The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-09-28

"Do you really think SOP" said
calm, squeaking voice behind me.
turned quickly and discovered q
tall, lank policeman, having red,
weak and watery eyes, standing at my
office door and staring in. His body
looked as If 1t had been rolled out long
between his hands, like u molasses
candy stick. His nose was merely al
elongated, ileshy plug, and his fore.
head was decorated. with two red
streaks instead of eyebrows. He had
no expression at all in his face, and
his policeman's hat was 30 large that
it threatened to settle down on his
shoulders.
His uniform reassured me and nd
dressed him with some impatiencc.
my friend, l suppose | am wanted
to attend an iuquest-or what Is your
purposeW
: "No Doctor the man amt dead
yet" ~,
Anything in the surgical way"'
was police surgeon as well rs coro-
ner.
"No.n
"Well, then, why am sent for at
this time of night ?"
Don't bother, Professor; the man
amt dead yet; but they say he will die
before morning.
"Are doctors attending him?"
"Oh, he's in good hands Professor"
What's the matter with him."
DWELL" said the official, "some
folks say he's got so much knowledge
into him that he can't live under It,"
"Cerebal disorder, eh?"
What?" asked the man.
" Brain disorder, l mean; some
thing wrong here.n
/ touched my forehead and 50 did
he, as he said
"Aye; and / thought I'd drop in
and tell you if you was going to the
station tomorrow to take look and
see if its post mortem or not. Besides,
| wanted to see where | could always
find you in case of need"
| bowed, and attributed his visit to a
feeling OF curiosity. lie sat on the
sink, one rubbered foot thrown over
the other, and wiped his nose with q
dirty handkerchief several times,
while his eyes wandered about like
Christopher ColuLlbus after discov-
veries. Finally he spoke, liho one
who thought himself called on to say
something,
Professor, there has been an accl-
dent this afternoon terrible, too"
"AhW said /.
"Awful ~ said he.
"What was it?"
"Nitro-glyccrine explosion up in
the iron mils-a hundred fell0w-mor-
tails busted"
"Sad ~
Electing very" Hero he rubbed
his mouth with the back Of his hand.
-" Professor what Is that nitro-glyc-
erine?n
at is very dangerous article" l
answered., happy to display my
knowledge. "It has nearly twice the
destructiveness of gunpowder, but,
unlike it, does not explode on the ap-
plication of heat. A red-hot coal
dropped into 1t will not explode 1t. 1t
will freeze; it Is yellow and greasy.
Its symbols in our nomenclature are
C3. H5. (No 81 8, o."
"You don't mean to say so said
the officer, interrupting me in disa-
greeable tones in the very middle Of a
choice extract from one Of my lectures.
why, but you hain't told me how
It does go of. If fire won't bust 1t,
what in-(hem)-Wil ?"
I told him if it were pressed or any
thing fell on it, it would explode.
"Place it under the crusher of n
cider mill, strike it with a hammer,
let q weight fall on It from u height"
"Yes," said my man, "and that
rouscs it volcaner, does it? How does
it come, Perfessor?"
an little cans-why, like Tho r?"
said |, discovering that there was u
little can OF it on the marble sink,
which / had carelesSly neglected to
replace in the cellar. | then took u
little OF the glycerine, spread 1t on
an anvil and struck it with Il hammer.
A slight explosion and flame burst
from the paper.
"No, really" said the policeman,
starting back; 81 suppose, Professor
that there can would make mighty
noise if allowed to explode in here oil
at once?"
ut would blow the entire building
to atoms," said !, resuming the anal
ysis of Mrs. Johnson's stomach.
"No!n l heard the policeman re-
mark, in Deliberate Yankee tones;
"you don't say sop
The next moment layOn my back,
q gag In my mouth, terribly Tighten
ed and sick at heart. Over me stood
the policeman, and the first thing
that 'functionary did was looking me
straight in the face-to take of his
nose! He then rid himself of his
red eyebrows, hair, cap, and became
a determined looking fellow, with the
eyes of a iiend and the nose of q Ro-
man.
$50 you Think said the metamor
phosed, in the tones of gentleman,
tthat nothing can save Joe Johnson
from the rope? Poor fellow! it does
look like 1t. But my dear Professor,
Joe johnson is fortunate enough TO
have in me II dcvotedIfIiend, as well as
| have undertaken to save
him, and he shall be saved! In order
TO this end it will he necessary to re-
move from the face Of the earth not
only the riomach of his miserable wife
yonder, but also, my dear professor
Pm sorry to tc obliged 30 say it, for
believe you were my brothers.
teacher and friend--yo'Irselfa as well.
saw that he was in deadly earnest.
"Your death must apparently re-
suit from accidental least, so 1t must
sem to the authorities. My brother
is in Jail, and they will not suspect
him, and they certainly will not sus-
pect' me-"
What terrible deed was on his brain
Was he going to murder
me? The hard-earned knowledge of q
score of years i would have given for
power to utter one single cry
He took me in his arms aud placed
,po in n chair and ho,Ipb p,n tn ~