though far more durable,
is apt to be excited in the same way. The
imagination Is operated on by circum-
stances. When these circumstances are
attractive love Is produced: when they
are disagreeable they engender hate
Love once eXclLeQ may ABSORB one 8
whole being. But that it is not in itself
spiritual-in other words, eternal-is man
ifest from the fact that it may be repeat
ed again or again. Were this not so the
Indian custom of the wife's tmmolation on
the funeral pyre of her husband would be
q 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 a 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. 1 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 ask. professor" she said de-
murely. while her eyes snapped vi
ciously. docs a sense Of justice per-
tain to the subject we are studying"
"Certainly"
'"Then if love were eternal would
it not be just that the husband should
immediate himself on the funeral pyre
Of his wife as we'll as the wife on the
funeral pyre Of the husband?"
The class Uttered.
Man" l said. with an affectation Of
modesty for my sex. lis not supposed
to be endowed with as strong. unchang-
ing love proclivities as woman. This
Is because he is not as emotional.
Nevertheless 1 grant that if love were
spiritual. which l consider to be the
same as eternal, a husband who lost
his wife might do we'll 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
a widow to so end her mourning. a
man under similar circumstances
might do well to thus immediate him.
self"
was In for it. The satire was deli
cate. but sufficiently biting to be un-
derstood by Miss Swans classmates.
Their faces were turned up to me.
each wearing tantaliZing smiles and
all expecting my rejoinder. resolved
to silence the young lady by compli-
ment.
IL am quite sure, Miss Swami" said,
that if you were widow and pro-
posed to end your earthly existence on
your husbands funeral pyre a mob Of
Amid another litter. this time not at
my expense, l signified that the dis
cussion was ended by proceeding with
my dictation. Unfortunately there was
a lot more in my lecture on what l
called the emotion Of love. and feared
that Miss Swami or some other men,
Der of the class would trip me up
again. | would have omitted the rest
were it not that could not do so and
preserve the continuity of my lecture
I was not long in striking a passage
that brought about more trouble:
That the emotion is human instead of
divine is indicated by the fact that a love
which has existed for years may turn to
hate. Again 1t may be lost. Indeed. with
out dnOIueT IU6uldl IdCuIty, IL
cannot continue even through life. There
are many instances where. the faculty of
memory having been destroyed. persons
have not even been cogntzant of those
they have loved. AS the brain is cam
era as well as a storehouse of photo
graphic plates. so love
l stopped I realized that might as
we'll fire a canister of ideas antagonis-
tic to woman's nature as finish the
sentence.
"Go onr cried every one In the room.
lis a conglomerate union Of emotions
produced by the perceptive faculties OF an
organic brain.
Smothered groans were mingled with
the sound of scribbling. To escape
from a situation which / considered
appalling closed the book from which
had ben debating and. rising. bow
ed q dismissal to the class. Half the
girls had risen to hurl back my views;
but. the lecture being ended. they were
unable to do so. A dozen came to my
desk with defiance in their eyes; but