Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1869 — Selected Miscellany. [ARTICLE]

Selected Miscellany.

THE THREE SOULS. t N 1845 I finished my sixth veaf of transcendents’ philosophy at Heidelberg. You know of what a lorldly sort the University life ta You get up at mid day, ■moke yojir old pipe, drink a glass or two of schnapps, and then you button your coat up to the chin, set your hat on one Side, and go to listen calmly for half an tour to the illustrious Professor Hasen op£ • Evecy one is free to 4 do as he chooses—tomato slvepif tuUikea. -Thoieciure i .oV«,9fo*i>ei dteyouwelf to the tavern ot Gambrinus, where the nretty servant maids, in black » ,T k bodices, bring you plates of sausages, with slices of ham, and hisaog Hector: another seizes Charlie or GWdby & *>’st? br,Sometimes a quarrel begins, when In comes the watch man,'and; you are carried off to pass the n’ght in vile. re,tin th(s fayitbe days, monthtimd years . pMsed by. , >?*<: I was then thiity-two years old, and the *• bottle, the pipe, and saur kraut had begun i.’.fo'fell’in'mjr estimation. Ifelt the need • >of a chanvq,. Ofrsn did I say to myself, »f "Kasper ZMm-tttf-not good to know too “ “fimSli i.WJ».e Wi M A»ore JKsldfa-for wasmy melancholy stateoftahid, «svhe>r,ttpwaad4he close’ of the - tiffing pf dVerytbfn.g.'and that ph'Janopher its pot always. Strewn ytih ror.« Amoqg my old comrade ’, was a certpiu, Wolfosng gehafflt, the most inflexible logician .had ever met with. Figure to yqvself a UtUe dried utman. Sitj white qv< lids, and*eyes sunwen in his head, with bushy red hair, ancThollo w cheeks adorned with a coafse weiring, moreover, a tatter: d cloak oyer bis broad shoulders and you havp him before you Wolfgang thought only of metaphysics. For flvV •• or six years be had- lived on bread and - Water, a girret of the oldjjieat-m>ittet; *’lfothit tite poor , fellow was. frightful? to .. Jook-at. Thu strange being, in his volan-. taw !silafl<W, nem< 1 to feel for me alone “ S’lUtlh' sympathy. He came to see me from time to time, and gravely seated in SMWWW to me hrs 'lwto me one per, WhM is the soal f” Proud of displaying my learning to his eyes, I replied, with a pedantic air, “Accot ding to Thales, it is a kit'd of magnet —according t j Asclepiadcs, an excitation oftheSensca Anaximander r.id ” “Yes! Yes! but what th’nk you of the substance of the soul I. zt - ■‘’Met Wolfgang t I know nothing about' fllti ‘All judgment must come of the ' iStbtei; and, since the eoul dees not fall under my senses, L ean make no judg- * Kasper, ragjmwjtaany lapimals, such a* insects, fishes, etc., ♦ranting bne dr;more of the senses. How do <w*e know whether we have them all our,eelw’ ,M.jy there not exist some of which wj pave not even anideiff” “Quite poniblei but, in the doubt, I hciitri j to say."

