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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Seaforth News, 1932-06-23, Page 6PAGE SIX THE SEAFORTH NEWS: , THURSDAY, JUNE 2 1932 John Uri Lloyd Y (Continued from Last Week.) Many were the compliments the old 1 professor gave me dor my daily apple - cation pleased hint and when the pres- ident returned from abroad, he prais- ed me in my presence, "informing him that I had .sacrificed my vacation and devoted my entire time to the Uiliver- si'ty work, 'and," he added, "credit for the changed condition of the lab- oalatory and chemical department is due to his personal efforts." But. I thought , of the girl who once stood before me he the path nearString, town, and the events that had follow- ' ed the request she made; of the bit- ter spirit and madness of heart with which I came to this work; and'real- ising how unearned was the praise bestowed upon me, demurred. "You are mistaken," I said. "I de- serve no credit" "Tut, tut, boyl and to .whom is the credit due?" The answer and the question were alike unexpected; the eyes of both were quizzing me. "To Susie." The old main chuckled, and slyly Poked the president in the ribs with his thumb, a thing I did not 'expect to see a dignified professor do to a great president, "And who is Susie?" That hateful -term again, "Who is Svsie?" Could .I never get away from it. But regard for the men led me to be decorous now and to suppress my indignation. "She's a girl, and lives near String- town." Again the professor chuckled. "Let the credit be with Susie;" then he added: "Let us hope the time may come when we may meet Susie in the 'University." 'She'll never come to this Univer- sity while I am here, and never again Shall I visit Stringtown while she is •t++here, We are nothing to each other, few she will not have it so. I beg you, thou:Sh, to give Susie the credit for my early appearance, and pass the matter forever." "Pardon us, Mr. Drew; we unin- tentionally touched a tenderspgt; pardon our thoughtless familiarity," said the professor. They passed from e the .room and 'I turned sadly to any work. +But I could not help thinking that the old professor ,reminded me very much of Judge Elford, and I could but wonder how the dignified president of a University could be punched in the ribs without being of- fended. And so I began my new task which grew more enticing as the 'seasons passed, during which period, true to my word, 'f• refrained from vis- iting 'Stringtown. The death of good old Professor Longman, who died after a short ill- ness, left me, in the middle of a sub- sequent session, in 'full charge of the classes, and :faithful attention to my duties, together with the eominenda- times he had bestowed upon me dur- ing his life, led the trustees sub';e- genially to appoint ne'to the vacancy, to which knowing well my youthful- ness, I did not presume to aspire. But it seems that the president had de- clared in my favour and was not afraid of young`i blood. He appeared ipersonal•ly before the Board and ex- pressed himself to that effect, which left them no reason, had they been so inclined, to seek .elsewhere for a see- eessor. Hence the ;Announcement of the University on the Hill, following :the death of Professor iLongman, bore my name as'Professor of Chemistry, and thus it was that iI :became unex- 'pectedly honored; but of this I need say nothing further, for I was now a man, and knew that°.;leard work had , .earned ,that position .for me, The middle of the session follow- ing .my appointment found me:- one day sitting in my private office read- ing T. letter from my mother. It con- taine'd the usual loving .messages, and the neighborhood t, gossip was also brought to date. But its ending, which T reproduce, 'cast a shadow over .my heart: "Mr.Nortjman, the' old gentleman who lived beside the pike south of Stringtown, died suddenly, this ,etiorm=, ding. He had 'been very feeble, but otherwise seemed to enjoy good health. He .was attacked with a Mis- ery in his stomach immediately after breakfast, and died soon ,after robe doc- tor reached his bedside." I held the letter listlessly in my hand and mused; 'Nlow he, 'too, -Will lie in the little graveyard behind the mouse." And musing thus, the single shaft in the family graveyard appear- ed before my mind -sight;. that 'shaft to the south of which rested his .child, the :Southern soldier, and to the north of which lay the Union son. And next- came extcame to mind and sight the fotim of Mr. Nordman, as the day before.I left iStringtown he led me to the spot where rested his two boys. And then recurred the words of .advice he gave 'me as we parted; "The grass 'grows no greener, the violets :bloom no earl- ier, over the one than over the other. 