The morning call., 1891-05-25
A HEAD OF DEATH.
BY SIDNEY LUsKA.

| Heels OF anOtler-ahu now tnat the last had
departed and noon was long past began to
think hungrily of my luncheon. But Just as
| l got up to leave my consultng-room nv
servant entered and handed me visiting
| card upon which was engraved the name
"Mr Alexander Caralhwaite" "There
can be but one Alexander Carathwaite,"
thought l, 90 ana he is Alexander Carath-
waite the famous iron king and millionaire"
Show him in" said to my servant.
The person who presently seated himself
| opposite me struck me as a slnguarly
| healthy looking Invalid, tall. robust, with a
| clear, ruddy skin and bright gray eye.
| However, what is the trouble?" l asked
| "Well" he answered, tits queer case.
| but, tn put it briefly, Pm afraid the troubles
| here" and he tapped his forehead.
Let me hear your SYMPTOMS"
Its long story" said he, "and must
begin il at the beginning"
Herewith he plunged his hand into an
| interior pocket Of his coat and brought
forth small tissue-paper parcel. This"
he explained as he unwOund the paper, lis
| rather a valuable antique. 1t came as a
] present to my wife the other day from the
| Earl of Sachestcr, whom we entertained
| when he was in America 4 year or so ago.
| AS you see, it's mirror The glass is be-
! lieved 10 be specimen of medieval Vene-
| tian work, and the frame is unquestiOnably
magnificent b. of cinque-centO."
The whole affair was no bigger than a
lady's hand. The glass, unusually thick
aud luted round the edge, was veined and
spotted and bleared over with fine blush
| mist, like the eye Of an aged mau. The
| frame was indeed magnificent Oval in
shape and evidently Of pure gold. so soft,
at any rate, that you could have indented it
| with your tnger-nai 1T was SculptuTed
| with no fewer than five exquisite nude fe-
| male f.ureS, dispoTting themselves in fan
tastic but graceful attitudes amid profu-
| sion OF delicately chlseed fruits and leaves.
| Three of these figures recllned upon tiny
| golden coucheS, in each of which was set a
| lustrouS ruby; the other two rode upon con-
| vpntionalizpd lions, and each lion held
| pearl between his teeth At the base a pair
of dolphius twisted their tails together, and
| formed the handle. Upon a scroll at the
| handle end were lnclSed the date, 1861, and
the initials E. ID.
at is a beautiful piece of work" said l,
! laying it aside, land l envy you the possess
sion of it. But what has it got 10 do with
your visit hereP
way" He paused for moment; then he
went~On. List night, after dinner. [
| picked that little mirror up, and / said
| jokngly to my wife. This, my dear, is a
| magical glass If l hold it over my waist
| coat, thus, and you look in, you will see
| stra ght through into my heart, aud behold
| the face of the woman / love- So Mrs.
| Carathwaite laughed and looked, aud of
| course she saw her own face. Then to carry
| on the farce, l said, Now let me see
| whether it will show mo the face of the
man YOU love- And always laughing, |
| held it over her breast, and looked in"
Yes" | prompted, as he paused again.
| "WeIl, doctor, instead of my own face
what | saw reflected in that glass was
| grinning death S-head-a skull. / saw it just
| as plainly as / see you now. | looked at 1t
steadily, without moving, for-I should
| think-three minutes. 1t never varied A
| human skull in absolute details, eyes, nose,
| teeth, even the very seams between the
| bones, perfectly distinct. Pm not super
| stiti0uS man, hut L confess the sight gave
me gooSefesh. If | were superStitiOus l
don't know what | might think. I'm not a
| drinking man either. or else | should believe
| it was touch of delrium tremens. As it is,
| Pm at az utter loss to account for it in any
| way except on the theory that it's the be-
| ginning Of mental disease" He spoke
nervously and looked at me anxiOusly when
he had done. He was plainly in white
| funk"
| for two or three minutesp l inquired.
| Yes"
Then did it disappear?"
at did not disappear till moved. AS
soon as l moved. the death's-head dsap-
peared and ! saw TIE reflection Of my own
face"
"Have you ever had any similar expert
ence before? Ever fanced you saw an OBJ
jet just before you that in reality had no
existence?"
Never in my life.
rs your digestive apparatus in good
shape2'
conscious of possessing such thing
And your general health"
superb"
| firm, regular and proper in time. "ShOw me
| your tongue" His tongue was pink and
| clean. open your eyes wide and lock to-
ward the light" His ewes were steady in
| their gaze, the pupils contracted readily,
and the lid dropped spontaneously upon ap-
preaching my finger.
Did you tell your wife what you had
| seen?" | asked.
mo, didn't want to alarm her. She
noticed that stared at the thing in rather
startled manner, but | laughed it off,
| | was silent for while, toying with the
mirror, and wondering what the case might
! mean.
well, what do you make 1t out to be?"
he inquired.
on" l replied, 81 can't say as yet. I
| haven't sufficient data. The trouble may
be in your optic nerve, 1t may be in your
| liver. and it may be elsewhere still. l
| should have to put you through lengthy
examination, and just at this moment l am
| too tired and too hungry to begin one. If
| you will give me time to eat some luncheon
! I'll be in better trim"
''Oh, certainly certainly. Only, can't you
| tell me at once whether you think | am 60
| ing to lose my reasonY'
II hardly think you are going to lose your
| reason" l replied. And now, if YOU will
excuse me for little, FL go downstairs and
| take bite. Perhaps you would like chop
] and glass of wine yOurselfY'
"Oh no thank you. no thank you. / shan't
| be able to eat with any appetite until this
| fear is of my mind"
| Whila | swallowed NV hactv Iunopaor 7
| thought the matter over. 1t nuzzled me a
/ good deal, but suddenly, as | was folding
| up my napkin, an idea struck me which /
| hoped may clear the whole matter up.
| Reckoning Mr. Carathwate in my office |
| said to him, II have come to the conclusion
| that this is case for specialist. Ii you
| like l will 90 10 specialist with you"
Il am quite at your orders" he re-
| sponded. DO you think it's the brain or
| the eye?"
II hope It's neither; but the specialist
will tell u.s."
We entered my carriage and were driven
! downtown to famous curiosity shop in
| Seventeenth street, just west of Union
square, tbs proprietor of which, Mr.. Nav
| erck, is esteemed, as everybody knows one
| of the most learned authorities in antique
| cuTi0S in America.
Here we are" said l. getting out of the
carriage. "Will you Gomez"
But what are we going in here for ?"
| questioned Carathwaite.
ITO consult our specialist" said T.
My patient looked mystitied, but he fol-
lowed me into the shop.
| / presented my card, and asked to see Mr..
Maverick. In another minute we were
closeted with him in his private Office.
will you hand Mr.. Maverick your mir
| ror ?" demanded of Carathwaite
Maverick took the mirror and looked IL
over. He studied the frame through mac
nifying glass. This is bit of work from
the hand Of Etienne Delaulne," he an
| nOunced presently; zone OF the most skill
| full goldsmilhs of the sixteenth century.
| don't know where you got hold of il Int T
m tell that IL is In Enitol.- u ~,