.< flfoi afa We»C3 proocrds eltbef from *» MRgrienca or. from study/* • • fi , n /Jfliut, then, comrade, how happens It that the little chickens, When they break ♦he shell, stall off to run and take their foodwfthetwlvcS/ How I* it that thry Aiscover the.hawk far u? liUheclotfds, *»druti to uuiuer themotner a , ?. Did ffiey jearn to know. fhefr , vM'e they tefire iu the egg?? “ All h the result of Instinct, Wolfk 1 iwn it floonM *u&t conßwt% in knowing whatlufVrrtver been learned ?r OA “Q.felX rdd I, “you safe me too much. her or bi® cloak over his and opt.wWtontgddingwpottws word, I o-Ahonghl that the pantion for metaphysics conic, be dangerous? n< .1 1 •"'■ -Ita’Things stood thus when the oM cAa s®«Sheaj«E ctMfoMf came to the beer house of GambrtW m«al fsrfj I# W i,-i’r.t I ;

' cab fAvefiredtne df QAPA rino? Can ahi) be lli T Sue seemed so merry the list tlriye her!” ,i .',|Ay opinion wei that.yie pld. wotnan, hwng drflnk a little toe much k irs,; l); water, had fallen into the riifcr during Ijm'. kopf ’fi lecture I. met rWoafgang, Aspoon as he perceived me he hastened toward me, hliteyeabtd-kkiiaLaind said, ?Xaspcr, i • >sHi» JooH’hja pnHor. hw weir motion beagitktfnh UNtra, nv he ffci*id me by the arts» U» 40wwd the quarter of the tahners, I ijolild not keep down the feeling of 1 f n ir that crept over me. The street through' ’which we proceeded atatbarp W behind the minster into a collection bfutruces .Aid as Heidelberg itself. The squkce .njoA, 1 the wooden balconi- I ', the eileridr efobked stairways; the many wan, rpd cutious faces peering with eager a’r down on the strangers from the garret. Endows; the long poles Stretched from house to hove, loaded w|th drippiog skins ; the. dense imokg pfciping irqm the rudechinwovs— Mrtms,W|ne pr wbefore mv.eyeylteea vlhlpft 6r the middle, agr i; and the few bright rays of light whjch fquod theii wav through these many, obstructions, gildlUgjthiLdilapidatcd wal'v/where ftoahedi msly added to m v emoilon by the strange ponptast they produced There ar.e moments when a,man loses all pjre.'enpe of mind. It never.occurred to me to ark Wolfgang we were going. Boop we. reached The de erted iquar&r of the odd rnmVmarkSr All of a, sudden, Wolfgang, whose dry, coHk hand seemed riveUgi to ntv-wrist, led mu Wto a hovel, between the pay-loft of the Lfcndwehc and the cattle-pen of tire slaughterhouse. t , • F “Goon a head/’said.he to me. I T followed kfoAga wall of dry earth, at the end of Which *as a broken staircase. We climbed through the rubbish; and. althougb my companion kept aU the time repeating® an tea patient voice, “ Go on, higher yeti" I stopped several times, seized with,fear, pretext of ie gaining breath, but in reality to a.k'mysalf if it ware not aboutt’ me to tarn tiacx. At last we came to the foot of the ladder, the top of. which was bidden by the dark, reaching up into a lofo above.' How I had the foliy td cljmb up that ladder, without asking the least explanation from my friend Wolfgang, is a mystery to me. If would seem as though madness were canatgioua. Upl climbed, be behind me, uhtil I reached tfre top. There I stepped upon the dusty floor of the loft, and looked around me. It Was an immerse garret, '.he roof pierced with three windows, and in; the midst stood a small table loaded, with books. It was impossible to look outside, for the windows were at a height of ten or twelve feet above the flooi. F -did not at firet perceive a low door, and a large, square hole at some height up, con.ttived- in' tlie -'wah. !; Wolfgang, without saying a word, pushed toward me ahi old box which served him for a chair; and, taking upin'histwo hands a pitcher of water, he drank a long' draught, while I looked on in silence. X* We are in a loft of the old slaughterhouse,” said he, with a strange emHe, setting down*.his pitcher on the flbor; ’* the council has voted funds for building one outside the city. I have b- m here for five* years without paying any rent. Note, soul has come to interrupt my studies” Sitting down upon some oid logs of wood in o|w ’ti®ner—“No*," continue! he, “ let uif’coine to the point. Arc you cer'fain,' Kasper, that we hhve a soul ? ’’ ' *«atM.yod, Wolfgang!” replied’t;l i *ff koujiavp brought me here to talk metapfiys' you’vp mane a great mistake. I had .was going fo,Xh,e beer house for dinner, when you stopped me. I have had my dose c* abstraction, and that is sufficient. . Explain younelL cleanly, then, or else let me return to my dinner" - t . “ You live, theff, only to eat ?” said he, in a harsh tone. ■*' lid you know that 1 have-passed whole days w ithout tasting a morSel of food, on’y for the love of 1 ■sden«-t" Wi ■ ’, ‘ " “ Each to his taste; ydu live on syllogisms and diie®nifc-:I love sausages and .strong beer. .What,else do you want’'’ Hebghafnq very bale, add his lips trembled ; but restraining h<s anger, he said, ‘’Kasper, since you Won’t answer me, at least listen ’Sol my' explanations. Man needs admirers, and I want you to admire, and be in some degree astounded by ths subl'me revelation that I am about to mkks to you' 1 , R not too much, I think, to ask you to listen for an hou; to that whiph haa cent me* ten -whole years of fitithfUrEtuity?’ " “ Well; ge>on ? Tam listening.” HU* free was agitated anew by some powerful emotipn, and I began to bitterly repent having climbed UP the laddpr. 1 assumed a grave' exoression in ofder not to anger h*m any ,urtner; and this ap peered to calm him somewhat, for, after a moment’s silence, he exclaimed. *' You ate hungry; we”, there is my bread, and there my pitcher—ext—drink—but listen.” Never mind, Wolfang; I will listen to you without thaU”.