'The wah is over, Sammy: "The war is surely over now ,for you, Mr. Nordman," I sadly said to myself, and then turned to my work. Ixiwk.. i CHA,PTE'R DW The ,Stringtown ,Poison Case • The lectures passed day by day; the la'bo'ratory classes were drilled, as us- ual, and yet that sentence of Mr. Nordtnan rang in any ears and carne unbidden to mind when no 'cause seemed to excite it. The figure of Mr. Nordman seemed constantly :before my eyes, his words rang in illy ears, and try as '1 might I could not beat them out. "What had Mr. Nordman to do with 'me, that the announcem'en't of his death should :thus concern me " I asked this question and then argued that this domination of my mind by his form and voice was simply the •re- sult of habit, a fit of melancholy per- mitted it, a sour stomach, perhaps, in- duced it, Surely Mr. Nordman's death was of no greater concern to me than was that of many other men iniStrin'g- town who had died since I knew, the village. The:} cahne a. seconds letter from Stringtown, a letter in a strange hand, but which bore the well-know'n Stringtown postmark I1vas.-written by the attorney who had prosecuted old .negro Cupe in the trial wherein he was freed by Right of Clergy, and 1 learned from it that the writer was again prosecuting attorney of String - town County. 'Let me give the "letter in full: "My Dear Professor IDtew: As pro- secuting attorney of Strin'gtawn coun- ty, it becomes my duty to engage an expert chemist in ;behalf of, the Com- monwealth. Can I secure your ser- vices? 'The case is one of importance-, and knowing you as I do, and' know- ing, too, the esteem ,in_whifeh you are heli by the ,people -of our county, I hope that you will consent. to serve us. We wish an analysis made of the contents of the stomach of Mr. Nord- in -tan, whom you probably remember, I will add, that I guarantee your fee, which will be paid by the administrate or of the estate, •Please let me 'hear from you at once. "Sincerely yo'u'rs, Z.8. erten:' f turned to my desk anhl at once accepted the offer, giving explicit 'dir- ections concerping the manner in which the suspected parts were to be secured, sealed in the presence of wit- nesses and then expressed to my ad- dress, The letter .posted; S turned to my books and sought the• sections de- voted to the detection of .poisons, af- ter which I sat in meditation. 3o not "coming events cast their shadows ihefore?" Sn What other way than on this hypothesis' can. 1.account for the persistence with which I had' been pursued by the, form and 'words of Mr, Nordman? ,Thew came the thought that. in •the course of events duty would' demand that I go once 'more to:'Strinigtown.- Duty Balls, and while away in her .behest S may chance to meet Susie Tilten I'pientally tii'anlced ide. Put, tan,' the, prosecuting attorney, for his ciq7ifidcnce n thy,' ability, :and did not feel unkindly toward illy. Norchman" for the part he had taken iii illy per Sona' affyairs. 'But, n'1e11 the 'express ,peel age reached inn, t'h.it ,,wcioclen-b'e11 id box. securely encased in hoop iron,' a sen cation which'••1 cannot correctly voice' in writing .came over me, And. when.. my 'assistant opened the"• box and re- moved front it the large glass fruit jar closely' wrapped t in ,stiff ananilla pauper and scaled with red' wax bear- ing the official static p of the. sheriff,' I' felt a sinking. of 'the heart;`: fir I was not accustomed to handle 'such .fruit as that jar contained: But a duty'is a duty, I thought, and a ":gest from the Jewish Talmud cavae to my mind:. "_9 elan along that'road is 'led Which the fiimself: desires to tread.;" ,and for the first time I quesitioned if, my repeated' use of the word, duty, in connection ittitli'this affair, _ was ,not clue to an atteni;p'1 on niy .part: to argue lny conccietrce down.:But it was too date nolo to retreat. Ambition as well as duty bade me to, go on. Then an- other verse from the Taltiiud formu- lated itself `unbidden and rang its changes in lily mental ear: "Altnbition, as its fate, death 'and the grave await." "Open the • package, 'W'illi'am," I, said to my as'sistan't, "remove. half'its contents, -securely c'lo'se and seal the jarcontaining the other part and place it in a cool situation in the lab- oratory cellar," He did •as • directed,. and I turned' to my test tu'be's and re- agents. Systematically I began the task I had undertaken—the examination of the contents of the jar with the ob- ject of discovering if' it contained a ,poisonous body. There is no need of a record of all the details of the pro- cess. It is enough to state that no min- eral poison,' no inorganic poisonous acid' was discovered, nor