Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1917-10-05
THE MOON ON THE
PILLOW


nemently, 30 dlHerently from those
which usually came from the lips OF
the old man. that we all faced him In
establishment.
Twenty years before. Chief In.
spector Herman Williams had been
known as a terror to evil-doers. Quite
suddenly he had resigned. His whole
disposition seemed to have softened
10 the verge Of weakness.
Save that he became a daily at
tendant at the chapel two doors away.
he Nved the life of recluse. Just to-
VAN the last he had sufficiently Open
ed up his solitude to admit two or
three of us young writers, who hoped
10 hear from the things we could turn
into salable stories.
Even when we were admitted to the
ting old house where he lived alone,
he nsed often to sit for hours in
silehce, permitting us to discuss any
and every topic likely to rise in a
group of men young enough to hold
ready opinions on all subjects.
1t was Harding Hunter who had
some how introduced the old-time
theory of the moons effect on the hui
man mind. He was trying to work up
q story with the hypothesis as basis.
''Of course" he had remarked,
there is absolutely nothing to the
whole business. The moon has about
as much psychology to it as there is
life or it. But it seems to me-"
And here the ex-chief had suddenly
burst forth with his exclamation OF
angry disgust.
Don't ever deny the testimony or
millions on any subject until you have
more than the best of theories to offer
against it. Don't say there are no
ghosts; don't deny apparitions and
visions; don't sneer at the occult.
Doubt these things-we all do that.
But don't deny. To deny what the
vast bulk Of humanity has always be-
lieved is impertinent folly"
But, chief" interposed Mortimer
Henry, you don't mean to say you
really think there is anything in this
moon business?"
Il mean to say that the very word
for temporary mania in almost every
civilized tongues testifies to the be.
lief that the moon has an effect on
the human mind. You know as well
as the derivation of our own words,
lunacy and lunatic; you know the
tales Of seamen and soldiers-those
who have had most opportunity to
feefttiNe influence of the MOON"
"Yes-I know-but you wouldn't
give such stories serious considera-
non, any more than you would have
consulted medium for the solution
OF a murder mystery" put in.
Il did once" the old man said with
a shudder. He was silent for an in
slant; then spoke again: Il guess it
youngsters"
A year before l quit the bureau
there was a particular brutal child
murder which, for a time, absolutely
baffied every effort to find the MUIR
derer. The child had been strangled
and afterward slashed with razor.
was greatly worried about the
failure of myself and my men in the
matter. The razor was our only clue
left hanging on the fire-escape out
side the room in which the child had
been slain.
In those days it was my invariable
rule to retire early. l could do my
best thinking early in the morning.
| seldom tried to think or work on
any police matter after six in the
evening. went to bed at nine. The
result was sound sleep and clear
head In the morning. Even when l
could not get my mind free from the
affairs OF the day during the evening,
sleft6 that ! invariably lost myself
so6H after lying down.
AS you know, have never married.
lived in the top floor of an old-fash-
Toned tenement-house near the office.
Things were not as strict then as now.
The house had but one exit; there
were no fire-escapes on the windows.
My household consisted of an old
negro couple that my parents had
brought North before the War. Be-
side them, l had only two dogs, val.
liable collies, and the most devoted
animals have ever known. Old Aun.
tie Dinah had a parrot, which l had
given her, and OF which she was in
ortiinately fond
The neighborhood was not very de-
sirable, nor the house. The apart
ment was not light, save at the front.
A V-shaped court admitted air to the
bedrooms. and a little sunlight over
the higher building next us in the
middle OF few summer days.
The kitchen faced yard; but an
tssfmous building had been erected
fifteen feet from the rear Of the
house. shutting out the sun entirely.
I would have moved had the place
not been SO very convenient to my
work.
had q considerable quantity OF
rather valuable furniture for such 4
ptaoa and ammo old silver that I