He smiled bitterly and went on: “We are not the onlybeings that have souls. From the plant up to man, all beings live—they are animated—therefore they have a sou*. •Yes, all organized existences have at least one soul; but, the more tiieir organism is perfected, the more complicated does it become, and the number of souls ia increased. That is what distinguishes living beings, the oneirom the other. The plant has only cm soul —the vegetable bbul. Ijs function is simply to obtain nutriment from the ait through the roots. The animal has two souls; first, the vegetable sou), whose functions are the same as in the plant: 1 and the an'mal soul* strictly so-oaVcd. whose organ is the heart. Lastly, man has threj souls—the.vegetable soul; the animal soul, whose functions are carried on the same as tile brute; and the human > sdtl|, or the rettsoh, whose organ is the bram.” . Here Wolfangpatwtii for some momenta, and, lookinv at me, said, “ We”, wjwt dp you think.ci this? . “Whv it’s a theory, like any other; thfl .only difficulty ?%, that the #pof to wanting.” Ason of frenzy seised Wolfang at this reply. He sprang from his beat, eic.Uimlug “ 3faf—J es—the toroofls wanting'; Qmt has trouWd my soul.lufttnl whole years 1 That has been tha<awse'*f‘| all my Buttering# and privation* 1 - UpW ' myself; yea, opon nrystof, Kasper, F tried[to experiment first. More and more wrs ; this , sublime ’ conviction forced upon me, without my being able to prove

it But at last the ptdof Is fdtffid ; I,have it here: sooh shall you hqar Hie ihjpesouls manifest amd proclaim tfitimsdlvuei; you shap bear thdpi!’“ ' After this burst of enthusiasm, which sent a co)d phill through me, so much of facile strength did it display, hejmddqnly became cviu; -and sitting down aud leaning, his elbows upon ifie table, he went on, pointing at the same tima tb the wall in which was the opening before db-“SK.'p'r.gfhSiK-litji you shall soen see it for yeonelt Bat first, you must follow the onward march of my Ideas. I have maintained the distinct existence of .three souls. Reason told me that every man, before reaching his final development, must pasi through i he.condition of the plant or animal. I determined to resolve th’s problem, do this, it was necesnry to extinguish In myself the three souls successively, and then to revive them. I had recourse to a rigorous ftist; but, unfortunately, the hu-i man sous had to yield, first, lb order |o. permit the free action of the animal soul. Hunger made me lose the faculty of observing (he ahimal state in myself—the exhaustion prevented me from judging anything concerning it. After many fruitless attempts upon my own organism, I felt Convinced that there was but ohe -meansof reaching the desired end—l must have sorte one else.’ - But who would be willing tq submit to such treatment I” Wolfgang paused; his lips were contracted ; ana, in a qnick tone, he added, “ I felt I must have a subject at any price: I determined to experiment upon some one !” ■ mI shuddered, for this m&u Was,: I’s« w, capable of anything. - ;n “Doyou understand?