The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1892-03-18
By PH0NOGRAPH.

~
N4f7ings he was scientific His passion for
1science first became noticeable when he began
to learn chemistry in the fourth form at Hal
stone school. Tom and all his class fellows
were deeply taken by the weird and unearth-
ly odors, the terrifying explosions and the
miraculous bursts of subaqueous fire which
appeared at the will of Mr. Stubs. the
science master. Indeed they endeavored per-
sistently TO emulate their tutors exploits;
but even the tutors performances were pres
emily eclipsed by those of his promising pupil
Tom. The boy had perfect genius for ex-
plosions, so that it soon became customary
among the Others, during the two or three
hours which they spent each week in the
laboratory, to give up any little enterprises
of their own, and simply keep an eve on
Toms movements. 1t was usually worth
their while, for he rarely failed to do some-
thing marvellous.
When the end of the term came, and the
youth arrived at his home in Dulberry, he
set off at once on a tour of inspection round
the home premises. A small building, which
belonged to the gardener, and was used by
him as a storehouse for seed, flower pots and
other things appertaining to his craft struck
his fancy He found no difficulty in persuade
.4g his too complaisant parents to make this
COON over to him; and notwithstanding the
murmurs of Sandy, the gardener, it was emp
tied of its horticultural contents fitted with
benches, shelves and a fireplace and generally
rendered habtable.
Chemicals also, and all kinds Of apparatus
were ordered from London Had his friends
not been altogether ignorant of chemicals,
they would have noticed that the chemicals
which Tom ordered, and for which they
blindly paid, were chiefly of the kind which
go to make up explosions. Almost as soon
as the laboratory had been fitted up the goods
arrived from London. On the first day moth
ing of note was seen or heard, Tom being too
busily engaged in arranging and admiring
his treasures to begin experimenting with
them. Soon, however, the household began
TO listen in mild federation to the loud explo-
sions which, at intervals Of about an hour,
We're constantly heard from the direction of
Toms laboratory They were not quite so
tractable, however when the embryo chem
1st grew tired for the moment of noises, and
turned his attention to the production Of UNI
pleasant odors. But even then the boy was
quite safe from interruption They were not
likely to attempt to approach the source Of
Odors by which they were already almost
stihed; whereas Tom reveled in the malo-
iGsROus products of his experiments and be-
haveG, in atmosphere reeking with the
most abominable gases as If he was once
more breathing his native air after a long
and painful period of exile
His love of science grew stronger, if a good
deal more rational, as years passed by. AT
last, when he went up to Oxford, another
room was added 10 his den. This was fur
nished after the manner of the average I'M
dergraduate's rooms, and here he kept his
personal property and did most of his read
ing. Like most science men, he was fond of
novels, and Of these this room soon contained
an extensive and catholic collection. But the
If Il RIM.
and at last Tom Douglas discovered thai
there was thing which, struggle as he
might to ignore it, was beginning to interest
him far more than any Of the sciences to which
he had hitherto devoted himself His fathers
brother had many years ago emigrated to
California. Almost Immediately he had mar
red, but after few years of hard struggle
against poverty, his wife had died, leaving
to him a little daughter, Dora Tom Douglas
was in his fourth year when he heard from
home that his unknown uncle was dead. His
father had received a letter some months be-
fore saving that Dora would soon be alone
in the world.
She would be quite rich-for success had
come to her father when it was too late to
save his wife-and now the dying man begged
his brother to become her guardian, and offer
hesfa home Mr.. Douglas had at once con-
seNted and Dora arrived IN England shortly
before the commencement OF Tom 5 last long
vacation; SO that when he arrived in Dull
berry she had already been there for a week
or two The cousins became very good
friends and it was the image of a sweet girl
rish face blue eyed and little sad, which oc-
cupied Toms mind, and caused him to neg
lect his science work almost entirely
At the end Of the long" he went up to
Oxford once more, in order to take leave of
his friends and formally TO take his degree,
for at the end of the previous term he had
gained ''hrst" in honors chemistry This
brief absence from Dora so utterly pain
full to him that he became aware of the fact
that he really was very much in love with
her. OF course he ought to have known it
before; perhaps he had done so, but at least
he had never acknowledged it to himself At
any rate, he made haste to get back to his
home.
When he returned TO Dulberry he carried
with anxious sohcitude a box, which APP
peared to contain something at once very
fragile and inestimably valuable. Dora had
taken a great interest in his scientific studies
or rather he had revived for her benefit his
boyish interest in explosions. After lunch,
fterefore, he told her that during his absence
hahad spent a few days in town, and there
had secured a scientific wonder which she
must examine.