Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-07-31
Alechancwn Frederick County, Maryland Thursday July g. $780,


l wanted to see where I could always
find you in case of need
bowed, and attributed his visit 10 a
feeling Of curiosity. He sat on the sink
and while his eyes wandered about like
one who ielt himself called upon 10 say
something, he said:
Professor. tnele has been in accident
this fternoon-terrble too.
what was IT.:
Nitro glycerine explosion up in the
iron milIs-a hundred fellow mortals
busted
Sad y
Affecting, very.' Here he rubbed
his mouth with the back of his hand.
Professor, what is that nitro glycerine? ?
It's very dangerous article l an
swered, happy to display my knowl-
edge. 1T hats near twice The destruct.
iyencss as gunpowder, but, unlike it,
does not explode on the application of
Leat. A red hot coal dropped into it
will not explode it. 1t is yellow and
greasy
'Iou don't mean 10 say so, said the
officer, lnterrupting me in dlsa2reeable
tones in the middle Of a choice extract
from one Of my lectures. why, but
you haven told me how it goes off,
If the fire won't burst 1t. what III
(hcm)-will !?
| told him if it were pressed, or any
thing fell on it. it would explode.
Place 1t under the crusher of Il cider
mill, strike it with a hammer, let a
weight fall on 1t from IL height
Yes, SAID the man, and that rouses
its volcaner, does it?
1 suppose professor, that ere can
would make a mighty big noise if al
lowed to explode here all at once .
1t would blow the entire building to
atoms, sand |, resumlng the analysis of
Mrs. johnson 8 stomach.
NO? | heard the policeman remark
IN deliberate Yankee tones, you don t
say So
The next moment lay on my back,
a gag IN my mouth, terribly frightened
and sick at heart. Over me stood the
policeman, and the first thing that
flnctlonary did was-looking me
straight in the face to take off his
nose. He then rid hnn5elf oil his eye
brows, hair and cap, and became de-
termined looking fellow, with the eyes
Of iiend and the nose of Roman.
80 you Think, said the metamor-
phosed, in the tones Of a gentleman,
that nothing can save Joe johnson
from the rope? Poor fellow. 1t does
look like it But my dear professor,
Joe johnson is fortunate enough to haye
III me a devoted friend as we'll as
brother. | have undertaken to save
him. and he shall he saved In order
to accomplish this end 1t will be neces-
sary to remove from the face of the
earth not olly the stomach Of his mis-.
erable wife yonder, but also, my dear
profcssor--l am sorry to be obliged to
say it, tor | believe you We're my broth
ers teacher and frirnd-yourself as
WELL | saw that he YVES in deadly
earnest.
"Your death must apparently result
from accidental least so 1t must seem
to the authorities. My brother Is in
Jail and they will not suspect him, and
they certainly will not suspect M
What terrible deed was in this brain
hatching-was he gong to murder me !:
W it myself who was to hang, instead
Of Johnson :
No; yes. He placed the line pulley
like over an arm Of Il hanging chanda.
her. THIS was altogether too slight a
support even for one Of my tender
frame. 1t was not to be hanging, then
Unler the weight on the floor he placed
can of nitro glycerine; | recognized
the yellow string; it was fuse, and it
would burn in sixty minutes. 1t would
run across the marble slab; there was
no hope of igniting any substance that
would warn lay friends.
"Do you begin to see through 1t J
asked Joe Johnson's brother.
believe cursed him with my eyes.
could only breathe through my nos
trlls, and great veins were swelling and
growing hot in my forehead. Drawing
match from his pocket he lighted AMI
applied it to the fuse that little tyrant
that gave a man an hour to liyc, to kill
him at the end Of it--that little ire
sponsible terror that, less merciful than
Providence, told man the second he
was to die, if fright and horror spared
him to himgelf Slowly the flames