The morning call., 1890-10-14
KISS OF SUDDEN DEATH.

College, as he sat in a group at the Authors
Club.
That's So, said Edgar Saltus, "but I've
found that the best schemes for odd fiction
are Frustrated by the necessary death OF the
principals, without disclosing the material
for a climax"
Il know what you mean" said Editor
Glider of the Century Magazine, land L
wonder why some OF you gentlemen don't
extend a romance beyond death-say by
means of a spiritualiStic communication
from the actors. Now, Professor Smith,
you're scientist, why don't you do it?'
The gentleman thus addressed was PROBES
sor Brainard Gardner Smith Of Cornell
University.
And l have the start of it in mind
now" Professor Smith replied. "Once,
when was in 10 Urnalism, l had occasion to
90 over pile of Liverpool newspapers, and
thus came on a remarkable paragraph in the
shipping news Translated out of tn" Ian
guage of commerce it was to the efle that
the good ship Empress, just arriv from
Australia, reported that while IOul ing the
Cape Of Good Hope she had been driven
southwark, far out Of her course, by storm,
and away down in the southern Atlantic
had sighted vessel drifting aimlessly about.
The first mate boarded her, and, returning,
that the derelict was the ship AL
batroSS. That she had been abandoned was
plain, for all the boats were gone, and so
were the log and the ships instruments. On
deck close by the companion hatch, lay two
bodies, or rather skeletons, clad III weather.
rotten garments that showed theln t. be
man and woman. These bodies were head
less, but the heads were nowhere
to be found on the deserted deck.
The mate found on the cabin table
an open book, with writing on It's
pages. a pen lay on the table and small
inksfand, in which the ink had evidently
long since dried. The book was evidently
journal ordinary, SO the mate reported, and
he put it in his pocket, meaning To carry 1t
aboard the Empress; but when he was get
ting down into his small boat the book
slipped from his pocket, dropped INTO ihe
water and sank. The Albatross was badly
waterlogged, and he thought could not have
tIoated much longer. To this report the ed
itor of the paper added note, saying That
the readers would all doubtless remember
that the AlbatrOss had sailed from Liverpool
several years before, bound Tor AuSlraila;
and was thought to have gone down with all
on board. as no news of her had since been
received. That was the substance OF the re-
markable paragraph. What was almost as
remarkable 10 me, newspaper man, was
that the Liverpool paper had evidently
made 10 effort to learn the owners name OF
the AlbatrosS, the names Of her captain and
crew. or whether or not she carried any
Il carefully searched the files to see if
there were any further reference to the case.
There was none. After the manner OF his
kind the editor of the paper had, SO 1t
seemed, taken 1t for granted that his readers
would remember all the particulars that
they wanted to know.
"A few weeks after that l went into
Northern Vermont to report the Benton
murder trial, which was attracting much
more than local attention. l was pleased 10
find that the prosecuting attorney was an old
classmate of mine, but not pleased to ina
that lie had become Spirituallst men
toned the headlesS bodies to hlm, and, as
Joke, asked him TO conjure up the two SPIT
its in a seance, so as 10 solve the mystery.
Well We tried to"
And failed, of conrse," interposed hugar
FaWcett. .s.-
4 quzzical expression oerne into Professor
ooh. ne. Ne got the whole story through a
meS5an. The bodies were those OF Arthur
!MlissrtIey and Helen Rankins." and he looked
deiantly around the circle for a contrad!c-
ton, SIT was Hartley whose communica-
ton we got through the Vermont medium,
and this is what he said :"
Helen and l were passengers aboard the
Albatross. My uncle John promised me a
sve of his invention would work such Won
ders in Australian mines that within ten
years we would 90 back TO England rich be-
yond the dreams of avarlce. One day my
uncle John got into Il hot discussion with
Captain Raymond about The efficacy of the
wonderful explosive compound. The cap
tain seemed doubtful. Uncle John was for
the instant angry.
"'I'n show YOU them he said, and he
rushed into the cabin where his boxes were
stored and came out shortly with two tin
cans, each holding something less than
pint. He unscrewed the top of one. disclOs-
ing a brownish powder Take carep said
the captain, who seemed needlessly cautious
and almost fearful.
Why, l thought you said it was use
less said uncle John, with laugh. and
vet YOU are afraid of it. Look here He
der. A dark smoke arose that instantly ex-
tinguished the little flame and foated off,
leaving a queer SMELL That was all.
Is Perfectly harmless, captain con
tinued uncle, who had now recovered his
usual good nature. Perfectly harmless
unless you wet it. Then look outp
The cook made sort of dumping for
dinner and great lot OF it remained. Uncle
John took mess OF this dough, for 1t was
little else, squeezed it until it was quite dry
and made it into a ball. Come with me,
lie said, and, Arthur, bring a plate of that
we followed him to the deck. There lie
carefully covered the bail of dough with
the powder, and going to the rail threw it as
far as he could out over the placid sea. As
the ball struck the water there was loud
explosion and the spray was thrown high
into the air. The crew, who had been hang
ing over the port rail forward, turned aud
rushed over 10 see what was up. Uncle
John made another ball, and threw it with
like result
80 Oh, holy torpeters,' growled one Of the
men, and they turned back to their places.
Uncle John, now evidently anxious to give
US thorough proof of the value of his CON-
pound, was for throwing more balls, when
the boatswaln, rolling ait, touched his hat
and said to the captain;
"' Please, sir, there's big black shark as
has showed his fin hoff the port bow, and if
SO be that the doetor'll wait a bit with his
torpeters, Well show 'em some fun a-catch-
in of it.
"'All right, bo'sun,' said the captain, and
We all went over to the port rail.
50 There he is said the captain, pointing
to a sharp, black thing that, rising just above
the water, was cutting quietly through it.
That is his fin, and there's a big shark TN
der it, or Pm much mistaken
The men tell back aud looked eagerly.
The cook handed up big chunk of meat.
Wipe it as dry as you cam said uncle,
and lie it firmly to the rope When this
from the can carefully over the meat;
then he carried it cautiously to the rail.
The shark was cruising back and forth.
Uncle lowered the meat slowly into the
water right in front of the monster. He
saw the bait and started at 1t, and then
there was q tremendous report and the
spray flew into our faces as we leaned over
the rail The next moment we saw the big
fish floating motionless on the water
- Blessed if e hasn't blowed his head
close off, said the boatswain.
ut was so. The terrible compound of
Uncle Johns had needed only the impact of
the sharks teeth to explode it with terrible
effect"
ooh, It's only fish story" Edgar Faw-
cett INTERRUPTED, when Professor Smith, who
is an expert elocutionist, had spoken thus
far in the assumed character Of the dead
man.
at is lovely story" Professor Smith
went on, with no lapse from his impersOna-
ton Of the solemnly speaking spirit of Hart
ly. "Our vessel was plundered and aban-
doned by the mutinous crew. Only Helen,
whom | madly loved, bat who had never
yet confessed she loved me,wa left board
with me. DAYS of furnishing and fever en-
sued. One afternoon Helen was lying mo-
tiOnless in the shadow of the cOmDanion-