The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-25
Strange Story Of vanIshment
Of Yale Professor.
WAS Que TO A METEORITE.
Locked In a Room With The Creature the
Man Disappears, Learning Nothing but
His Clothes.

cone night last December" said As
sistant Professor job slavin, Il was APP
pealed TO by Decius Grant. a colored man
who Is janitor In the Peabody museum
of Yale University. 10 come from my
house To that building on a matter OF the
most urgent Importance. Inquiry devel-
oped the following facts:
Townsend Mead. geological expert
attached 10 the museum. had asked Grant
the day before to lock him in one OF the
basement vaults and not 10 release him
for twentyfour hours.
Mr.. Meads reason was that he wished
To conduct an experiment In biology for
which absolute seclusion and silence were
required. Grant had just opened the
vault door according to his previous In
structIons. Mead he said. had utterly
disappeared
Amt nuthen there 'fessur.' said the
frightened janitor. 'cept jes' his close
An they is fixed the mos curuses' way
His coat an trousies they is outside his
shirt an his boots fastened outside his
stockn's, and nothen on loose. an IL
seems jes' he been nachully melted clean
away, widout takip' his close of. He
lcf this for You, sab
II opened the packet which was ad-
dressed To me- and read as follows:
If / had studied animal psychology
with half the diligence which 1 have be-
slowed upon the study of meteorites l
might be able TO account more Intelligent
ly for the curious story which am about
TO relate. but / have devoted my whole
life 10 the investigation OF meteorites or
fallen stones-those strange visitors from
other worlds propelled to our earth
through millions OF miles OF heavenly
space, coming, IL may be, from a sepa-
rate universe than ours. and repIete 4
have often fancifully thought, with mys-
terious and wonderful messages, II we
could only read them.
In the summer of 1899 I was en-
ployed as a rowing collector by the man
ager OF the Peabody museum. We re-
ceived letter from n resident OF Ashe-
Vile, y. c., telling of metoric stone
which had recently fallen in that vicinity.
Inside of forty-eight hours 1 was stand
ing by It's side with hammer and test
ing tools.
FINDS A GRAY MOTH.
The meteorite--for there was no
doubt Of the nature OF the rock lay by the
sand IN which IL WAS more than half
embedded. In shape IL was a rough
sphere, it's black crust was covered with
the characteristic cupules, and fits weight
j judged to be between four and five
hundred pounds.
These particulars / noted hastily in
my field book. before ascertaining to
which OF the two great divisions this
meteorite belonged TO the stone class or
10 the iron.
" In order TO determine this IL was
necessary TO chip off piece OF the sub
stance under the burnt crust NV ham
mer made very little impression, but
fortunately-or unfortunately had a
crowbar in the blackboard. With this /
assaulted the meteorite successfully and
soon had made a visible crack In a rough
protuberance at one size.
Much TO my surprise my next blow
broke open this cap-like projection and
disclosed a little cavity beneath. / stoop-
ed to examine the fracture and found in
the recess. which had been uncovered
an enormous grayish moth with folded
wings
" Il removed the creature and laid II
on the top OF the meteorue. could make
at the time only a rude estimate of it's
size; the wings were, perhaps, ten or
twelve inches across and the body was
about as big as the thumb OF n good
sized man.
I" 1T had none OF the tenuous delicate
appearance OF the ordinary butterfly but
was more like a bird or a bat I'm it's
sinewy construction. No feet or legs
We're visible, and the head, which over
balanced the body, seemed to be unmis-
takably that OF an insect. / was look
ing at this part closely when the eyes
opened.
They were round and OF the diameter
Of an ordinary lead pencil / placed the
huge moth IN the tin case which | use
ordinarily for carrying minerals finished
my Investigation OF the meteorite. and
drove back 10 the town.
In response to my telegram re-
ceived immediate wired Instructions 10
purchase he inetcorite al once and to ar
range for its shipment to New Haven.
These transactions consumed the better
part of the afternoon and evening II
nearly midnight when, tired and |
sleepy, | went TO my room IA the hotel. !
and opened the tin case.
EXHALEs A PUNGENT oDoR.
"oWhen turned back the lid of the
mineral box there was a faint futtering
OF the uncouth wings and an eNhRlation
of % pungCnt and not unpleasa mt. odor. !
The moth lay upon It's back The color
OF the body had changed, a dim brick red
having superseded the gray OF the morn |
ing
The head appeared 10 be swollen. and |
was twitching from side TO side. Tho !
eyes were closed. and remember being |
vaguely and chidishly thankful. I had |
not thought OF keep ing the thing alive. !
What did butterflies eat7
4 recollected preparing limitation hon |
ey in my boyhood - captive moths and |
accordingly called n bell boy and asked |
Tor some sugar ana water. When re- |
turned 60 the table the creature had open- |
ed - eyes. and they looked square into |
mine as leaned over it.
There would bc little sense In at !
tempting 10 describe my sensation which !
followed. Shall say taat my nerves be- /