Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-11-18


feeling of cnsiosity. lie sat on the sink,
with one rubbered foot thrown over the
other, aud wiped his nose with q dirty hand
kcrchicf several times, while his eyes wan
dcred about like Christopher Columbus
after discoveries. Finally he spoke, like
one who thought himself called on to say
something: ..s
Professor there's been terrible acci-
dent this artcrnoon--terrible, too i !.
AAh = said l., ior.... ..r - -''.- n '
Awful said he. ', r.
What was it ?
Nitro-gly -cerine explosion up in the
mills q hundred fellow-mortal busted.
Sad!
Affecting, vcryH Here he rubbed his
mouth with the back of his hand. Pro.
fessor, what is that nitro.gly.ceriue?
1T is a very dangerous article 1 an
swcred, happy to display my knowledge.
1t has nearly twice the distructiveness Of
gunpowder, but, unlike it, does not ex.
plodc on the application of heat. A red
hot coal dropped into it will not explode
it. 1t viii freeze; tits yellow and greasy.
you don't mean to say so! said the Of
ficer, interrupting me in disagrceable tones
in the very middle of the choice extract
from one of my lectures. why, but you
hain't told me how it goes off. If fire
won't bust it, what in-hem-will?'
told him that if it were pressed, or
any thing fell upon it, it would explode.
Place it under the crushcr of cider
mill, strike it with a hammer, let weight
fall upon it from height
YES said my man and that rouscs its
volcancr, does it? How does it come Pro.
fessor?
In little cans-why, like these, said I,
discovering that there was little can of it
on the marble sink, which l had carelessly
neglected to replace in the celler. then
took little of tho glycerinc and spread it
on a thin piece of paper, and, laying the
paper on an anvil, struck it with hammer.
A slight explosion and fame burst from
the paper.
Now. really said the policeman, start
ing back; Il suppose, Perfessor, that
there can would make a mighty noise if
allowed to explode in here all at once?'
1t would blow the entire building to
atoms,' said I. rcsuming the analysis of
Mrs. Johusons stomach. .-
No. l heard the policeman remark, in
deliberate Yankee tones you don't say
SOP
The next moment lay on my back, a
gag in my mouth, terribly frightened aud
sick at heart. Over me stood the police.
man, aud the first thing that functionary
did was-lookins me straight in the face
to take off his nose. lie then rid him
self of his red eyebrows, hair, cap and
overcoat, with became determined. looking
fellow, aud nose Of a Roman.
SO you think, said the mctamorphosed,
in the tones Of a gentleman. shat nothing
can save Joe johnson from the rope?
Poor fellow! it does not look like it. For.
my dear Professor, Joc johnson is fortu.
nate enough to have in me a devoted
friend, as well as brother. have un-
dertaken to save him, and he shall bc saved.
In order to effect this it will be necessary to
remove from the face of the earth not only
the stomach of his miserable wife yonder,
but also, my dear Professor-I'm sorry to
be obliged to say it, for l believe you were
my brothers teacher and friend-yourself
as we'll.
saw that he was in deadly earnest.
Your death must apparently result
from accidental least, so it must seem to
the authorities. My brother is in Jail;
and they certainly will not suspect me-
What terrible deed was on his brain
Matching? Was he going to murder me !?
The hard earned knowledge of score of
years would have given for power to utter
one sin gle cry. 80 ... .-t.. ....,.,>
He took me in his arms and placed me
in chair and bound me to it, and from
side pocket he produced another rope.
Was it myself who was to hang instead
of Joe johnson?
No; yes. He placed the line pulley.
like over an arm Of the hanging chandelier.
This was too slight support even for one
of my slender frame. 1t was not 10 be
hanging, then.
To one end Of the rope he attached q
weight, and raised it by pulling the other
end six or eight feet from the floor. The
loose eud he secured to the sink. Was he
mad! Did he mean to draw me under
this weight, aud send NC out Of the world
in novel way by letting it fall, and dash.
ing my brains out?
To the sink end he attached long yellow
string.
Under the weight he placed the can of
nitro'glyccrinc. I recognized the yellow
string; it was fuse, aud would burn sixty
minutes. 1t would burn across the mar
BILE slab-there was no hope of it isuiting
any substance that might warn my friends.
DO you begin to SEE through it? asked
Joe Johnson's brother. believe cursed
him with my eyes. l could only breath
through my nostrils, and tho great veins
were swelling and growing hot in my fore.
head.
:. Drawing q match from his pocket he
lighted and applied it to the fuse, that
little tyraut that gavo a mau an hour to
live and killed him at tho and ne q. th.s