The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1909-04-15
THE DEAD
ARTISAN
CHAPTER I.
- y - y - -
By DE WITT B. LUCAS.

CHAPTER |.
My friend, John Merton, was wha
some people would call a peculiar
individual Few enjoyed his conf
dence, however, as l did. To me h
possessed most fascinating and in
teresting personality. He inherited
a large fortune early in life, left hin
by a miserly uncle, and as he haC
never married he was left entirely
free to follow the bent of an exceed
ingly restless temperament, and thus
crafty his ambition for travel and
adventure. l became acquainted with
him shortly after he purchased THE
afternoon of life.
His love for equine sports was
second only to that for a good din,
ner, and he stocked the large stable
on his premises with the finest thor
oughbreds Obtainable. But the great
est attraction ut The Willows" was
Johns den.
There were rare and beautiful vases
from ancient China and Japan-won,
derful works of art in marvellous deli.
cacy. Priceless tapestries from Per,
sia-a mummy from Egypt-sacred
writings from Thibt, fetishes from
Africa, war implements from Austria,
lila and many other rare curios too
numerous to mention, each with a
most interesting history.
-, The construction of Johns den ren,
dered it absolutely fireproof and prac.
tically burglar-proof, as the three
windows the room contained were
placed high up and heavily barred
making it an impOssjbility to even
reach them without the aid of long
ladder. The door was massive and
furnished with a spring lock of the
most improved design. This descrip
tion is necessarily minute in order
to enable you to understand the sig
nificance of events that later trans
pired.
1t was one Of those raw, blustery
days in early February-the most
cherries time of the whole year, be
fore the warm kiss of spring ha!
called Nature back to life, and be
ing-that l heard pounding on m!
door. Johns man was shortly after
ward shown in and announced
that his master desired me to come
over earlier this evening and brinl
my medicine case, as he was suffer
ing from a severe cold that requir
ed my attention.
l donned my overcoat and drew
on my gloves at once, caught up m!
ever ready case and hastened over t.
my friends with a feeling somewhat
akin to uneasiness. l found him il
his den smoking. He arose when he
caught sight of me, smiling a greet
ing in his usual cordial way.
Don't be alarmed, my boy" said
he, evidently defining my feelings
"there's not the slightest cause rol
1t. Only bad cold that will speed
lily vanish under your skllful treat
ment."
! saw he was right, and after ad-
ministering to his needs, settled my
self comfortably and prepared to
spend a pleasant evening in his COM
pany. After some moments of silent
contentment he said, indicating my
fragrant Havana.g
How much like human being
your cigar is, Doc@
In what way,@sI inquired
"Well, for instance. you light It,
and by drawing air through, the oxy-
gen feeds the fire that consumes 1t.
4 believe the process is the same in
the human body, only in much less
degree." aTs2
l nodded assent
"Then," he continued, "the oxy,
gen and fire acting in conjunction
produce a chemical change ia the
weed-part goes on in smoke and
gases, the remaining portion being
nothing but ashes"
yes" 1 replied. ~only In the case
OF the human body oxygen produces
old age. and eventually death. The
body disintegrates sfter death anC
NOT during 'lfes ~ in the case of the
cigar"
"On the contrary" he made an
sweF. "disintegration is going on IL
fhe body all the time. Scientists tel