The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-12-11

1t was, l said but she replied that l
had better come again in the morning /;
Mr.. Sherman was in, but was not well.
l was turning away when a gentleman
came down the hall stairs, and said
"Did the gentleman wish to see me,
Jane?"
~ did, sir" 1 replied, and he i'm
mediately invited me into the parlor.
The lamp was turned up, we took seats,
and then l stated my errand.
eff yOn can pass the test, you shall
have the place :" he exclaimed, slapping
his hands together, and breaking me off
as l was giving him references.
"Ask me any questions you wish,"I
replied.
"But it is a test Of a different char
~acter," be continued. "Come up to my
ROOM"
As We passed through the hall on our
way mp stairs, the uni standing in
the library door, laid her hand upon
my arm and whispered something which
l did not catch. 1 thought it a great
piece of impertinence on her part, and
wondered if she was not half-drunk or
hi: dazed. The room which We en-
cred was about twenty feet square,
without carpet, chairs. pictures, or any
furniture, except a table and a row Of
shelves. There was a smell similar to
that encountered at the photographers,
and l saw a dozen glass jars and Il NUM-
Der Of bottlers on the shelves. On the
tables was q galvanic battery, having
two handles for one to take hold of,
like scme of the machines seen on the
street corners Of large cities.
Beg pardon for bringing you into
such a cheerless place." said the man,
locking the door and poeketing the key,
but l could not demonstrate my ideas
elsewhere"
I made reply that 1 was perfectly sat
istied, and he pat his ear to Il of
the panels of the door and listened TO
learn of the woman I.j followed us up
stairs.
"Do you know he whispered, plac-
ing his hands on my shoulders. THAT
the old woman down stairs intends to
poison me?'
Impossible +, she would not dare,"I
replied.
"Oh 4! you don't know her as well as
1 do" he continued, arching his eye
brows. Its 4 mere question of time,
or will be, if You can't aid me. She
can't poison my food, Lor my tea,
wine, nor coffee, but she has another
way"
"How-what? 'I asked, for the frs.
time noticing something strange in his
looks.
"You see, 1 don't live as other folks
do" he whispered, 81 am composed OF
cast-iron, and l have to be very careful
what I eat and drink. I drink a great
deal of spring water, because that PIE
vents me from rusting if my inside
should get rusty that would be the last
of me !"
He was insane ! 1 could detect it in
every look, now that his words had be-
trayed the secret, and a chill crept up
my back at the discovery. 1 felt for a
moment rs if my legs were going ont
from under me, but the man smiled
and appeared SO pleasant and gentle
that my nerve soon came back.
"She will poison one of my bottles of
spring water" he continued, reaching
down three pint bottles from the shelf
and placing them on the table. They
were all nearly full of clear water, and
all looked so exactly alike hat one
could not be told from the other.
"What poison do You suppose she
would use ?" lie asked.
arsenic OIL strychnine, probably
answered, feeling rather ervou
Perfectly correct /; I think you will
pass the test" he said. "Now, here
are the two poisons, and 1 shall put
one into this bottle and one into that !"
Hereached down two ounce packages,
one labeled "strychnine," and the other
q" arsenic" The name of the druggist
q pasted on each paper, with a
deaths head and cross bones. He care
fully emptied the contents into the diff
fcyepf hotties shook fham nm ond than