• sxidbe, “ Perfecliy. ,Ybtf wanted a victim—" “Toanalyze," added he, coolly. - “ And havk you found oneF’ •' * YCs; I promised that you should heap the three souls. It will be difficult just now. But yesterday, you could have heard thepi, off and on, howling, groanidg, prating, and gnashing the teeth. Lyiaoe grew pale: but Wolfgang calmly Hta small lamp which he used tor his study, and, anproachine the hole contrive ed in the wad, “ Look, ’ raid he, advancing the lamp into the darkness beyond.' .tiist'We might see the better, “ come and look—and tnen listen I” ’ In spite of my fatal presentiment, in spjte of the chill which rap through me, drawn on by a mysterious attraction, I bent forward and peered into the space behind the waff. Then, by the faint light of the lamp, I saw a rude apartment, about fifteen feet high, and having no other outlet than that by the garret where we were. At first I could perceive nothing, and told Wolfgang so. Look closely,"’Said he, <H a low voice; “do you see what. looks like a bundle of clothes in One corner ? It is old Catharine Wogel, the apft’e-woman*’ He had not time to finish, for a sharp angry cry, like the howl of a cat in agony, was hfnrfl. 'and aa enraged being sprang ■tip, and seemed trying to climb bp the wall with its nails- 1 . More dead than alive, With the cold swept starting from my forehead, I drew back, crying, “ Oh, it is horrible!" “ Did you hear it t" said Wolfgang, his face lighted up with an infernal joy. “ Wasn’t it the cry of a cat ? Ha I ha! Yes ! The old woman has beenbqtha cat and a panther. Yes! yes! 'Hunger apd thirst work wonders, I cant ell you." He did not look al me ; fie was enjqy> ing his infernal trinmpfo The howling of the poor old woman had ceased; and the maniac, laying his lamp down upon the table, added, in explanation: “ This Is the fourth day of her fast. I qnticed her hete under pretext of spring kirsch-water. I made her go down into that room, and then I shut her in. The first -two days the human sou! was strong In her. She prayed, She implored me, she protested, her innocence, saying that she had never injured me tn any way; then she loaded me with reproaches denounced me ae a monster and a wretch, and called down upon my head the curse of heaven. The third day, which was yesterday—Wedn-iday—the human soul <i i"appeared altogether. Hunger was strong, and she began to mew and howl like a.cag. Luckily wp are in an out of-.tbe-way place, for last night you would have thought that there was a regular battle of the cats—the cries would have made you shudder. But, now, Kasper, whan the animal soul sljall b'e extinguished, do you, .know whit wdl come then T The vegetable jsdil will have its time, and it is tnelast. It has been noticed that the nails and hair of the head grow while the body lies in the grave. In the same way, there is formed in the opening of the skull a kind of human lichen, which is thought to be a species I 'of moss, engender by the juices of the brain. At last, the vegetable soul itself will die. So, you see, Kasper, that the proof of three souls is complete." ’ These words struck unon my ear as the ravings of a- maniac. The cry of Catharine Wogel nierced to my very marrow. I seemed to ,ose all knowledge-of where I wss,-or what had happened. But, all of a sudden, waking from this moral stupor, •I sprang up, seized the maniac by the throat, and dragged him toward the lad der. ?

