Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-01-02
A Scientific
Experiment
With a View to DEM
onstratina the Ma
ture Of Love
BY F. A. mitchell

Notwithstanding that every effort
has been made recently to prevent a
certain scientific discovery. or, rather,
It's application, from being known to
the public. It has leaked out and Is pro
ducing a great deal Of talk. We are
happy to that a reporter Of
this paper got wind Of what has been
going on and by diligence has ferreted
the matter out. A part Of the story
IA from a private gentleman. Mr..
Samuel Higginbotham; a part from In
vestigators in the Institute For Origi-
nal Research. while the rest is made
up from various persons connected
with one Of the most remarkable scien-
hfc wonders the world has ever seen.
This is the story as constructed from
the material at hand:
One bright morning Mr.. H~igginboth-
am entered the reception Don ut the
Institute For Original Research and
sent In a card to DIR. C~arrelton. When
the doctor appeared Mi. Higginbotham
said:
Doctor. / am not a scientific man,
but l have been thinking on some Of
the results obtained by your expert
ments. and l have come to believe that
a certain something wished produced
is possible"
BE seated, SIR" was the response.
The two sat down. and DIR. Carleton
gave his visitor his attention.
"As you are aware" Mr.. Higginboth-
am proceeded. this is an age OF inter
est in human beings physically and
scientifically considered. A few years
ago the great Edison asserted that
memory WINS a camera by which events
are photographed on plates to be called
up at will. Then came another Gcien-
dst proposing a possible clew to deter
mining sex by watching plants, aud
lastly a president Of the Association
For the Advancement Of Science has
indicated that the Immortality Of the
soul may be proved scientifically.
The especial branch OF these dis
coveries to which / would direct your
attention Is the Photographic nature
Of the human brain. Thirty years ago
a single photograph OF an object was
taken; nov n quick succession Of pic
lures OF a moving object passed before
the eye gives motion. BY the develop
ment Of this principle Photographic
plays are enacted on the mimic stage.
Likewise infinitely delicate photo
graphs on the human brain produce
impressions which make up our rela.
tons with the outside world"
Mr.. HigginbOtham paused and then
added sententiously. ain other words.
photo plays are enacted on the same
principle as those Of human life."
DR.. Carrelton's attention changed
from indifference to interest. ~ don't
he said. "thAt the matter ever
occurred to me In exactly that light"
my object in seeking this inter
view," resumed Mr.. HIgginbOtham, SIS
not to enunciate a thought. but to
consult with you on the application Of
a principle. ] have accumulated a
large fortune. sir. and desire to trans
init It to my descendants. ] have one
child. a son. but he has met with a
misfortune in the loss OF a girl he loved
and has vowed that he will never
marry. He eschews women's society,
nourishIng his love for the dead
through a picture Of her when she
lived. On account Of his celibacy, at
his death the fortune that / have spent
years Of toll in heaping up must be
disintegrated."
The speaker paused. DR.. Carrelton
said that he did not understand the
connection between his enuncIaion OF
a principle and this disappointment In
his sons celibacy. whereupon Mr.. Hig-
Hnbotham proceeded.
my sons love ! do not consider In
the nature OF romance. but a material
condition. Indeed. today since the
death Of the object 1t is reduced to a
matter OF memory. No more mental
Photographic pictures of her are i'm
printed on his brain: instead Of photo
graphic action, 80 to speak, there Is
Photographic sameness. just as before
the moving we had but a single i'm
movable picture"
Il think ! begin to get your drift"
said DR.. CarreltOn. What you pro-
Is to start again the life pictures
on your sons brain. producing impress
sions which may tend In another d.
rectiOn."
"ExActlyT' exclaimed the visitor. evil
Gently much pleased at being under
stood.
"And you would like me to invent a
process by which this may be doneY'
'"That was my object in calling upon
you, sir"
"H'm." said the scientist thoughtful
ly. lyon have given me a problem to
solve which ] believe will one day be
solved. but fear that l am not now
up TO the work. However. / will think
II owe and II ! lift upon any method
worth the trying / viii advise you"
The visitor departed. leaving his ad-
dress. but owing to the dlmeulty OF
the problem he had left for solution
he had but little hope OF the scientists
success He heard nothing from DR..