Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-08-20
THE CHEMISTS STORY.

/ am n chemist. I am the occupant of
this responsible and important position in
| the medical college of P.
1t was about O'Clock on stormy even
ing that bade good night to my student,
Tom Richards, at the door of my laboratory,
at the south end of the college buildings.
Tom was very anxious to know what
would keep me up after 10 o'clock, so told
him was about to commence analyzing
the stomach of Mrs. johnson, whose hus-
band lay in P Jail, just across the road
from the college, on suspicion that he was
the murderer.
As Tom was passing out of the college
yard through the gate, his head turned, and
bidding me good night, he brushed against
a man standing with his back to the college
and his face to the prison. The street lamp
showed me that the man was in police uni
form.
Re-entering my laboratory I took down a
| glass Jar from the shelf and sat down be-
hind my sink to examine it. An hour had
passed since the departure of young Rich
ards. I had labored hard to discover traces
of the poison in all this, but had been un-
successful. Joe johnson, the suspected
man, had been student of mine few years
| before. thought him good hearted, in
| telligent fellow, only a little wild, and real
| ly began TO hope that he might prove inno-
cent, when, among the macerated food,
came upon small, infnitesimal white
grain. By careful manipulation and the
use of my magnifying glass I managed to
get this upon a piece of smoked glass and
examined it.
| / was then certain had discovered as.
senic, but to make assurance doubly sure l
determined to apply a we'll known test for
| that poison.
| eyes," exclaimed, as 1 saw the fatal
blazon, "Joe johnson is the murderer of bis
wife! With the evidence of that mark to
back me no power can save him."
"Do you really think SOP" said calm
voice behind me.
1 turned quickly and discovered tall,
lank policeman, having red, watery eyes,
standing at my Office door and staring in.
His body looked as if it had been rolled oui
long before bis hands like molasses candy
stick. He had no expression at all in his
face, and his policeman's hat was so large
that it threatened to settle down on his
shoulders. His uniform reassuIed me and
/ addressed him with some impatience.
"My friend, I suppose am wanted tc
attend an inquest, OR what is your pur
poseP"
was police surgeon as we'll as coroner.
"Don't bother, professor; the man ain't
dead yet. but they say he will be before
morning."
"What's the matter with him?"
''Brain disorder, mean something wrong
here"
touched my forehead, and so did he a.
he said: Gay, as l thought I'd drop in snG
tell you if you were going to the station to
morrow to take look and see if it is pos
mortem or not. Besides 1 wanted to Sc,
where could always find you in case o
need"
bowed, and attributed his visit to feel
ing of curiosity. He sat On the sink, ant
while his eyes wandered about like one WHIT
felt himself called upon to say something,
he said:
professor, taere has been an accident
this afternoon-terrible, too.''
What was it?''
'Nitro glycerine explosion up in the irol
mills-a hundred fellow moltals busted"
s'Sadr'
Affecting, very" Here he rubbed hi
mouth with the back of his hand. "Profes
sor, what is that nitro glycerinea"
s'It's very dangerous article, answer
ed, happy to display my knowledge. Il
has nearly twice the destructiveness of gun
powder, but, unlike it. does not explode o.
tie application of heat. A red hot coal drop
ped into it will not explode it. 1t will freeze
IT is yellow and greasy"
"fou don't mean to say so, !" said the o.