Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-11-30

quick ear had caught the word. what
glycerin?"
Eve been taking some along with the
medicine" Mr.. Cutter explained, in con-
fusion, knowing how medical men dis
like any departure from the treatment
they order.
Thete was a momentary twinkle in
the doctors eye. 1t might have passed
for amusement, but there was every APP
pearance of CONSERVATION in his man
ner as be jumped to his feet and ex-
claimed:
'What? Glycerin and nitric acid!
Great heavens, man, do you know what
you have done? Thank God, cannot
be held 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 jump
like that! The least shock may make
you go off in twinkling. You must
avoid jar as you would poison.
Couldn't you see that the acid and the
glycerin would chemically unite and
make you explosive? How much
glycerin have you taken?"
''About two ounces, Think was the
dismayed answer.
SIS 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
- 4oI1
careful not to jump, even off doorstep
OF course, you must not shoot, or ex-
pose yourself in any way to shocks on
explosions of any 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" impIored the trem-
bling patient, "can your science do moth
ing for me? Cannot you get this dread
full explosive out of my SYSTEM"
Possibly I might render it less dam
gerous, at least" responded the doctor,
thouGhtfully. Its a case without
precedent, but I'll do what l can for
you. The first step will be to change
the nitroglycerin into dynamite. That,
you know, is far less apt to explode by
concussion. In fact, it is nothing more
than nitroglycerin held in a solid form
by an absorbent substance. / shall
prescribe for you a little infusoriai
earth, to be taken three times a day.
That Will gradually draw out the nitro
glycerin from your circulation, change
it into dynamite, and in the course Of q
h 70
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-
henslon, and he made long detour to
aviod passing a 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 a 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 ex-
posed to any jar from the anvils of n
blacksmith shop which he was accus-
toned to pass every day.
On the evening of the same day DIR.
Slick attended meeting of the Red Dog
Medical society. 1t was private gath
ering, as usual, and sounds of unwonted
hiiGrity were heard before the Assem-,
blagc dispersed.
No one knew how the strange condi.
ton of Mr.. Cutter became known, but
the next day it was the talk of Red Dog.
He noticed that everybody avoided him
as though he were a pestilence, and
even the clerks in his Office shuddered
whenever they had occasion to be near
him. He 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 placard read
ing: DO not Slam
AS the days went by Mr.. Cutter be-
came more and more respondent. It
was evident, DR.. Slick assured him, that
the nitroglycerin was as yet imperfect
ly converted into dynamite. He be
gan taking long and solitary walks
over the hills near the town of Red Dog,
partly to distract his mind and partly
to escape the dangers incident to hui
man companionship to man who was
Loaded with nltroglycerln.
One afternoon he was walking over
the hill in which the Ground Hog Quartz
Mining company was boring a tunnel.
| There can be no doubt about the fact
that Mr.. Cutter was seen walking owe.
the brow of the hill just before blast
was fired in the depths below. 1t was
| only a 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
muff1ed 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 it was found that
Mr.. Cutter was missing. The clerks in
his Office waited vainly for hi1n to APP
pear and open the vault, of which he