The Portland daily press., 1881-11-22
brooklyn Eagle.l
The Facts in M. Barber's Case.


How became acquainted with him, have
no idea. His birth aud antecedents are equal
| ly mysterious, and when look back upon nay
hideous experience with him, I 8 hudder. As
once shuddered when the hand of galvanis-
ed corpse once fell upon mine in the disssot.
ing room. d
And yet I submitted to his manipulations
without presage of evil; submitted to being
framed in an apparatus the nature of which
was unknown to me, but which should have
warned me OF danger by its very luxurious
ness. I must coufess to singular feeling
when heard the click of springs near my
neck, but this attributed to nervousness, and
dismissed it as dismissed later sensation Of
dread, as felt that he was coating my counts-
nance with a Shiny preparation. Oncs or
twice during the preliminary operation stole
glance at his face. There was look Of
kindly inquiry there that resssured me, and
endeavored to distract my attention from the
feeling of fear which had crept over me by q
mental process we'll understood by those OF q
strong scientific cast of faculty-thst OF so COM
bining causes that they must inevitably pro-
duce such results as my financial status i'm
peratively demanded.
This exercise temporarily rendered me OBJ
livious to his Vaccinations, but was abrspt-
Iy recalled from my calculation By his >voics
deep, sonorous, searching, yet seemingly
reaching from an unmeasureable distances.
prsssloh Suddenly cfbseu aho- ,es -sdduunp
opened the valves of my heart. A cold, dead
ly glitter had usurped the expression Of warm
interest In his eyes The lips were nrmly
compressed and one hand was firmly planted.
claw like on my face, while the other WAS
armed with miniature guilliotina.
Slowly, but with calmness at which still
marvel, he brought the instrument against my
neck and / felt the pressure of tina keen edge.
/ tried to smile, but il died in ghastly glare,
and in the mirror beyond saw the reflection
Of my teeth set rigidly in my sill whittier
jaws
"There have been a phenomenal variety OF
abnormal storm centres of recent days" said
he In cold, dead voice that sounded like the
hollow moan OF vault into which stone IL
cast.
He held the edge of the guillotine against
my throat as if to avenge himself II contra
dicted.
'Tne barometrical changes and the sitting
thermometrical phenomena are Indicative OF
cold, cold, cold"
The words died on his lips like the moaning
of the Autumn winds among the dead leaves
Quickly as my mind seemed to operate I
did not grasp his meaning. / had lost the
power OF concentration, and my faculty OF an
alysis and comparison was nomentarsly par
al yzed.
u diminulion of PRESSURE" ne continued, 'aad
in the ratification We NAV look for prolonged
absence of humidity attended with correlativo
expression OF cold-cold-cold"
Again the dread words seemed to linger and
die in long convulsons. Aud now the keen
edge flashed about the throat as though i'm
PEELED by the chill his voice had appeared 10
invoke.
"The solstiee past has been characterized by
a dearth Of vaporous visitation" hs went on.
"The atmospheric conditions have assumed an
accustomed aridity."
He paused aud Contemplated me with an eye
tha pierced my vitals.
essayed to speak. but the words froze In my
throat. and became conscious OF the Iact that
speech refused to pass the edge OF his weapon
This peculiarity OF conditions 81 rprised me.
knew that the physical manifestation Of fear
was partial paralysis OF the circulation, but l
had to learn that the expression would rise on
ly to the point OF danger and there refuse 10
continue its functions.
Blind to danger, sought only to investigate
this phenomenon. Again and again made
effort to give enunciation to the th9ught that
possessed me. but the organ OF speech failed
before the touch of that dread instrument
''It has been contended by the more scientif-
ic of the meteorologists that the lately observed
absence of humidity is possibly indicative OF
a modification of our experience in the season
now incumbent" he pursued. GH
His eye attracted me now. 1t was turned -
though he were indulging In physical retro
spectpp He had iorgDtten me and might
The thought was premature. Passing be-
hind me he began to manipulate me phrenoloe-
cally carefully observed his eye in the
mirror and saw that it had assumed gaze OF
anxious inquiry as he contemplated my head
Your capillary integument manifesto an In
clination to disclose a scaly sxfoliation," said
he, (which may be permanently obliteratsd ~
my Justly celebrated hair restortnm."
There was pow keen calculation in his eyc,
and nodded my head 60 him in the mirror.
Slowly and methodcally he drew an elon-
gated glass package from the case and endowed
me Herewith Once more heard the click
ing Of the springs and tine next moment was
free. Strangely my voice. rendered temporari-
ly useless, was restored to mo. and asked
him to accept trifing gratuity for his pains.
He bowed gravely and held out his hand.
1 continued to drop the coin on the hoor,
and as he stopped to regain 1t, poured the
contents of the glass package over bis head.
The spectrum of the result is still In my eyes
Turn where will it haunts me yet.
As he felt IL, he rose and glared at me. MS
face contorted and his eyes starting.
NJ Barber was as bald as turnip.