The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-07-17

removal Of the outer wrapper was fOuni
sealed envelope with The following
note:
"Junc 18th, 1889.
J. ITO THE MANAGING EDITOR:
"YOu will find inclOsed an importan
item of news, which you are at liberty I,
use, only on condition that this envelop
= be not received before ten o'clock thi
night. trust to your well-known homo
to see that this stipulation is faithfully
carried out.
"RUDoLPH WALDEMER."
Long before the receipt of the mYs
terious package Waldemer's suicide haC
been discovered, and so the seal was i'm
mediately broken. Inside was the fol
lowing remarkable confessions:
"These my last words are written or
the threshold of the unknown. Though
in the prime of life, the mere thought OF
living has become a dread more terrify.
ling than that of death.
ut is still fresh in the mind public
how overheard in my club the name OF
my wife banded about by lecherous
scoundrel, who has already gone the
road / shall travel tonight.
II challenged him. The challenge was
accepted. All the details were left to a
mutual friend-a man learned in cleo
trical science-whO enthusiastically pro-
posed the adoption of electricity as a
weapon. l assented with indifference,
not needing the agent, so that had my
revenge. My antagonist agreed, prompt
ed by q professional curiosity. For
several days the mysterious preparations
went on, and at last there came note
stating that was to call at certain
house ON the outskirts of the city at
midnight. t .,s .
''On arrival at the place indicated che
scientis met me at the door and led the
way to little aute-room on the second
floor. There | found my antagonist,
and it was only the knowledge that but
a few minutes could clapse before we
would be engaged in mortal combat that
restrained me from throttling him where
he stood.
ave were taken into an adjoining
room, and what i saw there filled my
soul with grim joy-the lust for MUIR
der. Returning again to the outer room,
we were requested to submit without
demur to any preparations necessary.
complied with alacrity, but he evil
IDENTIFY hcsitated before answering, and |
noticed with pleasure that his voice
trembled and his face paled with a
cowardly dread.
"The old electrician produced two
long, close-fitting robes that enveloped
us from neck to heels, and with sxillful
fingers he speedily buttoned them
around us, making the shrOud-like gar
ments more secure by passing stout
cord about the outside in innumerable
turns. Fettered in this way we lay upon
| the floor unable to move hand or foot.
Satisfied at last that the fastenings were
secure, he dragged us with infinite care
into the chamber of death.
sit was small square room devoid of
| furniture and but dimly lighted by a
common oil lamp suspended from the
ceiling. The floor had been waXed and
polished until it was as smooth as glass.
In two corners of the room, diagOnally
opposite each other, were a couple of pc
culiar-looking metal discs placed hori-
zontally on the floor, and having round
| fiat knob in the centre. Leading from
each were two lines of insulated wire
about six or seven yards along, ending
in shallow cups containing dampcned
felt.
"Placing us side by side, midway be-
tween the corners, the cups were fastcn-
ed to our bodies, one being placed ON
the neck at the base of the brain and the
other at the extremity of the spinal
column. Thus attached to our rcspec-
| tive discs, we were told that he who first
reached his opponents corner could, by
merely placing his head on the elevated
spot, send the annihilating current on
its deadly way.
"The old scientist, after few hurried
directions, given in voice agitated with
strong emotion, retired to a corner,
where | could see him standing in an at
titude of rapt attention, his head bent
forward, his eyes protruding and glow
ering with fixity of expression almost
maniacal in its intensity.
''The room was filled with solemn
quiet, unbroken save by the low murmur
Of heavy respiration or the regular tick
of clock, whose monotonous rhythm
sounded like the beat of drum TO my
overstrai:ied nerves. Thus we lay for
nearly half minute, each waiting for
the other to make the move.
| PA short reflection had shown me that
victory would come to him who showed
the greatest cunning, as the manner in
which we were tied precluded the dis
play Of brute force, and the slippery
floor offered no fulcrum wherewith to
propel ones self along.
"Slyly l turned my head and saw,
close by, the livid face OF my antagonist,
his deep-set eyes watchful and alert.
|. "As a feint turned slowly over. lie
did the same. Then with a sudden
effort swung around so that my feet
struck him sharp blow in the face. 1t
aroused all the devil in his nature, and
he quickly retaliated by making des-
perate lunge at my head; his heels flew
past within an inch, and the force Of the
movement placed him almost between
me and my corner. He was quick to see
the advantage, and started to roll with
increasing force in that direction. Then
ensucd a terrible race for the disc.
"Ovcr the CLASSY floor, slipping and
sliding, with head advanced in futile en-
deayor to gain greater momentum, we
writhed and squirmed, vainly grasping
at the polished surface.
"The room revolved in dizzy whirl,
and soon my eyes were blinded by the
aching tears called forth by a raging
terror at the heart--a fear that he might
gain the victory and live. With ope last
almost superhuman effort | threw my
self across the widening gap between us
and stopped his.progress. There we lay
painting for breath ON the very edge Of
the metal plate, but was nearest
rAfter what seemed an eternity Of
time the strange combat recommended.
was posted in the angle, my feet
pressed firmly against one wall and my
head against the other. 1t was q living
barrier of resistless strength.
Suddenly | felts his form against
mine, creeping cunningly closer. With
a hasty jerk / drew my body in, and
with shoulders pressed firmly against
the plastered sides gave one powerful
kick and sent him sliding 10 the centre
of the room. Before he bad stopped
was rolling IN the direction Of his cor
ner.
''With elbow and heel, invoking the
aid OF every nerve and muscle, | rapidly
covered tho intervening space, and then
found my passage barred and tho goal
snatched from my eager grasp ON the
threshold Of victory. Wild with bafiied
rage threw myself upou him, and with
hellish fury tried to tear his throat with
my teeth. q,
''As we struggled the room resounded
with an Internal din Of gasping means
and oatbs strangled in their utterance.
For time / lost all sense Of direction
aud was only intent on crushing out his
yiperous life.
i'Wo had nsared the middle when, by
what crafty trick know not, he broke
away, and with miraculous speed, now