The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-07-14

! remarked, the Dullulng WOulu lnueeQ
have been Consumed" Lower and
lower fell the Pickering flames, paler
and paler grew the blaze, until finally
the fire went out, and | rushed up to
see the effect of the combustion.
Not a drop of water remained in
the vessel Astonished beyond measure
at what / had witnessed, and terrified
almost to the verge of insanity, | APP
preached Summerfield and tremlingly
inquired TO whom, sir, is this terri
bic secret known? TO myself Alone
he responded land now answer me a
question, is it worth the money!
1T is entirely unnecessary to relate
in detail the subsequent events connect
ed with the transaction. would only
add general statement, showing the
result of my negotiation. Having fully
satisfied myself that Summerfeld actu-
ally held in his hands the fate of the
whole world, with its millions Of human
beings, and by experiment having test
ed the combustion of sea water, with
equal facility as fresh, | next deemed it
my duty to call the attention Of a few
of the principal men in San Francisco to
the extreme Importance of Summer
fields discovery.
"A leading banker, bishop, che
mist, two State university professors, a
physician, a judge, and two Protestant
divines were selected by me to witness
the experiment on a large scale. This
was done at a small sand-hill near the
sea shore, but separated from it by a
ridge of lofty mountains, distant not
more than ten miles from San Francisco.
Every single drop of water was burned
up in less than fifteen minutes. We
next did all we could to pacify Sum-
merfeld, and endeavored to induce
him to lower his price and bring it
within the bounds of a reasonable pos
sibility. But without avail He began
to grow urgent in his demands. The
subcommittee soon commenced work
amongst the wealthiest citizens of San
Francisco, and by appealing to the ter
rors Of few and the sympathies of all,
succeeded in raising one half the
prescribed period | shall never forget
the woe-begone faces Of California street
during the month of October. The out
side world and the newspapers spoke
most learnedly Of money panic-a
pressure in business and the disturbance
in the New York gold room.
But to the initiated there was an
easier solution of the enigma. The pale
spectre of death looked down upon
them all, and pointed with his honey
finger to the fiery tomb of the whole
race already looming up in the dis
could see the dreadful ravages Of this
secret horror doubly terrible since they
dared not divulge it. STILL do all that
we could, the money could not be OBJ
tanned. The day preceding the last one
| given Summerfield was summoned be-
fore the committee and full .informa-
ton given him of the state of affairs.
Obdurate, hard and cruel he still con-
tinued. Finally, proposition was
started that an attempt should be made
to raise the other half of the money in
the city of New York. To this PROPOSE
ton Summerfield ultimately yielded,
but with extreme reluctance. 1t was
agreed in committee that | should ac-
accompany him thither, and take with
me, in my own possession, evidences of
the sums subscribed here that proper
appeal should be made to the leading
|
the metropolis; and that, when the
whole amount was raised, it should be
paid over to Summerfield, and a bond
taken from him never to divulge his
awful secret to any human being.
With this he seemed to be satisfied
and left us to prepare Cor his going the
next morning.
Gas soon as he left the apartment the
Bishop arose, and deprecated the action
that had been taken and characterized
it as childish and absurd. He declared
that no man was safe one moment while
that diabolical wretch still lived; that
the only security for us all was his inn
mediate extripation from the face of
the earth, and that no amount of mon
ey could seal his lips or close his hands.
1t would be no crime, he said, to deprive
him of the means of assassinating the
whole human family, and that as for
himself, he was for booming him to inn
mediate death.
with a unanimity that was ex-
traordinary the entire committe COIN
cided.
" A great many plans were proposed,
discussed and rejected, having in view
the determination of Summerfeld. In
them all there was the want of that
proper caution which would lull the APP
prehension of an enemy for should he
for an instant suspect treachery, we
knew his nature well enough to be sat
isfied that he would waive all ceremo-
MES and carry his threat into immedi-
ate execution.
g 1t was finally resolved that the trip
to New York should not be aban-
doned, apparently. But that we were
to start out in accordance with the
original programme that during the
journey some proper means should
be resorted to by me to carry out the
final intentions of the committee, and
that whatever | did should be. sane
toned by them ALL and full protec-
ton, both in law and conscience, af-
forded me, in any stage of the pro
ceedings.
Nothing was wanting but my own
consent. / asked the privilege of med
itation for an hour, at the hands Of the
committee, before | would render de-