The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-01-27

.'But call me by namer' entreat.
"lians Emil Muller" is what he
answers.
"Yes :" I cry. az am Hans Emil
Muller! And they carried dead man
through the door just now. Was it my
nephew, poor Franz Wurzel ?'
DO not distress yourself said the
doctor. BE 1T rest. lie suffers no
more pain"
Suddenly feel a twinge of the gout.
The deuce - / cry. But | do.'
l will not be put to bed. enquire
particulars. 1t Is supposed that Franz
Wurzel suGocated himself with some
noEIous gas evoked by some wild expert
ment, and that the uncle tainted after
bringing him down from the laboratory
in ms arms.
20 | am no longer Franz Wurzel; am
Hans Emil Muller The body of Fran:
Wurzel lies in white linen in a coffin in
the quiet parlor. Friends come to view
H. come weep some are quiet: some
say: We knew he would kill himself
at last"
l cannot look at the form once my
own, hut when my dear FREUD Adolph
comes TO the house l take him by the
arm, and lead him TO a place where 10
one can hear US.
~AdolPh," | cry, "do not weep for
| Franz! l am hei' and tell him all
lie sighs, shakes his head. bids me
/ rest myself, and sends the doctor TO me-
| 1t Is plmn he thinks me mad.
Then l am ,efr alone for a I ong while.
a nurse watches me- All are suspi-
! clous Oi me. / hear whispers from those
/ who come to the house OF mourning OF:
This las turned the old man brain"
! The next morning awokc with a dim
| remembrance Ol what had taken place
/ arose and looked in the glass, and saw
/ the reflection OF the fIce OF my oil
| uncle.
| went down to the door OF the closed
and dIrkened Toom- l opened il. and
/ peepcd IN. Two old women sat there,
/ wat hing something covered with =
! white sheet. They did not hear me.
I ~ He was very young 10 dc" said one.
/ "Only five and-twenty-"
! And betrothed, too said the other
'>hc takes it hard
~ pretty girl viii find another lover"
! said the first.
slipped away. It was indeed time
/ that / ea-ed fauline's heart. She alwa-s
! believed me-stIe would now | went
! out INTO the street. | sought Paulinc'S
| home. Ieiore II was a garden bright
I WHh tulips; at one end a pretty sum
/ mer-house. / heard 4 sound OF soft sob
bing there. entered. saw Pauline.
lier head was bent down upon the
/ Tabie She was weeping bitterly. |
! stopped and kissed her forehead. She
! looked up.
"Ah, my good Herr Muller" she said,
weeping YOU have come 10 me. We
| will mourn for him together"
Pauline | said, listen. believe me-
/ | have always desire l-r--' -
other men scorned. At last have learnt
| great secret. This IS not Herr Muller
! 1t is Fran. Wur-el. NV soul has taken
! poss -sslon OF my poor uncle's body in or
! der that / might hold the wealth he left
| behind him, and so marry YOU Nv
/ form appears old, but I actually am as
/ young us ever and love you more de-
! voteily."
"Ah, ah ~ l heard her say in low
| tone, 1t is true then, the old man has
lost his mind. Poor old man"
Then she addressed me softly:
let ne lead you home sir? After
little you viii feel better
! Pauline" | cried, believe me. Kiss
J me, Pauline"
| ale Is quite mad" she screamed, and
fell fainting on the floor of the arbor.
! heard steps approaching and fed
How loathed the form / had taken
II Pauline would not believe my story,
OF what value was all the gold now
| mine / mad only gained an Old BODY.
full OF aches AMI pains, by my odd freak.
! My On'y hope was that the spirit mad not
! deceived me, and that l could once more
regain my lost self.
| l hurried homewarl, but rapid walk
idg dill not suit my gout. 1 hobbled
painfully; at last, at certain door, l sat
! down 10 rest While | was catching my
| breath, / looked up at the brass plate
that shone upon its panels 1t bore the
name OF the legal gentleman who ha
| transacted ali my unCle's business
y bright thought struck Iac. I
knocked and was admitted. This time
! l was wary.
-'>ir," said to the notary, you are,
doubtless, surprised to see me here To-
| day, but my poor nephew sudden death
| shows me the transtory nature OF lite
| have long wished TO alter my will. You
have 1t IN your possession Let me see
| it
With some surprise he unlocked the
safe behind him, and drew forth a tin
case, from which he produced NV uncle's
! will.
| ''This was 4 great mistake" I said.
| "Why should one provide lor Old bach
| elors who should nave provided them
J selves with wives long ago - | said
And took a knife from The table and
\ cut the parchment into fragments. III
! Hans Emil Muller lives until tomorrow.
! Ia. viii make = new Will. Good-day,
J SIR
1 bowel and hurried away, leaving
the man OF IIv staring after me N
| amaZcmcut
What Gid I care?
/ reached home at last hurried to
| the room where the watchers sat
| turned them out without ceremony. |
! locked the door, AMI turning. back the
| sheet, looked Tor the first time upon nv
| own features, divested of the color and
! expression OF life; upon my own FORM
/ frozen :uto marble immobility.
1t WAS an awfu. moment Words can
| not paint IL. l retreateI from the collin.
| | crushed myself against the wall.
/ cried aloud:
Live me back myself - my dear oil
/ self, Give me back myself -
/; came again, that creeping of my
! flesh, that curilIng OF my blood, that
/ rising Of my hair; the white and awful
! presence the flood oil minute memories;
! the nOthingncSs-
Then:
a shall break down the door, cries
n voice. Gle has been there four hours
| lians Emil Muller, answer. Are you
| there? Speak :"
| struggle TO 4 sitting position. | look
around. L am sitting in my grave
| clothes in my coffin, and in the corner
les the form of my uncle Mu..cr.
The next moment they break down
th> door.
There is shrieking- -hying-a turnult of
will wonderment.
J The dead Franz Wurzel lives, and the
man who was living few hours ago. who
entered To mourn beside hi u, lis dead.
| This Is tn story they tell now
My experiment - idiots there was
J none my experiment with the gases
injured both OF us-my uncle most. /
| was only entranced; he diei slowly. So
! let them believe it.
Ny poor uncle lies quietly in his grave.
/ / have myself again. In default of a
( viii, the property has fallen TO me IS
J neNt-o kin, AMI am married to Pauline.
/ who has told me, with tears in hrc dear
| DN,.S. how my Iaafh fhn -. L..