Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-08-31
AechaMchwn Frederick County, Maryland Thursday August 3d. '893
Of Il madman.

/ ness | could command, we won't an
ticipate SO dreadful a catastrophe as
you so yividly describe. But it is evil
dent you have made remarkable dis
coyery. / am anxious to know just how
you accomplished it,
e which is my secret, he said, with
another smile, and l saw that my dis
passionate speech had had soothing
effect upon him. The man was cyl
IDENTIFY sane except on that one subject.
'You are the most sensible man |
have met he soon resumed. and l am
going to lmpart enough OF my secret to
You so you will act with good faith in
assisting me in direction where | am
powerless.
1T needs not my words to tell you
that water is composed Of two gases,
hydrogen and oxygen, in parts as 9 to
|. United IN that proportion these ell
ements are lmperyious to fire. Every
schoolboy knows that. But mix them
IN any other proportion, and heat,
flame, combustion, are the immediate
consequence.
Nov, l have discovered the key
which unlocks the affinity holding to-
gether the constituent parts of water.
A few grains Of this powder are suftic-
lent to dismem ber it's warliKe elements,
when the funeral pyre Of the human
race is kindled as tar as this planet is
concerned
'Impossible! l could not help ex-
claiming. God in his infinite wisdom
never created a world 50 beautiful as
this and then placed IN the hands Of
its subjects the means Of its destruction.
Poor fool ~ he said, compassionate
Iy. You forgot that the moon is but a
fire cxtinguishel world; that planets
without number are the charred remains
of what were once scenes Of life aud
beauty; that the sun ls a molten mass
of heat that He has SAID IN His own
word, in the end 'thc heavens shall be
folded together like II scroll, the ele-
ments to melt with fervcnt heat.
You see this vial. 1t contains po
tussum. 1t needs not me to tell man
Of your information the result when
this is brought into contact with oxY.
gen. 1t isnites instantly. This pow
der here, the secret Of whose compound
is known only to NE. contains proper
ties which instantly dccompose the
watcry elements. The moment the
oxygen Is free the potassium ignites it,,
and the work Of fiery destruction Is De-
gun.
'You bctray look of doubt. Per-
haps you think that this action will be
merely local---that the properties will
quickly burn out, and in consequence
the fire die for want of sustenance. If
so, you err. The properties Of this
powder are self generating, and as long
as the water lasts must OF necessity con-
tinue their work Of decomposition, the
oxygen continually feeding the flames.
Get me another basin of water. |
want TO demonstrate it more clearly to
you
AS he had done before, he turned the
potassium into the basin and then sitted
in certain amount of the powder.
The Kissing and fuming quickly began,
followed by sharp report, when col
umn of fire again sppang UP, which
lasted until the water was consumed.
''You see, my first trial was no lllu-
sion, he said, turning to me. What /
have done once can do every time
1T rs a terrible thing + / exclaimed,
with shudder. But why have you
come to me-
because the secret is worth 1nuch
to me. But when LapEroach men they
call ne mad and will not listen. They
will believe you, and when you haye
proved what l Can do they will gladly
pay my price. Then I will divide with
you, and we both shall be rich, you to
live at your ease and | to continue my
Investigations. Will you help me ? and
he caught me by the ann with a clutch
| seem to feel now.
Help you?' asked in Il husky voice.
Would you jeopardize the lives OF the
whole human race for II few paltry
thousanls2 A man Of your great ln-
tellest and research should be aboVe -
"You still doubt my ability to- do
what | claim he interrupted. Fer
haps in the open alr you think | would
fail. Come with me aud / will astonlsh
even YOU. See, the storm has cleared
away and the clay is breaking.
T was puzzled what to do. There
was no one in the house upon whom |
could cal for assistance, but outdoors
,TNr,