yet the. for nnidaible prussic acid. Neither was phosphorous present nor any poison- ous metal or salt thereof. There was no trace of an arsenic compound. The most exacting tests gave .negative re- sults only, and at last I turned to search for the vegetable bodies known as a'Ikaloids, which, as a rule, are so energetic in action; strychnine, mor- phine, atraphine, being typical of the class. It evill be seen that these bodies embrace the most fearful of the poi' sons, and, let me add, are detected as a class by certain weld -known re- agents. ` Williams stood with chin resting nearly on my shoulder and avatche'd the first drop of the sensitive test li- quid 'slip' down the side of the test tube and strike the surface of the ac- idulated so'lution I had made from the suspected 'm'aterial. As the two li- quids mingled u a white cloud sprang. into view, and as the denser drop of \'layer's 'Test sank slowly down into the yellow liquid, following the in- clined glass tube to its very bottom, a white cloud marked its pathway, and when the liquids were Shaken i!ogeth- er a milky solution resulted. Airother and yet another drop of the test sol- ution was cautiously added, and the ii,quids successively nixed, ,producing yet deeper milkiness; and at last, un- der the 'gentle agitation of the turbid liquid, changed into a clear solution holding clots of dirty white precipit- ate, which, when the tube• was allowed to'rest, settled to the bottom in . a heavy layer. 11 turned to my assistant, 'but no words were necessary; to one conver- sant with alkaloidal tests this reaction characteristic of the group needed n'o ex'planation. Our eyes spoke the mes- sage that required no tongue to inter- pret. But not content with this, I tool: successive but very small portionsof the original liquid• and tested thein severally with other reagents for the alkaloids, with uninistakab'le returns fro'tn all. Then, as I' made` a careful record of the result in my note-bioolc, 11 said: "The neat step is to identify the alkaloid," "I would expect strychnine," m assistant remarked, "for these i- preci- pitates seem to me much like those of stryc htti it e," 'companion made :tin idlc...cfuery that tlpt satisfactorily, answer, and so, turned aside lightly, but it led me to questionings. 1 arose from:: the table and sought, my room. 1 picked up 'a light novel, brit could not interest my -- sell in its contents. I turned to Cham- be'rs' 1Escellany; and by chance open- ed Volume II, to the record of cases. .W' lidrein many :nen had suffered death on circiitnstant'ial evidence .that in it- sclf_seetned with each; case to be. con- clusive of guilt, but ,which: afterwards was shown to have been erroneous. 'Tha't work gave me the `shivers, 1 turned. to the Bible; and read part of the' Book, of Job and laid it down. 1 'Picked up the Talmud and cauglit but one sellteilce: "With the measiu•e with which man metes to men, It will be measured to him again." 1 Closed the book, drew tin; my dv- ercoat, anti in a gathering winter storm started for my laboratory. it Was dark, very dark, and yet I went on in the night, for that 'verse and toy. disconcerted emotions impelled me to go then and to go there. Lighting tap my room,, I took the reagents and'the suspected liquid and carefully verified the reactions. I 'opened the books that are aut'horitj' QI1 phytochemistry, and studied' ^the pages word by word. 'Closing them, I stood in - thought.; then with my hand on the, pile of vol- nnies, spoke aloud': "If there he error in this work which I have done, you are at "fault, net I. ,Rut why should I .question; am noit I a disciple' in .science and is not science inlfallfble? Is not the chrome reaction of strych- nine one of the certainties in cheniis- try? Even to your bitterness'. have 1 tested you," I said, add'ressing• the liquid .before me. But stiff a doubt possessed , me, a questioning that would not have been had I possessed' enough liquid to obtain large pure, crystals of strychnine; nor would it have .been a question in face of the re- action, had no •hurn'ate life been at stake. I raised the window and leaned out of the opening; the scattered flakes of -snow that were falling struck my heated forehead, imparting a pleasant tingle with each tiny contact. The cool air was refreshing, for my brain was hot. Dark were ,the other buildings in the University grounds, dark was the country beyond, for my private labor- atory .was. situated in the second story and permitted a view of the distance. :Across' the field of my vision came then a'streant of moving lights; the night train from: the south was" an- proacliing, and I wa'tc'hed it until the animated creation disappeared from view behind the