Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-12-26

''WhatY Glycerin and nitric acid
Great heavens, man, do you know whar
you have done? Thank God, canno
be hold responsible for the conse
quences, no matter what may happen!'
why" cried his patient, in alarmed
surprise, whats the matter?"
Matter? Why, man, you have sat
uratcd your system with nitroglycerin
That's what's the matter. Don't iuml
like TINT! The least shock may make
you 70 of in twinkling. You mus,
avoid a Jar as you would poison
Couldn't you see that the acid and the
glycerin would chemically unite ant
make you explosive? How much
glycerin have you taken?"
about two ounces, think was the
dismayed answer.
rs it possible? You are positively
dangerous to be at large. You must
practice the utmost caution. Don't
ride on the cars; the least conclusion
might be fatal. You must get rubber
solesputon your shoes Immediately BE
careful not to jump, even off doorstep
OF course, you must not shoot, or ex-
pose yourself in any way to shocks or
explosions ofany kind. Even the snap
! ping Of cap might make you vanish
in a second, and there would be moth
ing but loud report to tell the tale Of
your disappearance"
but, DOCTOR" implored the trem.
bling patient, .can your science do moth
Ing for me? Cannot you get this dread,
full explosive out Of my SYSTEM"
Possibly might render it less dan
gerous, at least" responded the doctor,
thoushtfully. TITS case without
precedent, but I'll do what | can for
you. The first step will be to change
the nitroglycerin into dynamite. That,
you know, is far less apt to explode by
conclusion. In fact, 1t is nothing more
than nitroglycerin held in solid form
by all absorbent substance. shall
prescribe for you little infusorlal
earth, to be taken three times day.
That viii gradually draw out the nitro
gly Germ from your circulation, change
it into dynamite. and in the course of n
few weeks you may be SAFE
This assurance alleviated the fears of
Mr. Cutter to some extent, but he re-
paired to the Red Dog druggist in an
anxious frame Of mind The rumbling
Of n passing dray filed him with appre-
hcnslon, and he made a long detour to
ayiod passing new building where
the carpenters were still busy with their
hammers. His alarm was excited when
the druggist began to pound up some
thing In mortar, and so his critical
condition was explained to the pharma.
cist. Mr. Cutter went home by devious
route in order that he might not be en-
posed TO any Jar from the anvils OF
blacksmith shop which he was aecus-
tollcd to pass every day.
On the evening of the same day DR..
Slick attended n meeting of the Red Dog
Medical society, II was n private gath
ering, as usual, and sounds of unwonted
hilarity were heard before the Assem-.
blagc dispersed,
No one knew how the strange cond
ton OF Mr.. Cutter became known, but
the next day II was the talk of Red Dog.
He noticed that everybody avoided him
rs though he were u pestilencc, and
even the clerks in his office shuddercd
Whenever they had occasion to be near
him. lie cautioned them against sud
den closing of the doors Of the huge safe
that contained the public moneys, and
with his own hands he pinned upon the
outer door Of the office a placarl read
ing. DO not slam"
AS the days went By Mr.. Cutter be-
came more and more Respondent 1t
WINS evident, DR.. Slick assured him, that
the nltroglycerin was as yet imperfect
ly converted into dynamite. lie be-
gan taking long and solitary walks
over the hills near the town of Red Dor,
partly to distract his mind and partly |
to escape the dangers incident to hui
man companionship to man who was
loaded with nitroglycerln.
One afternoon he was walking over
the hill in which theGround Hog Quartz |
Mining company was boring tunnel.
There can be no doubt about the fact
that Mr., Cutter was seen walking over
the brow of the hill just before blast
was fired in the depths below. 1t was
only q Shot" and did nothing to dis
turb the surface Of the hill, although,
of course, much rock was loosened in
the tunnel. But the sound of the blast
in the tunnel was followed by peculiar
mufiled defamation from the hill. II
was noticed particularly at the time,
because the miners feared that some Of
the blast had been 'slow in going off,
But the next day 1t was found that
Mr. Cutter was missing. The clerks in
his office waited valnly for him to ap-
pear md open the vault, of which he
alone knew the combination. Days
passed, and he did not come. lie never
came.
1t is still whispered In the town Of
Red Dog that at the next meeting of the
Calaveras County Medical society DR..
Slick read an elaborate technical ther-
apeptieal ap9 pharmaceutical paper
which indicated 10 dreadful an enling
to Thomas Cutter that men yet speak
Of 1t with bated breath. 1t was only a
theory, for there was nothing palpable
to support upon. There was no tangi-
Bile evidence. There were no remains,
Yet nr, Silex's theory was believed.
Whether It was true or false, Thomas
Cutter was never again seen in the
flesh, living or dead. He had vanished
INTO the void San Francisco Argonaut.
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The largest gulf Is the Gulf Of
Mexico, which has an area Of about
100000 square miles, double that Of the