The morning call., 1891-01-18

liz
preston, puts an end TO an extensive and
dangerous congestion and restores You to
perfect reason. Truly, God moves in
mysterious way when he performs his Won
dcrS."
Bet, dearest father" urged Writ, "you
surely will not continue him in favor
merely because he was thus made the in
strument of Gods mercy in restoring me to
reason and lifting the shadow of woe from
our home? His motive was of the basest
and vilest l know the man only too we'll
and year ago l made bold to warn you
against him."
True, my darling boy. you did, was my
answer. And then, after moments reflec-
tiop, added Listen, Writ, | wish to think
this matter over. Give me until tomorrow,
and then I'll make known to you what action
| intend taking. Meantime, my blessed boy
you are to play part, and not divulge 10
living soul the fact that you are now in the
fullest possession of your reasoning powers.'
8 But. father, think of our loved Theo-
dora. pleaded Writ. coloring deeply.
"Al in good time, all in good time nv
SOM" | made reply. and then proceeded to
Instruct him to the minutest detail how he
should bear himself, how look how act. In
particular | impressed upon him my desire
that he should lead Yokel to think that he
was still impelled by mania to destroy
things by fire, and to this end l babe him set
the collection of wood in flames at certain
hours, promising to have servant at hand
lngly, but said nothing. Seeing Yokel now
approach the laboratory | directed Writ to
lie down on the sofa, as was often his CHS
tom, and feign TO be sleeping. The man
entered the room and began describing what
he called Wirts attempt 10 fire the building.
which he assured me was only saved ffom
destruction after violent struggle with my
son, who seemed to be growing daily more
vicious and violent, and he suggested to me
in his calm and respectful manner the neceS-
sit pf tgan for rit - 70
in which this dangerous form of mania could
be properly treated.
/ replied that | would consider the SIG
geStion. Blythe following morning my MUD
was completely made up as to the manner
in which i intended to mete condign punish
ment to this most perfidious of wretches,
who | now saw too plainly had but one
thought, and that was t. get rid of me as
soon as possible in order to enter upon the
execution of the trust created by my will,
which, IN fact. put my entire estate in his
keeping.
We'll, my dear boy" said I, laughingly,
las this man, Bran okel, is so DESTROYS Of
numbering me, | propose to let him do it,"
"Oh, father" burst out Writ, what can
you mean by such propositions"
Don't be frightened, Writ" | added.
POSSIBLY it would be more correct if | said
to let him think that he has murdered Inc.
Briefly outlined, NV scheme is this: YOkel
with an ingenuity as hendish as il is
profound, noticed that your unsettled reason
| was characterized by an inclination 10 set
| fire to inhammabe objects, and had he been
| little more gentle with You yesterday it is
| quite possible that my laboratory would
| have been consumed, and | with IT, for you
| remember you found me stupefed-the effect
| of a cup of drugged coffee. Now. YokeI
under the provisions of my wiil-being nv
| sole executor aud the guardian of your per
| son and eState-brcGmes invested with large
| property interests. He will become one of
| the leading men of the country, and you see
| how strong his motive is to make away with
me especially when it will seem to
! be- So incUntrovertibly your act-the act # a
| disordered mind, of which the law can take
| no cognizance. While the world may deepy
regret my death, it will he obliged TO class
| lfy it among those deplOrable casualties
| which come at times to mock the wisdom
| and foresight of man; but the world in this
| case will felicitate itself in having so worthy
| and capable man as Bramwell Yokel to
| tread the winc-press of human activity in
| my stead. | shall meet my murderer even
! more than half way and l shall so arrange
| matters, with your assistance, my dear
! Writ. as not only to save his conscience in
| the matter of setting fire to my laboratory,
| bat shall provide him with Dony structure
| of the human body, which, after the flames
| have licked up this tenement viii readily,
| completely and absolutely pass for the
! earthly remains of DR.. Sepumius Clegs."
Wits lips fell apart, and he fixed his
! dear eyes upon my face with most painful
! look.
| ''In that old oaken chest standing there,
| SO quantity and curiously carved, which
| you as boy used to beg me to let you look
! INTO, there lie the bones of a human body
| They have never been articulated. | shall
| now proceed To arrange them skeleton-WiSe,
! by means OF catGut and at the proper mo-
| ment | shall wrap them in my long gown,
| set them IN this easy chair, and make my
| escape"
"Escape?" gasped Writ; "why, dearesu
father, what can you be thinking of, a maIi
! so well known as you are?"
~ eS, yes, my dear boy" / continued
! you're right, but don't be alarmed. i have
! hiding place where / shall be safe from
all intrusion. believe ne. To YOUR grand
fathers scientific acumen am / indebted for
the discovery Of this strange aud mysterious
hiding place. While counting over the
pages of your greaigrandfather'S Journal,
Dr. SeptmiuS CleGg, the Second, came upon
this passage. 1t is dated June -. 100, and
reads as follows: Crowds of gaptoothed
old crOnes and frightened children have been
visiting one of my farms, situate in the
parish Of Poquomn0ck, Nest Windsor dur
ing The last few days to inspect sinking
of the ground which the old woman sol
EMMY asserts pgrtends the near-at-hand
destruction of the world. About half an
! acre has settled several feet below the con-
mon level, and as we had no reports of
| seismic undulatiuns, / am forced 20 the con-
| ClusIon that this subsistence Is the result of
| the action of water charged with carbonic
acid sas upon the limestone which abounds
| in this region, uniting with the limestone
| and carrying ii away in The form of carbO-
! nate of lime. This action would naturally
| produce large assures ana caverns, and the
! weight of the SuperimpOsed earth might very
easily crush IN such cavity with the re-
| suits above mentioned. | shall complain to
| the selectmen unless this trespasslng
| ceases This curious memorandum passed
| quite out OF my fathers thoughts until one
| day, while sinking well on this farm, lie
| came upon bed of calcareous tufa, in
which were contained fossil remains of eye
less crawtsh, positive evidence Of the exist
ence OF limestone caverns in the Immediate
| neighbOrh0ods. Now more than ever was
he convinced that this subsidence of the
| half acre OF land described by SPptimius
marked the presence OF a vast cavern. and
| without making known the object OF his
| survey he set about the task of effecting an
| entrance 10 the subterranean chamber
As he was aided by single workman, a
| trusted overSeer, long since dead, the fact
| of the existence of this cave peri-hed from
| human knowledge with the death OF my
| tather. For reasons of his own he de-
| strOyed all records Of its existence and its
whereabouts | say all, but one scrap es-
| capped his notice-a diagram of a stone wall
rude marks of cross. While
! rummaging in tie cellar of this
! laboratory | came upon these crosses and
| found to my delight that the stones were re-
movable. A low, narrow passage led me
| into the cavern, which is about fifty feet
| square. His love of the curious and eccen-
| trio had moved SCI tinIius ii to fit the cham
| Der up as sort of philosophers retreat with
an antique lamp, table, bookcase, couch, etc
| Here l found the record Of his discovery
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