Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-14


no effected the scattering OF the let
ters 80 that Mrs Goodwin. for Mr..
Goodwin he knew was'away, would be
certain 10 discover them the next
moraing. OF course the natural sup
position would be that the house had
been entered by common burglar.
and that before he had been able TO
steal anything he had been frightened
away by some noise. But in spite of
his precautien the photograph err
failed to conceal his guilt and only
part OF what he desired happened.
The divorce had been brought about
but Callahan's hope that he might
subsequently, marry Mrs. Goodwin an |
derive benefit from the large fortune
which she held in her own right was
blasted. He had cultivated her hus-
bands acquaintance for years. for the
purpose of finding an opportunity for
the qualification OF his evil desires
The opportunity had at last come but
in his attempt TO use it. he had been
thoroughly thwarted.
although he had stolen nothing.
the act OF breaking into the house
constituted burglary and he was sent
to prison for few years. It is here
interesting TO note that the man
osuvres which brought ill-lus * to CAL
lahan brought good luck to me- Soon
after he went to prison l married
Mrs Goodwin aud have since lived
happily with her. During his i'm
prisonment the photographer brooded
over his troubles and when he was
released he was In a murderous mood.
One evening while my wife and /
were walking in a thinly settled dis
trict of the city we were startled by
two pistol shots fired in rapid sue
cession by some one beh nd us. |
turned around and running a few feet
back grappled with our assailant
threw him upon the ground and sue
ceeded in holding him there until
two men who happened to be in the
vicinity hurried TO my assistance
The villain was Callahan. who had
secretly followed me and my wife I'M
til there was a favorable opportunity
fer him 10 attempt murder He
cursed me in a frighlful manner when
he found that he was prisoner
second time he was punished by be.
ing inoarcerated. Three years later.
knowing that he had a disease that
would soon end his life he be-
queathed his remains for anatomical
purposes to the physician OF the pris-
on. to whom no mad taken q great
liking. / was we'll acquainted with
this doctor. and as a token OF his es-
teem he presented me with Callahan 9
skull he being we'll aware that | was
at thaS time engaged in making a
choice collection OF skulls of all sizes.
Tho skull was placed in my col
lection. which was kept in closet
connected with my Office and ]
thought no moro about it until one
day | was seized with the desire 70
SEQ kew the skulls would look when
arranged SO that they could all be
seen at ence. Accordingly l placed
them in three rows on broad table
in my Office Callahan's being in the
center OF the front row. being &C.
corded. as it were. the place OF honor
| had just seated myself in chair
for the purpose OF gazing at the array
in an admir!ng manner when q mes
senger arrived and asked me TO viait
a patient whose symptoms had sud.
denly become alarming.
1t was late at night when | re
turned TO my Office l lighted gas
Jet but turned on so little gas that
the fame was small / seated myself
in the chair which l had left when
disturbed by the visitor and gazed al
the skulls which were about ten feet
distant They looked uncanny. un.
earthly. perhaps is better word in
the dim light ! had always prided
myself on not being superstitiouS and
had frequently laughed at friends who
stood in awe OF the supernatural.
But somehow as | gazed ut that gh asst
ly array OF grinning skulls. listened
TO the solemn tick OF n great clock
that rested on top of desk. felt that
/ was alone and that all OF the people
in the city except few wa.chmen
were sleeping. l felt chill run down
my back and my heart began TO
thump as the thought came to me
that those skulls might move against
me. Might not Callahan who had
tried to kill mo- who had hated me
intensely during his second term Of
imprisonment be able 10 introduce
his troubled spirit into his skull mar
shall the spirits belonging to the othor
skulls each spirit in its appropriate
receptacle. and rs horrid death 8
army. so to speak. swoop upon me
and quickly batter out my brains II
was fantastic an utterly absurd
idea but it was nevertheless ,he
kind OF idea that disturbs person
when the nerves are shaky.
Il soon recovered myself, however
and smiled with contempt for my mo
mentary weakness But the next in.
slant frightiul fascination compelled
mo to stare at the skull OF Callahan.
There was a slight noise in it and il
actually moved a little. The lidless
eyes appeared to glare and the jaws
about the gaping mouth to move up
and down. sprang to my feet and
grasping the back OF the chair with
both hands. raised it in readiness for
an attack. The skull moved again
more decidedly than be ore. and !
trembIed all over. There was a loud