Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-04-11
HALF AN HOUR TO LIVE
Asst summer was stewIng away

O0o0oO0O0OOO00
r Asst summer was stewing away
in the office and wondering what
- crime 1-or my representative In
some former Stnte-had committed to
be doomed to such q life. when one
morning received a note from my old
friend, Tommy Cameron, Of Clinton.
He begged me to come and stay with
him for a month.
Cameron met me Mt the station, and
after an hours drive through a most
beautiful country we reached Clinton.
Here q surprise awaited me, for two
young ladies' came forward to greet us;
they were the Misses Cameron, and
Kept house for their brother.
got on fairly well during the first
week, as I kept with Cameron most Of
the time.
Whether lie gave me away or not I
cannot soy, but they seemed to know
I was stunning them, and they tried
every dodge-as only women know how
to draw me out.
struggled hard against what now
considered my natural self, but It was
too strong for me. One by one all the
theories and arguments had fed on
disappeared. melted by the sunny eyes
OF these girls.
As I said, there were two Of them.
1iadge and Floss. Madgc was the
younger and prcttler; she represented
the musical and artistic instincts;
Floss, on the other hand. was the man.
ASer; she Ind the brains Of the estab-
1lshment.
She was very nice, hut she went In
for such awful things: she had some
favoritc toads In the conservatory. and
che would 60 rambling about the coun.
try and bring home all sorts Of animals,
insects and other unthinkablc things
and cut them up!-imagine girl doing
thati
The other one, as I said, was not 20
heavy, and went In for art: and, ~ you
know. I have n little learning in that
direction myself. 1t was natural. there.
fore, that when she told me she was
going to paint little river scene near
the house should ask II might be Of
use. I obtained permission to walt on
her and we started the picture.
In this pleasant way the days passed
until Cameron's return-he was away
the second week-when. Of course.
there were innovations. We would
have days fishing, and then day OF
shooting, or long tramp over tho hills.
When out on ono Of these early morn.
ing tramps we met young fellow
whom Tommy introduced as Arthur
Cllsby, friend Of his.
He was the son of large ship owner
OF. Dundee and was the family failure;
his chief failure, as far rs could
gather. being TINT he couldn't knuckle
under.
He had been a student at Glasgow
University and had promised to come
or well, but his individualIty--wiAcll
always came to the top ut the most
awkward moments--asserted itself.
A result he left Glasgow and soon
after had q quarrel with his father,
and, having decided that they could
not get on together. they agreed ia
di6Ier-and part. He had come Out
here into the wilds to live and devoted
his time to abstract scientific problems
chiefly in the electrical line.
Dinner time came and with It ouI
guest, but instead of the jolly good Eel
low Of the morning he was now quiet
opprcssively %; never speaking unless
directly addressed. and only then an
swering with few quiet, direct words
A few days after. having nothing
particular In view, I determined Il
avail myself Of his invitation. and Gel
OF In the direction Of the Hermitage.
The house was an unpretentious con
Germ. but was eloquent Of the indi
viduality Of its master. The top fo0
had been turned Into one large room
aud this he used as laboratory; It wa
literal armery Of scientific appar
atus.
After time the talk veercd round 4
electrical executions. and he said:
"You may remember. perhaps. tin
nrst man they executed In this way Il
New York State, and what a fearful
hash they made Of It? Twas there nn'
saw It all; It was simply awful. Re
voting!
1.-THE doctors. bah! they're fools
They thought they understood It al
and applied the death current at wha
they considered were tho nervc cen
tiers. the top Of the head aud the base q
tho spine.
III they had only used their common
sense and powers Of observation, the,
would at once found that IN ninet
cases In every 100 Of tho fatal accident
In New York alone, the fatal shock wa
received through the hands, for til
hands and arms being muscular. ar
full Of blood. and, therefore. good cor
duct0rs.
II set to work to devise an applianc
that would administer the death Icu
atty with the minimum amount o: tol
-ture, both bodily and mental. to II
criminal. We will now take look a
the apparatus ITSELF"
We left the house, and he led th
way across the open until We sroppe
ct Q door. He entered, and after groy
ing for q moment found the switch
and Immediately the place was full q
light.
noticed that this room was partl
cut out from the rock aud partly hull
% were the others that ] afterward