The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1911-03-03
(copyrgn lsOs by w. g. chapman) lcopyght Britain,

~ Eh VA to DR.. Ivan Brodsky, as
VIZ VIZ ~ sisting him in his psy-
hRgJTAS@ chical experiments, / had
LAAzsz 4 fse-0 been enabled to build up
an active medical practice OF my own.
My duties were light; often the doc
tor did not call upon my services
for two or three weeks together.
More and more rarely had he done
so Of recent months, and gradually
the conviction. sure, although intui-
tive, was borne In upon me that the
days Of our association were num-
bered.
Although comparatively young In
years, Brodsky lived through the ex-
istences Of three ordinary men. His
early revolutionary career in Poland,
his struggles in America, at first for
the mere necessities Of life, afterward
for success; finally, the dedication Of
his career to the solution of rsyschi-
cal problems has satiated him with
worldly experiences. He was un-
married; his only ties lay, as he had
told me, upon the yelled shore of
eternity. felt that life held nothing
further for him.
Death" he said to me once, us
no result Of physical processes. So
wonderful a machine is the human
body that there exists no reason at
all why it should not 60 Oh forever.
What kills is the satiation with earth
ly experiences that comes to us; it is
the longing of the soul fol its resting
place, where it stores up and absorbs
all the results of it's earthly achieve
ments until it is ready to renew them
in some fresh incarnation"
"And you-are you satisfied?' / ven
tured to ask.
"Not with the world" he answered.
"But with my own personality-yes.
/ am tired of Ivan Brodsky. These
incarnations are the merest hating
places in the souls long pilgrimage.
l would like to take up my work
afresh, but in different body, so that
I might forget Brodsky, with his hopes
and longings and disappointments,
and face the world with the fresh an
ticipations and new faith of child"
But that is humiliation" ] cried.
"All the dreams of immortality that
are the hope of the world, the desire
for continued personal existence after
death--are these all useless?"
by no MEANS" the doctor ans.
wered. "The personality persists at.
ter the change called death. 1t re-
mains SO long as 1t is needed. Rein
carnation Is not fulfilled until the soul
has grown tired Of its rememhrances
and voluntarily descends, after some
thousand years of dreams, to gain
new experiences, And then, though
1t puts of the old personality forever,
the results Of its acts remain to mod.
ify its new life; shadowy remem-
brances fit through the brain: old
friends are encountered; besides, in
the end, everything is remembered.
For those who wish continued per.
sonality there is a heaven Of rest
where every dream and hope come
true. But as for myself, confess,
II only I could start life again and
take up my work in a new body
should be infinitely content. Nor will
this be long, believe"
knew that he alluded to his heart,
which was somewhat affected; yet the
danger was not imminent nor likely
to become so for many years to come.
"At any rate, shall be ready to
answer the call, when 1t comes" said
the doctor. He walked over to his
desk. and unlocked a drawer. Here
is sealed letter that l have left you"
he said. AFTER my death you will
open It,"
/ wondered even then why he did
not lock the drawer.
remembered this conversation the
more wildly in the light Of subse.
auent events. It must have been a lit.
tie more than a week later when he
sent for me.
Il am resolved to undertake an ex.
pertinent" he said, more difficult
than any that I have ever attempted.
It has been done before; yet 1t is
arduous and uncertain. You have
heard of the Indian fakirs who actu.
ally pass over the borderland Of death,
allowing themselves to be buried in
a grave, on which the grass sprouts.
only to be revived after a period Of
months?"
"You will not attempt such an ex-
pertinent as that?" cried
'No," answered the doctor. ut
would be senseless to attempt so fool
ish an experiment without grave rea.
SON. Nevertheless am planning one
somewhat analogous; I intend to pass
through the gates Of death for the
sake OF giving back to one who has
been deprived Of 1t his inheritance Of
the SOUL"
"You mean the imbecile!" l cried.
suddenly understanding.
eyes," answered the doctor. II
hope that this will succeed; but II
my own death be the result, at least
the last act Of my life will have been
to some good purpose" And I would
not dissuade him from his intention.
Among the dozen or more inmates
of DR.. Brodsky's home, whom he
maintained out Of his own pocket,
was an imbecile orphan. some seven
years of age. This child had never
!.