The record-union., 1897-08-16
STRANGE STORY OF A GERM.
How a Jerseyite Made a Pet of the
Bacillus of Cholera.

There was blaze in William street
one afternoon year or so ago, and |
was sent out to take care of it, 1t did
not amount to much; what [ telephoned
to the paper filled four lines on the
financial page That was the story
wrote. While on the assignment inn
portant information was cOnfided to me.
That was the story l did not write.
Adjoining the building where ths
fire had started was a saloon and in it
a public telephone, which l used in call
ing up my office. What | talked into
the receiver was overheard by a man
who sat alone at one of the little round
drinking tables with a glass of some
greenish liquid before him. He fol-
lowed me out.
Young man." he said, Il credit you
with abilities too considerable to jus
tify your wasting your youth in chron-
icling such small beer as a fire among
shavings."
To this proposition l entered q cold
and guarded assent.
Young man." he went on Il have a
story for you that will tear the town
wide open. 1 was thinking of it in
there when you entered. That is
NAiOAC NY
From his pocket he pulled out the
backs of half a dozen envelopes on
which he had scribbled. This is about
friend of mine living in a New Jersey
suburb" he explained. bill has been
avoiding publicity and has never court
ed newspaper notoriety, but want to
tell you that he has made a big con-
tribution to science"
Tta,a 1,a
markable story, giving names and
dates, which l have forgotten. 1t re-
lated to the reputed efforts of an in
geniOus commuter to discover the true
properties of the cholera germ, or mi
crobe. He believed that if he could ex-
aggerate its size he could study it the
more intelligently, and so he set about
by every means in his power to cult
Vate a specimen. His success was be-
yond his expectation. l recall sub
stantially a portion of the account:
BY degrees the germ assumed as
tonishing proportions. Bill felt that
he had the record when it was as large
as a spider. When it had reached the
proportions of a puppy and began to
show symptoms of intelligence his de-
light was unbounded. He had a kennel
SAAAh LA ~ dAA0 PcillPClCd IL Will tlE
delicacies of his table, and still it grew.
He said nothing about it to his friends
for fear of interference from the health
authorities, but when one of his neigh
bors glanced into the kennel and saw
the strengthening watch dog chained
there Re said afterward that the sight
of it struck a chill into him.
After some months the germ had
hiCr that if TO
erect a shed for it, At this time it's
appearance was very like that of
bear, except that it was more shaggy
and uncertain of outline and had no
claws. It's disposition also was sim
liar, and Bill taught it to do many of
the same tricks. 1t would rise on its
hind feet and prance around in
clumsy dance when he blew a har-
monica. When he held out stick hor-
izontally it would jump over it. He
dubbed his strange pet Dick, and it
would come trotting to him when it
heard his whistle The monster learn
ed 70 love it's master
The germ was very restless in sum-
mer, and in the very hottest weather
he used to quarantine it in a cold
storage compartment The patient
brute submitted in good part, whining
a little when it heard it's masters
footstep. But it was noted that it's
temper was giving way in it's confne-
ment"
With an account of a deadly struggle
between the brute and Bill, which the
latter terminated by fatal blow over
the heart region. the recital ended I
noticed there was a greenish glare in,
the eyes of its author as he thrust the
envelopes back into his pocket and
bade me farewell.
When I related the circumstances to
the city editor he told me the story
would keep for few years until science
caught up with it. I doubt if he be-
lieved it. c. B. f.