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Show A MEDICATED BKAKs 8CIE.VCE AGAINST TIIK CALLOWS. bv don I'l.vrr. I wus once told how a bear was used to illustrate a fact in science. It was at an early day ia the history of galvanism. galvan-ism. A negro had been condemned to suller death on the fallows for murder in Cincinnati, and some learned men announced that, ibr and in consideration considera-tion of twenty-five cents admission, to be collected at the door, for the benefit of a hospital, experiments with the galvanic battery would be made upon the body of the miserable man. A ciicus tent had been procured for the purpose, and the medical savans counted larcely on the profits to accrue. The fatal day came, and with it thousands on thousands of people men, women and children to witness the perpetuation of this remnant of stupid barbarism called hanging. From midnight until mnrn, from all ihe hills tint! valleys of Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, came pouring in the motley crowd of ignorant, curious humanity. The taverns, stores, streets and alleys were crowded with people; and when ihe sentence hour approached, the procession that accompanied the cart made a sensitive mind sick of the human race. The better cultivated and more refined re-fined gathered in the huge tent to witness wit-ness the scientific experiments that promised to restore the wretched convict con-vict to life, or, failing in that, to make his dead body struggle and kick in the most exciting manner. The preparations prepara-tions were significant and startling. Near the center of the sawdust ring was a table, and by it the wonderful instrument that was believed to hold the ni3'sterious essence of life; while about them were gathered in groups the medical philosophers, conversing in low tones, or walking to and fro, calmly indifferent to the gathered crowd, as men are wont to do on such occasions. Hours wore away. The noon came and passed. The excitement grew intense. in-tense. At last a rumor spread and reached the tent that the sentenced man had been reprieved upon the scaffold. scaf-fold. This was confirmed by the returning re-turning crowd, that pushed in wit 'tout paying, and packed every available space. Hisses and cries of discontent broke out, and were taken up by the motley crew of the non-paying audience, audi-ence, in a high state of wrath at being disappoin'ed in the hanging. In the midst of the tumult Professor D. mounted the table, and commanding sdence, said : "Ladies and gentlemen, we regret deeply that a mistaken cljmency on the part of the Governor has robbed the gallows of its own and science of a subject. It isimpossible to return you your money, for so many have rushed in without paying, and they would be precisely the sort to demand the admission ad-mission fee. We have determined, however, so that you may not be disappointed dis-appointed in your laudable curiosity to witness an execution and those wonderful won-derful exhibitions of modern science, to purchase of Mr. Brown a bear that he has fattened to kill, hang the animal ani-mal here, and then proceed with our experiments. Will this satisfy you?" An uproarious and unanimous shout in the affirmative was the response. The bear was sent for. But Bruin had not been consulted, and declined the engagement. The audience waited patiently for hours. At last a great noise of men, boys and dogs on the outside gave welcome note of the coming com-ing event. The fat janitor of the .Medical College, a bald-headed enthusiast en-thusiast in the cause of physic, appeared ap-peared inside the entrance, tugging at a rope that seemed to be held by some reluctant party outside. So reluctant was this party that twice the janitor disappeared, pulled back by superioi force. The janitor, cheered by the crowd, and at length assisted by stjut men, pulled the animal in the arpna To hang a bear without the animal's an-imal's consent (and I never heard of one committing suicide) is at any time difficult; but to hang a fat bear is almostimpossible. The muscular neck is quite as large as the head, and on this occasion Bruin was pulled up twice, and twice, assisted by his paws, he twisted his neck out of the noose and came down amid loud cheers from the crowd that was rapidly passing into sympathy with the four-footed animal. The third attempt broke the charm. Bruin kicked and struggled at the end of a line as naturally as a man would have done, and at the close of twenty miuutcs he was pronounced a dead bear by the learned faculty in attendance. attend-ance. The body was lowered with some haste and placed upon the table. At the first shock the struggles were renewed. re-newed. At the second discharge the efforts were more decided, and growls were added. At the third shock Bruin sat up on his haunches, and gazed rapidly rap-idly at the audience. The audience reciprocated re-ciprocated the attention by still louder cheers. While this was going on, the subjeot of these wonderful experiments happened to get sight of the fat janitor, jan-itor, and, while the fourth shock was being administered, he suddenly, with a terrible growl, jumped from the table and ran after his corpulent foe. The ring, that up to this moment had been somewhat crowded, was abruptly cleared. A fair field was given the afrighted official, who fairly astonished himself at the rate at which he carried his adipose adi-pose over the ground. So long as the bear chased the janitor the crowd was entertained. In all such exhibitions, however, certain women are sure to be present who mar the enjoyment by screaming at the wrong moment, and then, fainting, force people to carry them out into the open air. This is to be reprehended, and the women should be rebuked. On this .occasion, when the popular enjoyment was at the high est, and the bated janitor by the way, a boily-smitcbiT was making his third round, with the bear gaining on him, three or fuur considerate wutnen began screaming. Tho people of that day were familiar with the bears, and had no fear of the animal. But there was something mysteriously alarming about a bear that had been dead and was alive again. And so when the screams were heard a great panic fell upon the crowd. Tho effort made to escape was fearful. Over the scats, under the teats, out through the thin canvas in every direction, the multitude fled like rats from a falling hou-e, and in the midst of ihe tumult tho canvas came down. Out from under it theaudience hurried, climbing on fences and roifs, or disappearing down streets and alleys. Among these was the persecuted janitor. jani-tor. At last the medicated bear, full of galvanism, appeared, and set off on the common, followed by the dogs of the country. For many years after this strange event, in Cincinnati and its vicinity, hanging was regarded wilh great contempt. con-tempt. The simple folk believed that all the condemned had to do was to sell his body to the doctors. "Then those learned chaps would knock a little lightning into the body, and set it on end as good as ever." |
