The Dickinson press., 1892-12-24

tiaS iele, anu we llau Oeeli ICililiS
stories OF all sorts; but now q hush
had fallen over our mirth, not from
the lateness OF the hour, but-because
the doctor had brought from his
closet q little box, which he had placed
in the center OF the table.
There was nothing very striking
about the box. 1t was five inches
high by eight in length, and vas COM
posed OF dark wood, like mahogany.
1t had neither lock nor key, but brass
bands running ali the way around it
ut either end held the lid down, and
set in the lid was n small silver plate,
which bore an inscription like this:
"To BE OPENED AT MIDNIGHT,
December 25, 1887"
The time for the opening OF the box
had come.
Dropping back into his chair, after
placing the mysterious box on the
table before us, and taking up his
pipe, Doctor Junkerman resumed:
"Did you know | had the box? No?
Well. l have kept my secret pretty
we'll. This is the result OF not having
IL wife about the house."
lie took out his old-fashioned
lore him.
81 don't want to overtalk my time"
he smiled, "the box is to be opened
at midnight, you know
"lt now wants twenty minutes OF
that watching hour" said Fellows.
"Nineteen and one-half," returned
the doctor. "Three years ago / had
an office on Eight avenue, near-th
street. just around the orner lived
II young MAJ and his wife. They were
Germans; the husband %, and the
wife but 10. People did not get to
see much of them. 1t was understood
that kIoch was astudent OF chemistry,
having taken u course at Cracow, and
my acquaintance with him was a
casual one meeting him On the street
ut rare intervals, and then eXchang-
ing a bow.
"Though young. there was traces OF
deep study in Klorh's face. He was
killing himself at something, that was
plain to an old observer like myself;
and | wondered if his yong wife
shared his enthusiasm. l was in my
office one night, thinking Of everything
but Hermann Kloch, when a boy
rushed in like a snow storm, and said
that | was wanted at once at $50
til street.
"You may believe that | went at
once, for it was Kloch's number, and
l thought I was to penetrate the mys-
terry wllichhad bothered the neighbours
not a little. Twas met at the door by
Koch himself who, | am sure, had
been waiting for me in the hall. He
conducted me to their Lying room on
the second floor, where | found Mrs.
X och in bed, white-faced, and suffer-
ing greatly.
FISHES had heart troubles from
childhood whispered Kloch, and then,
to my astonishment, he left the room
and remained away.
81 found Costans Kloch near death:
A superficial examination told me
this, and when | asked to feel thepulse
l was more than startled. She put
forth a wrist to which no hand was
attached, and when Hooked ut her in
mute demand for explanation, she
said, glancing toward the door be-
8 yond which her husband had van
ished;
> cole took it,
"Not another word could 1 get out
OF her. noticed that the hand had
> been amputated, showing that it had
! been done by one up in surgery, and
my blood boiled when l thought that
4 lust beyond the door was the man
Q who had mutilated his wife, perhaps
to carry out some insane experiment.
9 1t was with difficulty that RESTRAINED
{ myself from rushing into Kloch's pres
ence, and demanding to know what
! had prompted, the infamous freak;
i but the woman was dying, and my
duties kept Inc where [ was.
9 "Mrs Koch died before l left the
room. Kloch came in just before the
> ell came and looked calmly ON, anG
when l told him his wife was no more
he thanked me for my attendance
andcoolly walked back into his labor
atory. This conduct vas more thar
| could stand. | lost and followed
him. Entering the room, which wa!
fitted up with the modern appliances
; OF chemistry, l walked straight te
Kloch and laid my hand upon hi
shoulder.
"'What did you want with you
( wife's hand?" cried sternly, at tn
same time closing on his shoulder, a
if | feared he would try to slip m,
q grasp.
"a smile broke over his white face
I and his two eyes got an Immature
twinkle.
She donated is to the cause sal
he.
ST. "To what cause?'
TO the one that is sapping th
US life OF Hermann Kloch. am the dl
lie coverer of Il fluid which turns tt
-, bodies OF the dead to marble. II
- process Characterization is SLOW, al
Ok as vet, l cannot show you any cor
he pleted specimens. But | will in tin
lis yes in time. Constans gave her har
n willingly. She would have given ~
tt, head if I had asked it. but that was
little too much. You shall kno
a more about my discovery, docto
ew I'll leave you the secret when | die;
will make you the richest man in t
prof. ssion. Our great dead will t
come their o" nstatues on u square
at Think of it,
lb- ~ quilted the house, firm in t
belief that Hermann Koch was
mad as a March hare: but l resolv
to keep his secret, and see what t
ao future would bring forth. After tn
I'D l did not see much OF him. 1 cou
'gs imagine that he was pursuing
strange hobby in the same roo
working himself into the grave W
the pprsistency OF a mailman. Nc
on than onceI thought of him, and VIII,
ever anything new on embalmi
re- ua;nd ~ 800 e"u .ad h;s mn.I
ees Things went on in this n
ron he and then the end ear