“ Villain ?' cried I, “ how have you dared to raise your hand against your fellow 'creature to satisfy your infamous curiosity? I will give you up to justice,!,” ..He was so much surprised at my attack —for to bim his act seemed perfectly innocent—that at first he offered no resistance; and> I dragged him easily to the ladder. But there, turning on me with astonishing quickness, he in turn seised me by the throat, ilted me from the tl 'or/and with one hand he'd me tight against the wall, whil<*>withtae other be opened the door oftbat terrible bole. Seeing Ms in’ mtion, I made a frantic effort to break »wajr, but in vain, for he seemed endowed with superhuman strength, Auer a despetdta struggle I felt' “mysfely again fitied off my feet into space, while in my care rang thrsc strange wotds: , ’ , “po Parish the rebellious flesh! 8o triumph U'o Immortal soul!” ■ ’ Wei lay, bruised and exhausted on thefloor of this chamber of horrors, while the heajyy.door was closed on me. shutt'ig out therffrayish light of the garret. Caught thus, like a rat in a trap, my consternation was such that I uttered not i single cry. S'dwly raising- myself up, 'and teamingmv Mf'k against the wall for Wfiport, * Keeper.” said I, with a strange '♦nowyow must either devour t the W?o Wrtfnnn'or bfe-devoured by her. tMakfiyotffchoicer It Will be only lost ’ time trying to get out of this hole. Wolfgang hMybu'ntyktOtrtcHft/he wHi not fotytmifi, The walia ’hrc ktonp «nd the floor fa of oak; no 6no saw you cross the .VthrtWrOWM W»i M 0M wold

think of looking /or yo i here. It ie finishyou are.the last resource the,q*e Vrthe other.”- 1 ■ AH thlrpassed through my mhffi like a flash; and? wbdh at the came moment the pale faceof Wolfgang, with his little lamp, ‘appeared at the opening above, I tr'ed to supplicate him, but only Hammered horriWyr»not a vo<tomAJ>|’remSeeing this he began to .laugh; atsfi, in, the silence, I could hear him saylpg, “The coward! fee’mpliwesmet"* 4 ~ This was my’flnishing stfokA, * fell face downward on the floor, and it was only lhe fear of 1 ing attacked bv the old woman that kept me om swooning. She boweve’', had not as yet moved, or in the least mani." ted her presence. The face of Wolfgsrr - was withdrawn; but I could hear the maniac walkirg to and fro in h’s garret. My ear was so quick ’hat the al ghtest noise did notescape me. I heard tbq.old woman Utter ft kind yawn,ahd, turning' i round, I . perceived for the first time her eyes glitimm? ) D the darkness. At the same tlm* Wolfrfing descended the laddflbftgnd I cpUnted his steps one by one umit nwl’dinfUaway in the distance. Where was the wretch going ’ I knew hot; but through all the day and following n'ght he did not return. It was not until the morrow* at about eight d’clock tn thp evening, kt a moment whence w « re shrieking to make the very wells tremble, that he came back. I had 1 closed my dyes during the night, I no longer felt either fear or anger, but only a devouring hunger, which I knew would increase all the time. When I heard the faint noise in the garret I became silent, and looking up saw ttsssssas lamp. I doubted rwte tHat'he would come tb see me; and wfth’ttrW hone T prepared a touching supplfctaWm. But the Hvht was extinguished and nd one came.’ This was the mostfoightfhj mbmsntof all. I seemed to feel my hair whiten upon my head viiich it really did at this very moment—until at length my agony became such that I lost all consriousnees. ■* ’ ' About midnight I was aroused front this , stupor by feeling something touch my body. I started up from my poiition with disgust The old woman had approaclwl, urgedenby hungsr.fitor hands, were .on my clothes, and a* the saifie moment the cry, as of a cat, filled the place, and sent a cold shiver through my whole body. I expected she would at*rck me, but the poor wretch had not strength enough left; this was her flith day U Then the words of Wolfgang returned to my mind: “As soon as the animal soul becomes exhausted, the vegetable soul gets the advantage; the hair and nails grow under the ground; the green moss takes root in the openings/)! the skull.” I pictured to myself the old woman reduced to 'this state—her . skull covered with moldy lichen, and myself, Iving near her, our souls intertwining their vegetation, the one with the other, alone in the silent darkness I _ This image took such possession of my mind, that I scarcely felt any longer the gnawings of hunger. Stretched out aga’nst the wall, my eyes wide Open, I stared before me into the empty space. As I lay thus, more dead than alive, a faint light penetrated the surrounding darkness. I raised my «yes. The pale face of Wolfgang appeared st the opening. He did not iaugh; he seemed to experi ence neither joy nor satisfaction; he merely observed me with a cold, pitiless eye. Thus we remained, our eyes fixed upon one another—l, fear-stricken—he cyld, calm, attentive, as though looking at some lifeless object The insect, pierced by a needle, Which we look at through a microscope, it he could think, ’f he could understand the man’s eye, would have just such a vision as I then had, I- saw that prayer would be worse than useless, and I said nothing. After scanning me thus; the foaniac turned his head in order ao look at the old woman I followed mechanically the direction of his gaze. What I saw the human tongue cannot express.; a face ghastly meagre; the limbs shriveled, and so sharp that they seemed about to pierce the rags which covered them; something shapeless, frightful—a death’s head, the hair matted around the skujl like long, withered grrss, and in the midst of this, two eyes burning with the fever light, and two long yellow teeth; and, horrible to tell, I saw two snails crawling over this Irving skeleton. Then, cl- sing my eyes with a conv alsivesigh, J aid to myself, “That is what you will be in five days!” - When I again opened my eyes, the light was irone. “ Wolfang,” cried I, “ God is above us— God sees us, Wolfang; His cursabe upon you!” My worst suffering was from thirst; at this point it was intolerable. When the first uncertain light of the morning appeared, suddenly a wlldfuiy setetd upon me. ' ■* “The villain is there," said I so myself; “ he has some bread, a pitcher of water—he drinks!"

