Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-07-04

scrutinlZe' his features molc closely ,and
quickly identified him as the same persnr
whom h,i met twenty-five years be
fore He was greatly altered in appear
ancc, bu; the lofty forehead and the gray
eye were still there, Interchangeable, He
was not quite so siont. but more ruddy In
complexion and exhibited some symp-
toms, rs then thought, OF Incorporate
drinking. Still there was the same charm
of Intellectual superiority in his conversa'
lion, and welcomed him to California rs
an important addition To her mental
wealth,
1t was not many minutes before he 70.
qucsted private interview. He follow
ed me into my back office, carefully clos
ed The door alter him and locked Il. We
had scarcely seated ourselves before ho
inquired oil me ''ii had noticed any re;
cent articles intnc newspapers respecting
the discovery Of the alt of dccOmposing
water SO rs to fit Il for nsr rs u fuel Tor
ordinary purposcs9"
replied thai had observed nothing
new upon that subject since the expert.
mcn,s OF Agassiz aud Professor Henry
and added that IN my opinion The expcn-
sivc mode Of reduction would always
prevent its use.
In o lew words he then informed inc
thnt he had made the discovery that tho
art was exh cmcly simple. and the ox-
pensc attending the decomposition so
slight rs to be insignificant.
Presuming then that the object oi his
visit to me was to procure the necessary
forms TO get out patent fnr the right. !
congratulated him upon his good fortune,
and was about Ia branch forth with des.
cription OF some al the benefits Tint must
ensue to the community, when he sudden
ly aud somewhat uncivilly requested mo
"to be SILENT" and listen TO what no had
to say.
He began with some general remarks
about the inequality of fortune amongst
mankind. aud inslanced himself rs n
striking example of the fate of those
men who. according to The rules of right.
ought to be near tho top instead of at the
foot OF the ladder of fortune. "But, ="
said he. springing 10 his feet with i'm
pulivo energy. al have now the means
at my command OF rising superior 10
fate or of infiicting incalculable ills upon
the whole human race"
Looking ut him more closely. | thought
! could detect in his eye the glcam Of
Madness but | remained silent and
awaited further developments Bnt my
scrutiny. stolen rs il was, had been de.
tected. and he replied mt once to the ex.
preston OF my lace. mo sir: | am
neither drunk nor maniac; | am in deep
earnest in all that | say and am iully
/ prepared by actual experiment, To- dem
onslrate beyond all doubt the truth ol al
| chim."
For the first time | noticed that he
carried Il small poI tmantcau in his hand !
this he placed upon the table, unlockcd
it. took ont two or three small volumes.
pamphlet or two. and small. square,
wide .mouthcd phial, Theoretically sealed.
watched him with profound cnriosi
ty. and took note of his slightest move
ments. Having arranged his books to
suit and placed the phial in conspicu.
Gus position, he drew up his chair very
closely Ia my own. and uttered in u hall
Kissing tone Il demand one million
dollars Tor the contents Ot thai hottie
and YOU must raise il for me in the city
al San Francisco within one month. OF
scenes too terrible even for the inagina .
tiun to conceive will surely be Witnessed
by every living human being on the face
oi the globe.
The tone. the manner. and the absurd
extravaganza of the demand. excited q
faint smile upon my lips, which he OBJ
served. but dSdained TO notice.
My mind was lully made mp that
had 4 maniac TO deal with, and | pre-.
pared 10 at accordingly. But | ascer.
tanned nj once thai my inmost thoughts
were read 10y the remarkable man be.
lore me. and seemed TO be anticipated
by him in advance oi their expression
perhaps" said |. "Mr. Summer
field. you would oblige me by informing
Inc fully of the grounds Of your claim,
and the nature Of your discovery"
That is the object of my VISIT" he
replied. "I claim TO have discovered
the key which unlocks tho constituent
gasses OF water, and frees each from the
other, at n single touch"
"You mean TO assert" ! rejoincd
that you can make water burn itsel
up?
Nothing more nor less" he respond
ed. except this-to insist upon the con
sequences of the secret, il my demand
be not at once complied with"
Then, without pausing for momcnI
10 allow me to make a suggestion. rs
once or twice attempted to do. he pro-
ceeded in clear and deliberate manner
in these words: II need not inform
you, sir, that when this earth was created
il consisted almost wholly Of vapnr
which by condensation. finally became
water. The oceans now occupy more
than two thirds of the entire surface o.
the globe. The continents are mere is