Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-08-22
MAN WHO
ONCE MADE
DIAMONDS
: is a remark past doubt that
Conrad Macdonald was a
most wonderful chemist.
Mysalf I know this and
BY CufcIDfe Hyne
Cs,yrirbs, 1905, E CsfeliSs Hyns

lAf SOurau NlucuOualu was
I6Se most wonderful chemist.
(&sSj Myself know this, and
that's why l say it. His small knot
of acquaintances are. with few excep-
tioDs, entirely ignorant on the subject.
Even the HattOn Garden people, who
ought to know, have overlooked this
talent in their awe ut one another Of
the mans peculiar attributes.
Pedanticaily Macdonald was Ph. D..
Of Leipsic and ID. Sc. of London,
which. of course, does not go for
much. and he was also Il 3. A. of Cam
briGge. first class Nat. Science Tripos,
both parts, which naturally goes for
nothing at all. Honors men are no.
torious tizzles in after life, and so
none of these things in the least proves
that he was usefully and practically
clever. Even the post at Burton-on-
Trent, from which he derived living
during some sixteen preparatory years,
was no criterion of his powers. He
was merely analyst in brewery. Of
ficially that may argue certain niceties
of manipulation and an elementary
knowledge of organic work, but no op-
erations are required which are not eX-
haustively remarked upon in the text
books. Original research is entirely
foreign to that branch of the trade.
For the style of work he drew good
income-few journeymen analysts could
boast better-but the eXoteric public
failed to see how he spent it. He Jared
on Spanish claret, Camembert cheese,
brown biscuit and plug tobacco entire
ly; bought one inferior suit Of black
per annum, which became many hued
with bleach and acid before the day of
discarding; never purchased letter
press, amusement or new hats, and yet
wore his money down to the breaking
strain. The local bank manager while
sending him uncivil letters about over
drawing his account used to wonder
whether Macdonald was supporting an
invalid mother in luxury elsewhere.
Macdonald knew very few people
outside the brewery. Myself and one
other man made up his list Of callers.
As the other man pinned himself to
travel $4,000 miles per annum, mostly
ON foot or horseback, he did not often
turn up at Burton-on-Trent, and, also
because of wanderlust, my own visits
rarely amounted to the biannual.
Neither Macdonald's residence nor his
menage was attractive enough to draw
more respectable visitors.
He inhabited then a large rectangu.
lar barn, standing by itself in field.
1t had originally been a grain store,
possessed no chimney and had win
dows only in the roof. When necessary
Macdonald procured heat by eXalting
a brick over two roaring Bunsen burn
ers, light by inducing the said Bunsens
to cast forth yellow, smoky flames. A
canvas hammock slung across one
angle and blanket sleeping sack saw
ed the formality Of bedmaking. The
floor was a seat which never required
dragging into position. These things,
when reported in Burton-on-Trent,
were looked upon as the adjuncts OF
savage. Moreover, there was usually
free chlorine in the air.. which, With
the other stinks of the place, bit heav-
ily into strangers lung.
Consequently Macdonald became a
pariah and was left severely alone,
which was what he wanted. He nat
urally earned the reputation Of being
mad, which he was not, and of being
unclean, which was only true with
modification. For instance, he had q
tank in his barn and dived there thrice
daily.
The other attribute which limited at
as being his was a business talent
which enabled him to bring off the big
gest blacknailing coup Of the century.
So cunningly had he kept this up his
sleeve that not even l and the other
man knew anything about it. he had
exhibited himself up till then in all
matters commercial as the most un
methodical creature imaginable.
As it CHANGED, did not see him Till
after the blackmailing scheme had been
laid before the diamond ring. and they
were beginning to show their distaste
for It's proposals in violent form.
He answered my kick on the door
panel with sharp "Qui vive?' recos-
nized my voice and let me in.
drew, to my surprise, an easy
breath and commented with point upon
the unwonted clearness Of the atmos-
phere. He asked If had pistol.
"No." said; "never carry one; al
ways too much afraid Of shooting my
self And what the deuce do you want
a pistol for. anyway"
81 have one for myself. but thought
YOU might find it convenient to be arm
ed also-'hceled,' don't you call 1t in
your slang:
But why? What bee have you got
in your bonnet now? Why ever should
YOU. of all people. take to manslaugh
ter?"
because. my good McI!innic. as You
remarked for yourself. the atmosphere
of this place has changed. The day OF
evil smells is past, thank goodness.
There's been no free chlorine on the
roam round this barn for three mortal
months. Here; don't light your pipe at
the Bunsen. Try spill"
He tore leaf from Il valuable Ger
man work OH crystallography and
| twisted it up. / stared ut him with a
puckered head. He flung the book with
| a crash at rack of test tubes and
laughed.
"I'm not mad or anywhere near 1t"
| he explained, "but I've done with orig
| inal research In chemistry and chem
| led physics for ever and ever. Amen.
At the present moment I'm trying to
| levy my fee, and 1t is not an easy Job.
There's 4 st.+ng probability that I
shan't earn more than coffin and a
coroners inquest. BY the way, where
have you been these last eight
mOnths?"
collecting birds and aye-ayes In
Madagascar. But never mind that. Try
to tell me sanely and concisely what
you've been at recently. 1t isn't the
marrying tack, suppose?"
"Not much. Look. It's this" He
took something from his coat pocket
pulled out my watch and scratched on
the glass the word "Feci" in large
struggling, angular letters.
I'D