The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-30

torneys consigned Powell'ss book to
the flames OF their crate. The book
being large, Is burned slowly. Sud-
denly a hurried knock sounded at
the door. When II was opened,
Joseph Powell staggered into the
room. and fell to the floor in a faint.
THAT Powell tainted was afterward
told by the janitor who assisted in
carrying him into another room for
medical attention.) The room be-
ing close and hot at this time, a.
window was raised to let in the cool
air, which instantly created strong
draft up the chimney. and before the
attorneys noted Its, mischief perhaps,
the leaves from the burning book
were carried up the flue and later fell
Into my hands. Then. as other leaves
In the book futtered to escape, one
Of the attorneys took notice and
closed the window. ~
Now, as to the motives OF Powell's
going to the lawyers office that night
j reasoned thus: The young man sat
at his home several blocks away
awaiting the telephone announce
ment from the attorneys that his
uncle's book had been disposed OF in
the way he intended, when suddenly,
a pain seemed to tringle in the finger
tips OF his artificial hand. or where
his natural fingers would have been,
While such experiences were not ex-
actly new to him. they were always
uncanny. He remembered that one
OF his youth when he imagined that
the flesh of his fingers was ''peeling
on" But the present sensation was
most startlingly different from any
he had ever had-the realization that
1t stimulated a burning sensation
forced terrible suspicion Of the sit
uation into his mind. This suspicion
had probably been growing in the
past. having taken root naturally in
the knowledge which his long and
intimate associations with his uncle
had Afforded him of the latter's hab-
Its. Having been his uncle's constant
companion for years. 1t is not unlikely
that young Powell, as would any one
OF fall. intelligence so associated, had
from time to time received unexpect-
eddy, and therefore, unpryingly.
glimpses of his uncle's inmost life
In other words. his book. Therefore
with grotesque movement he grip
ped the ends OF his artificial fingers
as II to benumb the slowly Increasing
pain, but to no avail. The pain in
creased to agony, extended from the
tips, where 1t had so strangely origin
ateti, toward the base. The yery
nature and direction OF the pain were
sufficient. to establish his evident con-
clusion In the matter. He may have
decided to bear the misery until the
book had been consumed, but the
slowness OF the process by fire finally
making the pain unbearable, he sum-
moned his cab and started at high
speed for the lawyers office, presum-
ably to urge them to finish their task.
II his impression as to the source of
his predicament were correct. But
when he arrived at the room, he
tainted; and with the opening of the
window to give him air, the leaf con-
tanning his smuggling palm swept up
the chimney into the cooling night
wind.
And now having given these facts
and deductions. l shall describe the
effects OF my experiment. which was
both audacious and cruel; but other
wise. 1t would hardly have been prac-
ticable. A week after the night Of my
extraordinary discovery, l called up
the Powell residence on the telephone
and asked for the master. When he
responded, I introduced myself by a
fictitious name as an old medical
friend Of his dead uncle, OF whose
death, 1 said, had Just heard with
deep sorrow. He seemed at once
friendly, and cheerfully answered all
my questions about my dead friend"
Meantime was prepared for my ex-
pertinent. On table at my side was
brazier heaped with live Goals. on
which rested small iron with a
wood handle; beside this on the
table was the page from Powell's
book containing his nephew's palm.
lifted the iron from the Goals, and
held 1t in readiness above the palm.
Suddenly changed the conversation,
Did your uncle amputate a hand
or an arm for you when a child?"
l asked.
He asserted, and told me briefly
how the accident had happened.
AS a matter of professional curl
osity," l continued, II should like to
know II the amputated member ever
bothers you by any of those disagree
able sensations that sometimes occur
in such cases."
Yes" he responded, evidently
surprised at my impertinence.
How recently?" persisted.
MY last experience of the kind
occurred last Monday night"
This frank confession startled me.
In spite of my previous knowledge of
the circumstance. I hesitated NOM
emit. purposely, and rs he did not
describe the experience, I deemed
that 1t would be too personal mat
ter for me to press further and not
be found out; so placed the point Of
the hot iron on the third phalanee
Of the third finger and bore it
through.
"ouch!" was the simultaneous
ejaculation that came to my expect
ant ear over the wire.
What did you say?" exclaimed.
removing the singing iron.
20, nothing, only l had another of
those singular sensations Of last Mon
day night with my missing hand"
That's very strange phenomenon
indeed" / responded; then added.
where was the pain supposedly
located?"
"On the third finger" w.. 1t. 50,