Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1896-01-20


vigor of Dalton or a Cavcndish Not
confning himself to the textbooks, he
roamed freely into field of original re-
search which led to many noisome odors
and some small explosions. His master
lectured him and ordered him to lingcr in
the beaten paths, but he commanded in
vain. One day, in passing through the
laboratory, l heard Smitt dilating In an
admonitory way upon tin of cyanide OF
potassium.
"See you, my dunder headed friend, " he
said, II show you this that you shall know
what it is better to avoid. In this tin lies
the essence of the most deadly poison
known to man. In your way you may
discover something worse 1t is probable,
if you insist upon running wild. But
warn you of this If you take piece of
this white chemical and pour over it some
diluted sulphuric acid-a thing which you
may do some time-you will learn some
thing. 1t will be that which no distin-
guished chemist on earth knows-the mys-
terry of the hereafter. You will generate
hydrocyanic acid, and, my idiotic young
friend, you will be dead. You will proba
bly, notice delightful aromatic odor, as Of
peach blossoms, but, believe me- you will
not live to enjoy it. So look you, my fool
boy, and leave this tin alone"
smiled at the old mans caution and
realized the wisdom of 1t, for the chemical
he referred to was in constant use in both
the assay office and the mill and just such
thing as would necessarily fall handily
in the way of the boys methodless expert
ments
Time passed, and the pupil assistant fit
ted himself into useful place. Smitt
kept on in the even tenor of his way.
Many monthly checks had been sent to his
wifc and several to the insurance COM
panies. The life in the little camp was 60
ing on about as usual, although I was
hard pressed with work, planning i'm
provements and changes as the increasing
depth of the mine required, making up re-
ports and statements and working out
notes.
One day while thus busily engaged, a
messenger from the telegraph office came
in with a dispatch. Hastily receipting for
it, 1 tore off the cover and read:
Send money Immediately. Creditors threat
en-. Cannot exist upon your paltry allow
ances. LURLINE.
"What the deuce is this!' exclaimed,
then looking at the address saw that 1t
was directed to Herman Smitt." With
apologies for the mistake had made in
opening it, handed the message over to
the assayer.
was very much embarrassed at my
blunder and for awhile did not think of
the contents of tho dispatch. Thon it came
to me. "Lurline!" That was the name Of
my pretty grass widow. "Smitt," too,
was the surname, now that l reflected
Was it possible that my brilliant hostess
my luxurious entertainer, my sentimental
friend, was the spouse of the niggardly old
fellow whose miserly habits were despised
by every one9
And-I saw 1t all in a flash-the poor
old man was slaving that she might spend.
Looking back the recollection was not
pleasant 1t seemed, now, that there had
beon bitter flavor in those elegant re-
pasts, the wine was corked-aye there were
even false notes in the sweet German songs.
"Poor old fool I said to myself. want
cd to shake him by the hand and tell him
that I was sorry for him. In fact, 1t
seemed as if there were thousand things
ought to say to him. And yet, what was
there to say? Nothing So was silent.
The following morning, when went to
the office at the usual hour, the metallur-
gist was in a fine state of fdgets and pro-
family. Smitt had not turned out yet, and
he was waiting for lot of important as
says ho had sent in the night before. The
boy had tried the doors loading into the
assay office-they were locked; knocks
had not been responded to. The metallur-
gist was angry, but somehow my anxiety
was at once aroused.
rushed to one of the doors of the labo-
ratory and gave it hearty kick, which
broke the lock and threw it open. A pun
gent aroma assailed my nostrils
'Back for your lives!" l cried to those
who were standing behind me, and hasten
ing around to another door, communicate
ing with the open air from the same apart
ment, kicked that open also. After wait.
ing q few moments to allow the air to cir
culate I covered my nose and mouth with
wet sponge and entered the apartment.
Then, as I feared, found Smitt lying
upon his back-dead. He was dressed In
his usual working clothes. His daily prep
arations had all been made The assays
had been f1uxed and were in their crucibles
ready for the fires to fuse them. The lab.
oratory table carried its usual display Of
beakers wash bottles, TASKS and evaporat-
ing dishes. A tin of cyanide of potassium
also lay there upon it's side, as if it had
been carelessly upset, and quantity Of
pieces of the salt lay scattered upon the
floor. Smiths hand clutched portion oi
broken bottle, which had evidently con-
tained sulphuric acid 1t looked as If this
bottle had been accidentally broken and
its contents spilled upon the deadly re-
agent. But could conceive no determine
tion in the needs of our works calling fol
the presence of the acid and the salt at the
same time.
l explained to the coroner's jury that
afternoon the effect of hydrocyanic acid
and also that distinguished chemists hat
before this been known to die by accident
ally inhaling this poisonous gas. The cor
oner examined the old man 8 effects, which
were few and Of no value. With commend
able delicacy a package Of letters signet
"Lurline" was sent unread, together will
his flute and porcelain pipe, to the be
reaved Mrs Herman Smitt. noticed thai
the unfortunate dispatch received tho day
before was not in evidence. He had prob
ably destroyed it.
The verdict Of the inquest was~that "th'
deceased had come to his death by the &C
cidental inhalation Of poisonous ga
while engaged in his usual occupations.
The daily paper published brief edi
torial obituary, dwelling more upon th'
abilities Of the man than upon his virtues
He was given decent interment at th'
expense Of the company, and that was tn
end of it so far as Smitt was concerned.
Some months later received a persona
letter from the president. Among othe
gossip he said:
The husband Of your friend Lurline Is dead
and she looks very charming in her mourn
ing. By the way, there is good chance TO