The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-05-08

to do it without the aid ola weapon OF
any description. I provided Myself
with pair of shears"
"Weapons?'' suggested the Colonel.
'Not at all, answered the Doctor !;
'sinstruments of torture. l slipped
them into the pocket of my overcoat
and rode down to the Bowery in a
Third avenue car. I was in COM
placent mood. The night was clear,
the air crisp with just suggestion OF
a downfall of snow. You know what
such night means on the Bowery.
All the animal spirits of those animals
down there are at the boiling point OF
exhilaration. When 1 was quite well
down the Bowery left the car and
began searching in the saloons for my
man. It did not take me long to find
him. He had just cleaned out saloon
driven the inhabitants of the place
out, I mean, and pummeled the bar
keeper until the latter was willing to
buy him off at any price, when 1 en-
tered. ] treated him. I treated him
again. I became his confdant-his
fast friend. I let him know that I had
money and that my main object i'll life
was to see that he had a royal time of
it that evening. In this way I sue
ceeded in Turing him to hotel that I
had previously selected and where l
had engaged a room for the night.
Once in the room proceeded to make
things as comfortable as possible for
him-and incidentally for myself, for
by this time he was beginning to get
pugnacious again. / accomplished
this by keeping the table between us
and a bottle of champagne on it.,
which begged him not to spill. He
had as much respect for bottle OF
champagne as though he had been
better born, and succeeded. He was
still quite sober when I asked him ii
he knew anything about poisons.
"'Naw,' he answered, after few
moments Of contemplation, as though
he were wondering why in the world
I should ask such question as that.
Nav; nuthin' 'cept ratpoison. Why?'
ooh I answered, as delicately as
possible, merely because am doc
tor and know a great deal about them.
You see have made special study OF
them
"'Well, Doc. he asked in few mo-
ments, what has that got to do with
it? Gimme some more izz and be
quick about it, I tell you, or I'll run
me fingers in yer eyes and hang 'em
on me watch-chain.'
"'Do you know I continued pour
ing out the champagne, that there is
a certain violent poison which does
not act on the stomach as long as the
person who has swallowed it remains
perfectly still, but which is absolutely
fatal if that person makes single vio-
lent motion-for instance, such mo-
ton as rising from chair. or striking
another person, or even utterlng toe
ornate an oath?'
"sWhat are yer driving at, growled
my burly guest.
GO Simply this I answered, that
would advise you to remain as still as
you possibly can, for I have given you
dose OF that poison in one OF these
glasses of champagne-in the last one
in fact.
''But," interrupted the Colonel,
ssyou had agreed, as it were, with your
self that you would not use weapon.
Now poison, in my opinion, would be
weapon"
"Wait moment" said the Doctor.
sWell, the wretch was the msot fright
ened man I have even seen in my life.
He sat in his chair, perfectly rigid.
almost believe he was afraid to talk fol-
time. But the suspense was toe
great.
eyer amt goin' to kill teller
what's dom yer no harm, are yer? he
asked so plaintively that I almost
laughed in his face,
"'No,' I answered, keep perfectly
still, and when it thoroughly pleases
ne I Will give you simple smet;c that
will save your life Be careful do
not move OF it will be beyond my
power to do So
":What'd yer do it fur . he asked,
breathlessly.
Because, answered, I wanted a
lock of your hair. have particular
fondness for hair Of the color ofyours,
and am going to have Just about halt
OF all that you have, including half OF
-FOUR mustache, which, I will admit, is
perfectly splendid one.' With this
l approached him, at the same time
drawing from my pocket my pair Of
shears.
All right, go ahead, Doc. he said,
trembling from head to foot; but, as
yer love yer fellow-man what has got
er wife and family ter support, don't
wiggle me er that poison will work
81 do not think ever collected g
long standing bill from rich but for.
getful patient with half the salts
faction that I enjoyed in clipping of
half the hair and half the mustache of
that man who but few moments be-
fore had been threatening to gouge
out my eyes. I laughed, I sang, ]
danced jig, and then rolling the hair
up in wad showed it in my pocket.
I finished off the remainder of the
champagne. Then I walked to the
window and threw it open. We were
in room on the third floor, and the
window opened on fire escape that
reached almost to the ground. !
lifted one leg over the sill quite non
calamity
But 1 say, my dear Doctor, inter
rupted the Colonel again, you were
not playing fair. You were in reality
using weapon, and mighty danger
Gus one. The poor fellow had no show
at ALL"
ssWait moment" replied the Doc
~ - H. b.