Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-29
nervously awaiting his decision.


While recOunting the narrative of
my life his eyes seemed to pierce me
through and through, and finally his
teeth came together with a click that
caused me to start up; he swiftly
came to where l was sitting and plac-
ing his hand upon my shoulder, SAID
you can have the position, provid-
ing that we can agree on terms,
which as as follows: l will give you
$4,000 in gold for one weeks work,
providing you are then alive.
For this you must agree to do my
bidding, with assurances from me,
that no bodily harm shall be done
you. That you will agree and swear
to keep secret all that you may see
and hear during that time. This is
all I can say until you accept my
terms"
"Ten thousand dollars-ten thous-
and dollars" slowly l repeated the
words to myself, "fOr one weeks
work" Surely this man was making
a jest with me. What could do in
so short space of time that he could
afford to pay me this large sum of
money? "Ten thousand dollars, :
again ran through my brain and my
stomach seemel to understand it's
import, for it sent forth a rumbling
sound that might have meant a sup
plication to me to accept the terms.
Il do not know what you require,
sir,'' said, but 1 accept your offer"
Without a word he turned to the
side of the room and pressing mis-
finger on the wall, panel slowly
slid along and revealed a dark cavity,
reaching in his arm drew forth bag
after bag of some kind of metal and
placiI them on the floor, then re-
moving the strings which bound them
he turned the contents on the table.
Great heaps of the shining metal ap-
peared, and at last he said: There
is 100000 dollars, all Of which is
yours, when you have fulfilled your
part of the contract
Now, will tell you what I require
from you in return for this.
Know then, that for years | have
made a study of bacateriology, and
have so far perfected by investiga-
tons that l have produced new kind
of bacteria, so-called by various ways
and means, which l, for want of a
better name, have called mile
bacterium, for the reason if what the
result is reached which l believe will
be, the moment they are released, the
end of all things will come, man and
animal life will cease to exist and the
millennium will have arrived so far as
mankind is concerned. What l want
you to do is simply enter a room and
witness the workings of these mile
bacterium on another person. You
will, in all probability, escape contact
with them. My reason for not doing
this myself is that there may be a
chance Of the observer becoming in
fected with them in spite Of all my
precautions, and it would result fatal
ly to him. 1 wish to know just how
they attack and what the effect is on
| human system.
'1 have tried them an animals of
almost every kind, and in all cases
| where contact was made the victim
has died in from 10 to Is seconds
The millebacterium causing the blood
to CONCEAL in that time. I have a
human subject now, and I want you to
go to that room and witness the work
| ings. They will be confined in a
| glass case, but nothing is impervious
| to them-they GO through everything
even 1 have nearly lost my life IN
this on several occasions. The glass
case may hold them and it may not
| If it does, you are $4,000 ahead, and
if it does not-why you have nc
!, relatives Or friends to be alarmed at
your disappearance.
Come, then, and I will show you
the subject"
Horror-struck at this recital,
| strove to speak, but my tongue Glove
to the roof OF my mouth and nc
sound could I make.
Large drops of perspiration stood
out on my forehead, and at last after
a mighty effort l managed to recover
my speech and fercely denounced his
scheme of trying his devilish idea CT
a human person, much less Of releas
| ing them and sending them fortf
broadcast over the world. With g
calm and impressive face, but eyes
! that fairly shone in the intensity OF
| their look, he calmly listened until
| finally stopped from sheer exhaustion
when he again said, come, we will
now 60" l sought to fight his touch
but to no avail. l seemed to be com
plete1y under his control.
Leading the way from the room he
passed into another, much the same
as the one we had just quilted
There I observed a large glass case
about six feet in length, three fee
high and two feet wide, and in ii
one Of the most beautiful women tina
l ever had seen, apparently asleep
her arms resting at her SIDE