Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-03-02


He was a grotesque figure, clad in an
undershict and worn pair of trou-
GERS fastened with an old bit of tarred
rope in lieu Of his suspenders, which l
had been repairiog. About his waist
fiickered a sort of aura Of radiance
which was extinguishsd as he flung
himself headforemost into the cold
spring | hauled him out. He seemed
dazed. To my questions he replied on
ly by mumblings, the burden of which
was:
81 do not understand. 1t is not to
be comprehended accident 1t appears
that he didn't quite know why he had
taken to the water, or if he did he
didn't want to tell.
Next day he was as good as new.
just as silent as before, but it was a
smiling, satisfied silence. So it went
for weeks, for months, with the ac-
cesses of depression and anger always
rarer. Then came an afternoon when
returning from a stalk after sheep I
heard strange and shocking noises
from the laboratory. Strict as was the
embargo which kept me outside the
door, burst in, only to be seized in
suffocating grip. OF sudden l real
lied that / was being embraced, The
doctor f1ourished hand above my head
and jigged with ponderous steps. The
dismal noises continued to emanate
from his mouth. He was singing.
wish l could give you notion of the
amazement, the paralyZing wonder with
which No, you did not know DR..
Schermerhorn. You would not under
stand.
I'VE polkaed into the open. There
he cast me loose. He stopped singing
and burst into rhapsody of disjoint-
ed words. Mostly German, 1t was
wondrous tumble of the scientific acd
poetic. Eureka occurred at intervals.
Then he would leap in the air. 1t was
weird; it was distressing. Crazy? oh,
quite! For the time, you understand.
If any Of us should suddenly become
the most potent individual In the
world. wouldn't he be apt to lose bal
ance temporarily? One must make al
lowances There was excuse for the
doctor. He had reached the goal.
Percy, you shall be rewarded he
said. You hat like trump card
stuck by me- You shall hat riches.
gold, what you will. You are young;
your blood runs red. With such riches
nothing is beyond you You could the
ancient tombs of Egypt explore. 1t is
open to you such collections as have
never been gathered to make. What
shall 1t be-scarabs, missals, pre-
historic implements? Amuse yourself,
mein kind. We shall be able the bills
with usurlous interest to pay. What
will you hafT
81 said I'd like a vacation IL con-
venient
Presently he replied. There yet
remains the guardianship to be per
fected. Then to a world astonished
and respectful we return. Tonight we
celebrate. I play you rubber of pin
ochle.'
I'VE played. With the greatest Sc
cret Of science resting at our elbows
we played The doctor won. Ny
mind was not strictly on the game.
In the morning the doctor sang once
more. shall never hear its like again.
Was II week or month after that?
I cannot remember. l fancy was ex-
cited. Then. too. there was something
In the atmosphere about the laboratory.
[ don't know; imagination possibly.
Once we had a little manifestation
the night that the niger and Slade
were terrified by the rock fires. Days
of excitement and pleasant work. with
the little yalcano grumbling more sulk-
lily all the time. have spent worse
days.
Such Indifference a. the doctor dis
played toward the volcano l have new
er known. If | ventured 10 warn him
he would assure me that there was no
cause for alarm. l think he regarded
that little hell's kitchen as merely a
feed spout for his vast enterprise. He
felt n sort Of affection toward it. He
was tolerant Of its petty fits Of temper.
That he completed his work before the
destruction came was sheer luck
nothing else. The day before the out
burst he came to me with n tiny vial
Of complicated design.
Percy. ! will at n reasonable price
sell this TO you he said
How much:' I inquired, respond
ing TO his playfulness.
"A bargai1t' lie cried gaily. Five
millions dOllarS. No. Shall I upon a
needy friend hard press? Never. One
million. one little million dollars"
81 haven't that amount with me-
began.
of no account he declared airily.
soon we shall hat mauy more times
a. that elf me your G o. D.
My 10 e? I inquired.
1T makes no matter. See! l will
gif it to ron gratis
He handed me the metal contri-
vance. Il was closed.
Sc inside iss q little. such a very lit
tie. Not yet ISIS il arranged the motive
power TO give forth one more change
TO be made that shall require. But the
other phenomena are al in this little
half grain comprised Later ! shall
tell you more Take t. II ISIS without
price He laid his hand on ny sb08i-
der. Like the lore Of friends he said
gently
Feeling in his upper wzistcoat pock-