Then I imagined him raising the pitcher to his lips. 1 seemed to see toe torrents of water pass slowly down his throat. It was a delicious stream which flowed—flowed unceasingly; and I saw the throat of the wretch rise and fall voluptuously with the refreshing current. Auster, despair, indignation, seised me, and a began to run found my prison, crying out, “ Water, water, water I” < , And the old woman roused up, repeating alter me, " Wat J, water, water!’ In the midst of this scene, the face of Wolfgang appeared for the third time at the opening Then, stopping, I said to him: “Wolfgang, listen; let me drink only one draught from your pitcher, and you may leave me to die of hunger. I will not reproach you!” And I Wept Then I went on, “ Your immortal soul will so-, ewer for th's before Ged. Yes, for the i'fe of tfc's old wqipan. But I have studied, and I find your"system very fine, I adm , ro it Let me only ».ke adrink of water, lhave never r ’en to sublime a conception t« yoV’w It is certain the thr , souls exist. Yes, I will proclaim it I wIU be yobr firm aS barent Won’t you let me take a single swallow of water t’ He drew back from the opening without answering. My exasperation then knew nd bounds. I leaped against the wall, bruising myself I called upon the wretch Th tie hardest terms I could command. • ? • ” ‘.'“r 76 In the midst of this At of fury, suddenly I noticed that the old woman had rank down all in a heap, t &nd tha. idea came toto my bead of her blood, 7,. . , .u| ’ a - -

t, What need -hap. she of , blood If' Mid i u IRed fismta pSased before my eyes i and, as I bent toward the old woman,'my strength gave out, and I fell near her in a swoon. • »-. • ■ ■ .»> How lone I-remained unconscious I know not. I was sjinc dby a strange eircunutanoe, the xemembranca of/which w.U remain with me alwaypvl wrsawaken • 1 from th' iwoop by the plaintive howling pf a dog—by a cry more piteous, mere i moving than that of a human being. I rose, my face bathed in tears, nek k»* ’f/hg whence these cries qame, to my own agony. I listened, and judge pfpiyMton'shrent when I found that it wap myself that lamented thv% without being aware of it. The animal soul! Here wap the explanation I . J Frc a this moment all remembrance ceases. All that I know Is, that I remained two days longer in my prison house, under the eve of the rhaniac, whose enthusiasm at seeing the triumph of his idea was such, that he did Adi-hesitate to call in several of our pMloaophdrs, that he might witness tireir surprise *' Slfi'-weeks after I awoke in thy little room th the Rue da platd*Etain, surrounded by my comrades, who W- gtbtula’ 1 meon having escaped this lesson in tran-j scanden’-.l philosophy. Poof' Catharine Wo„ 4 had dirt. 'w It *’ needier to add that justica laid its heavV hand Upon the wretched Wolfgang; but, in place of hanging him, according to fits deserts, alter six months’ Inw :tigationit wps established that this vile tellow wava lunatic or the most dangerous kind. -jSe- was placed in a cell of Klingenmunster the mad-house of Rhenish Bavaria, where visitors heard him dilating in a quick, peremptory tone upon the three souls. •