The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-06-29
sTRbUDsBURG, MONROE COUNTY, PA, JUNE 20, 1871.


ought to be near the top. instead of at the
foot of the ladder OF fortune. 4" But" said
he spripging to his feet with impulsive
energy Il have now the means at my
command of rising superior to fate, or of
Iinflcting incalculable ills upon the whole
human race
Looking at him more closely, thought
could detect in his eye the CLEAN of
madness but remained silent and await
ed further developments. But my scru-
tiny, stolen as it was, had been detected,
and he replied at once to the expression
of my face No, sir, I am neither drunk
nor maniac; [ am in deep earnest in all
that say and l am fully prepared, by
actual experiment., to demonstrate beyond
all doubt the truth of all l claim
"For the first time noticed that he car
ried a small portmanteau in his hand !;
this he placed upon the table, unlocked
1T, and took out two or three small
volumes, a pamphlet or two, and small,
square, wide mouthed phial, Theoretically
sealed.
l wacthed him with porfound curios-
ity, and took note of his slightest move
ments. Having arranged his books to
suit him, and placed the phial in con-
spicuous position, he drew up his chair
closely to my own, and uttered, in half
Kissing tone:
"' | demand one million dollars for the
contents of that bottle, and you must
raise 1t for me in the city of San Francis
co within one month, or scenes too terri
BILE even for the Imagination to conceive,
will surely be witnessed by every living
human being on the face of the globe
The tone, the manner, and the absurd
extravaganza of the demand, excited a
faint smile upon my lips, which he OBJ
served, but disdained to notice.
My mind was fully made up that 1 had
maniac to deal with, and l prepared to
act accordingly. But [ ascertained at
once that my inmost thoughts were read
by the remarkable men before me, and
seemed to be anticipated by him in ad-
vance of their expression
Perhaps, said I, 'Mr. Summerfeld,
you would oblige me by informing me
fully of the grounds of your claim, and
| the nature or your discovery.
"' That is the object of my visit be re-
piled. Il claim to have discovered the
key which unlocks the constituent gases
of water, and frees each from the en-
brace of the other, at single touch
"' You mean to assert, rcjOined, that
you can make water burn itself up
Nothing more nor less he responded
except this-to insist upon the couse-
quences of the secret, if my demand be
not at once complied with
"' Now, suppose I fling tie contents Of
this small phial into the Pacific Ocean.
what would be the result? Dare YOU
contemplate it for an instant? [ do not
assert that the entire surface of the sea
would instantaneously bubble up into in
sufferable flames; no, but from the nu-
cleus of circle, of which this phial would
be the centre, lurid radii of flames would
gradually shoot outward, until the blaz,
ing circumference would roll in vast bill
lows Of fire upon the uttermost Shores
Not all the dropping clouds of the deluge
could extinguish it; not all the tears of
saints and angels could for an instant
check its progress. Onward aud onward
it would sweep, with the steady gait of
destiny, until the constituents would melt
with fervent heat, the atmosphere glare
with the ominous confagration, and all
living creatures-in land, and sea. and
air-perish in one universal catastrophe
Then suddenly starting to his feet,
he drew himself to his full nights, and
murmered solemnly, 4 feel like a God i
and recognize my fellow men as pismies
that spurn beneath BY feet
At this Parker states that he attempt |
ed to reason with Symmetrical on the alb.
surdity of believing that he held in his |
hands power so mighty, at which the
latter retorted with quotations from the |
scriptures, Humboldt's Cosmos, aud the
works Of famous astronomical writers.
proving that it was not only possibly for
entire planets to be destroyed by fire, but
that such terrible events had actually oc
Cured. This answer concluded, he
handed Parker small phial, requesting
him to open it and smell of its contents,
the result being that strong odor of pot.
assium was observed At this Summer
field continued, "Of course" said he "you
are familiar with the chief characteristic
of that substance. 1t iguites instant
ly when brought into contact with water.
Within that little globulo of potassium
have imbedded pill of my own com
position and discovery. The moment it is
liberated from the potassium it commen-
ces the work of decompsing the fluid
on which it floats. The potassium at
once ignitcs the liberated oxygen, and the
coniiasration Of this mighty globe is be
gun"
GO Yes said |, begun, if you please,
but your little pill soon evaporates or
sinks, or melts N the surrounding seas
and your confa grafton ends just where it {
legan. 9