The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1911-03-17

CTdWl, 10 utter q WORD. He did not
even possess the common animal fac
ulty Of recognizing one person from
another. AS there existed no appar-
ent cause for this defect, no deformity
Of the head or body, and the vital
functions being In perfect condition,
many theories had been advanced as
to the cause OF so singular an anon
ally. Or. Brodsky, after studying the
child for many months, had finally
formulated his own conclusions.
1T is one of those rare cases." he
said. I'm which the soul was not born
into the body. 1t remains shut out.
as you can imagine yourself shut out
OF your house. Doubtless it is hover
ing in close proximity to the mortal
form. connected, as 1t must be, by
the ethereal ligatures that bind it to
the spinal cord. In this condition, it
is practically deprived of its existence
upon either Of the planes; it is earth
bound and spirit-bound. And there is
only one remedy; some other disem-
bodied soul must assist It, 1t is my
plan to pass out of the body temporar-
lily and to compel it to incarcerate
itself"
"And If you cannot return?" |
cried.
Il shall ask your assistance in this
matter" the doctor answered. 81
shall give you careful instructions,
which you will fulfill to the letter. II.
afNr the lapse of certain time, you
find that these attempts are fruitless,
you will break open the letter which
! have left for you in the bureau draw
err, and read It,"
| can hardly tell how this project
affected me. In vain | pointed out
to the doctor the inexpediency, from a
purely utilitarian point of view, of
risking his own life for the sake of
giving intelligence to the imbecile.
But my words were unheeded. | felt
that in truth this was to be our last
experiment, that it amounted almost
to premeditated suicide. | refused to
participate in it.
Well, in the end, of course, con-
sented, though l felt that this would
be the last occasion upon which I
should look into the doctors face
while he was alive. Looking back
now, ! think my mind must have been
warped; accuse myself a hundred
times Of having been the cause of
death. Yet the first lesson
that he had implanted In my mind,
ever since ! first heard him lecture
to us students at the hospital, was the
duty of obedience. He had command
ed and 1t was for me to obey. Espec-
tally, however, | base my vindication
upon that hypnotic power through the
medium of which Brodsky possessed
the ability to compel me, or anyone
else, to obey him.
Some days elapsed before the ex-
pertinent was made. Brodsky occu-
pied himself during this interval, as
surmised. in setting his affairs in
order. At last, upon the afternoon ap-
pointed, l repaired with him to his
laboratory. a long chamber in the
rom all communication with the ex-
-ernal. Ordinarily there was no sound
within, but now a great electrical
engine buzzed and throbbed beside
ow, fiat table, raised only some six
inches above the floor, and surmount-
I'd by large bowl of a translucent
blue, into which the wires entered.
Upon the table the imbecile child sat,
)ropped up against a flexible pillow
If rubber, or some similar non-con-
lucting material, searching the room
With his large lack-luster eyes. The |
loctor stopped over his machine and |
made his adjustments; then he con-
lected a rubber sponge, at the termi- |
lation of a network of wires. with |
he child's spine, and bound it there |
With strips of cloth in such a manner |
hat it could not be removed. He |
rev another wire, terminating in a |
similar sponge, from the recesses of |
he machine, and affixed it to himself |
n the same way; finally. he united |
10th to the metal base of the globe |
With a clamp. Immediately the globe |
became dark and Opaque.
THAT is the measure OF our vital |
orces,' he said. And now will give |
'ou your Instructions
st was my intention to ask you to |
,ress the lever which will send the
Ugh voltage through our bodies. But
n case of any untoward results you
would reproach yourself with being
ny slayer. | shall, therefore. myself |
'ress the lever. and lay unon YOU only |
he responsibility of recalling ne to
lie again
When press this lever it win send
current of electricity of several |
thousand volts directly through our
'odies. The effect will be the same
s that which is produced by an cleo
rocution. Now it has always been
ny claim-although the authorities of
ur prisons would never permit me to
it-that the man who has
Uttered electrocution can invariably
re revived by the proper methods,
ince the current merely paralyzes the
erve centers and suspends the vital
without destroying any of
he tissues. The criminal who goes
o the electric chair dies. not from the