The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1922-10-27
The
Fatal Chair
BY ERNEST LEVINE

VIZ VIZ siV SOltS vi IIt UUUISs
There was no response. lie shook
him. The mans head lolled back on
the bench.
"BllIney. he's deadw he mittered.
bur. as he stared into the yellow
face. an awful awakening seemed to
occur. The man sat up stiily. staring
about him.
III! You can't sleep there." said
the policeman. Get Off or IN have to
run you in!"
He stared after the man ms he tot
tered away. "Bimey, he did give me
scare." he said.
The sailor entered the Salvation
Army shelter and went to the buuk
assigned to him. A little man with a
white beard, lying In the next bunk.
stared at him.
"Where are you from, matcy?" he
asked.
"New York, II you gotta know,
snarled the other.
"Sallor. bain't ye?"
"Ha, guess you'd like to know.
wouldn't ya!" the newcomer snarletl.
II put It over on 'em, all right, all
right"
whats that? Put what over who?'
demanded the little old man.
Tomorrow at eight" answered the
sailor, still with the snarl. half ferocity
and half tlmidity, In his voice. He
clutched the other by the arm. "Lis-
ten! Tomorrow, at eight, they'll como
for me, to take me for nice little
walk through nice little door, and
put me in nice little chair--a chair
with arms. And-they won't find me
Get that. boz"
II dunno what you're talking
about" whlmpered the little old man.
"I'm afraid of you"
'"You might as well be, bo. l amt
dead man and I amt exactly alive.
Listen, herel I'll tell you. Gawd, /
gotta tell some onew
"Tell me-" whispered the !ittle old
man.
"Ill tell you. didn't xiii her. They
thought 1t was me, but it was only my
hand. had no control over it. 1t
was my hand that hit her with the
hammer, only they thought 1t was me,
and that's why they wanted to send
me to the chair with the arms-see?
I'D been student afore they sent
me there; a student OF the Indian
sciences. amt what you think Lam.
That's the body took. 1t amt me.
I'm an eddlcated man-understandY
I'm afraid of you. You look like
dead man." whimpered the other.
The sailor laughed. "And, when !
was in the cell waiting to be sent to
the chair with the arms, / applied
lesson seven Of the book-concentra-
tion. got out of my body by night
and went wandering all over the
world, looking for man who was
ready to cash In.
"There was one on the Thames en-
bankment, just ready to drop off with
heart disease. He didn't know. No
body knowed 1t but me. l saw him In
my cell as plain as see you now.
'Then 1t was lesson eight of the
book for mine. I'd studied and stud
led, and practiced and practiced till
was all ready to slip out Of my sheath,
1t was as quick as flash. ! seed his
soul going out of his body-one, two
like this"
You're crazy" said the little old
man. "YOu're crazy. I'm afraid of
you. don't want you to talk to lie
no more"
you're going to hear It," snarled
the sailor. "You gotta hear it now
The minute he passed out slipped in
-one, two-like that. l left my old
carcass lying asleep in the cell, wait.
ing for the warders to carry 1t through,
the nice little door into the nice little
room at eight o'clock tomorrow. AND
here am I.
II dunno as mightn't have picked
:. better body, being an eddicated man
and things has got sort of confused
but I'll remember in time, guess. Ho
| hO! hO!" He rOared in laughter
"Theyll think it's me tomorrow at
eight in the morning. They'll have
another guess coming, though"
Don't you talk to me no more,
whimpered the little old man. "Tm
afraid Of you. I'm going to sleep,
am"
Eight o'clock. boys! Turn out y
shouted the attendant.
| AS the clock struck, for moment q
| look Of fear came over the sailors
face; then lie laughed. 81 guess
fooled EN-" he said. (which way you
(, going, boz"
''I'm going east, but Im going
alone" piped the little old man.
''l'm going with you till two O'Clock.
said the sailor. you come along OF
me. ] may want you at two"
They started off and walked side by
side out of London. into Epping for
est. They sat down on trunk. II
was two In the afternoon.
"YOu-yOu was lying. wasn't you?
piped the little old man.
"COurse was lyin'," snarled the
other. "I'll stick by you. You're d
good sort, bO. I'll"