The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1917-09-20
A Professor S
Story
By OSCAR cox

After the death of Professor hool'-
man. one OF the most remarkable SCI
eutists Of Germany, the following man
uscript was found among his papers
Ills son. into whose hands they iell'
refused for long while to publish IT,
for there were those who believed that
the professor had impaired his NINA
ne well as his body by too close appll-
catlon to scientific research. However
tbe heir at last assented. The paper
reads
Holding the chair OF chemistry In the
university. all the work OF my bralh
has been devoted to the decomposition
and reconstruction of matter l have
long been convinced that we must pass
through matter TO get at spirit--in 9th.
or words. our medium instead of being
n persuu must be science. Now by
chemical agents we photograph matter
which we can see. More than this, we
nhotograph objects we cannot see eX.
cent by the aid of the microscope. Stiil
more. we photograph objects beyond
the range OF our vision even assisted
by the telescope. Ergo, may we not
by the extension OF the process at last
get a picture OF beings existing IN
spirit formy
This dry scientific preface Is but pre-
liminary to the story have to tell and
IL essential to Its understanding. Ten
years ago married Louisa Markham.
Five Years ago she died. Since then
my scientific studies have run In but
one view. TO bring her within the sight
Of my mortal eyes.
The discovery OF radlum gave new
impulse 10 my Investigations. Rndium
II the frst substance known 10 exert
power without eXhausting Itself The
steam engine must have coal. the body
food. As soon ~ ! heard of rndlum II
struck me that here was u substance
akin 10 spirit. neither requiring fuel.
We may photograph matter even
though Invisible. Therefore may We
not photograph splritI
will not ask you 10 follow me In
my studies OF Photographic processes
tried 10 penetrate the realm OF soul
viii only say that nt last discover
ed substance which | converted into
plate. or. rather, laid upon n plate, n
hundred times more sensitive thnn any
known form ~ matter. II wns one OF
many ! had tried In making ordinary
photographs nnd failed. But on one
occasion while experimenting with IL
| was called away. on returning sew.
eral days later | took the plate from
the camera 10 develop H.
10 assign a reason for this impulse
i had no object Of which was con
scious-would be 10 leave the scientific
Held and enicr that Of psychology.
am convinced that | was impelled by
one IN the spirit world 20 develop the
plate. Such direction given 10 human
thought II very common. developed
my plate not with the usual agents
but others had proved by experiment
10 be far more delicate-and what was
my nstonishment TO see the semblance
OF human forms. The difference lie.
tween them and living persons | can.
not explain. TO gct AN Idea OF them
they must bc seen.
Why these figures had appeared be-
fore my camera do not know, l
could never get them again. II they
were spirits they had happened 10 be
where they would be photographed.
pondered long on how might pho
tograph my wife. provided she was nc.
customed 10 frequent places she had
been used TO frequentlng IN life. There
IL a window OF her bedroom nc whl,
she used 20 sit aud look over view of
rolling ground on which were scatter
ed several OF the college buildings. 1t
occurred 10 me 10 keep "A plate con
stantly exposed bearing on the chair
she had used IN thls window In the
hope that she would come there.
A weeks exposure failed 10 show
any impression ON the plate. Possibly.
thought. ordinary light is not strong
enough for the purpose. determined
10 use the strongest light available.
The room faced south, the sun being
on II In summer from o'clock In the
morning TIL about In the evening.
rugged a lens-on the principle OF the
common sunglass- outside the window.
throwing on the chair a light com.
posed Of the conyerging rays OF the
sun. My lens was arranged 10 turn by
clockwork, so that the light thrown on
the chair would continue irrespective
OF the suns apparent motion.
l exposed my plate all one very clear
day, but found nothing ON II when de-
veloped. For i've successive days the
sun shone well. | continued the ex-
posture. After the fifth exposure faint
figure appeared ON the plate. A print
showed woman sitting IN the chair.
The fgure was not distinct enough
for me- TO tell whether or not 1t was
that Of my wife. | monrned the i'm
perfection OF my materials and sighed
that had none more delicate.
caught the figure at the window sew
eral times, but the impression was al
ways blurred. How | longed 10 pro-
duee a picture that would give the fea-
lures OF the face. Doubtless | would
then see my wife looking at me as