building, and next I heard it whistle for the station. Feel- ing better now, for! the cool air and the diversion of thought shad relaxed my nerves and soothed my brain I turned again to my task, determined to go once more with great care over the work and ens' it 1 do not know how many minutes I devoted to the manipulation—it must have' taken half an hour—when came a ring of the bell of the outer door. I raised the. win- dow and sari by the feeble light of the transom beltcat'h that two figures stood just outside . the entrance. Two of my friends, I conjectured, and with 'this th'oug'ht in mind spoke;, "Open the door—it is' not looked -and follow the lighted, hall to my room, No, 13. Yon need not knock, open the door and enter." Again I turned to the tube I 'held in my hand preparatory to the ficial test, my back to the door, and was thus employed when it open'bd.. A voice I once knew so' well, but had thought never to hear again, spoke: "May I come in, Dr. Drew? I would speak to you." I turned my head, There stood Su- sie, and behind her, in the b.ackground appeared the familiar . face of told Cape. I replaced the tube in the racic and next extended' my trembling hand to the 'girl, "Susie," I said, as I asked her to be seated, "this ,is unexpected." Uninteiitionali'y I glanced at the clock; the girl's >eyes followed mine," "It is late, I?'rofes'ser Drew. 1 felt that, :but th'e train was behind time, and I must return early to -morrow horning." She spoke reserveclly. "Please be seated," I said, for site had not yet taken the proffered chair. But she made hq movement. S'tan'ding before me,'she gazed straight into my eyes, and by that glance threw back into my life the wild love of other days, the, love 'brat had never been supprssed, but which, long encysted in my heart, needed but the sight of its creator to cause it to burst again into life. "1 carne tomeet you; Mr. "Drew," she replied, "to ask a :question -yes, to beg a favour," • "If in my Tower, you need only asks 'A snide cause over her face, a smile that flitted on the 'instant. "You have my thanks in advance for your good will;• and yet T 'have not named the favour," "Susie," I ifnlpulsively replied, "your will is, law to nee. Tell me what' you wish." "r1?romlee me that you will ttot visit tStrin'gtotwn aetil after tlievnext session of Oita 'quarterly.Cour't,". CHAPTER LVII Susie Pleads_ for treed -II -lead. "That point must be determined," I replied. "It may he strychnine dr a mixture. I shall not prejudice. ntys:elf' concerning it:" And in the end, after several days had passed, I was fairly wail satisfied, although :d there were some points in conne'ctfon with the 'ghrdme-eulath eric acid test which puzzled me. The blue -violet colour surely did appear, but it was not as characteristic as I shouDd have liked: :But after I obtained white micros'a, ,pie crystals of an alkaloid on a slide u' 1 gave the reaction, I said "Y'ou. •were correct in your prediction, WI- -ham; strychnine 10001 here P sent, and such shall be my testimony before the Count of ,S'trinigtolwn County." iBut that evening; for. the first time,, misgivings' arose in tn3 :mind. They came during the dinner hour; when a I stood in asitouisirritent.."Why : do you asIc tl?is? "Pr'oneise linenotto come," "But h have legally contracted' to testify ,before the Court._1 'am 'round ,"And does this recently made -duty to .others so 'easily overcome your thr1c,e voltmteered pledge to mei"' "My reputation demands that 1 at- tend that Court as an expert witness, 1 sicall adifance my position as 'a pro- fessional 10-fc sional chemist by doing so:" "11 is but a favour that I'ask, and already you 'have promised to grant it. D!o you value, your self-ani- bition,''nlore than your Cword to ine?". "I cannot break my ,contract. "A friend of yours bids ane say a .fond' to you in case 1 fail, a friend who 4coows of my visit here." "Asci who they this friend ` be, Su- sie?" "'Judge Elford. Tell Sammy that I say .the expert chemist ' is not an hon- our to science, ' Tell -.him that if he values bis reputation,' to decline to take part in this case or any other case walclle conditions are as now and c'hemi'sts anakethemselves partisans for t'he side th'a't pays them.. Tell hini that I say to keep away frown String - town diming'. the coming Court 'ses- sion?"' ses-sion " "-The judge has spoken too late, and you come too late, Susie. I am power- less. See"-lI pointed to the apparatus about me—"for edays have I worked on this' Stringtown 'poison case, have recorded the results, am readyto tes- tify to the facts. I exist go to that- Court; duty calls nee." • "And so by means of these glasses you have establisllied the nature of events that ante occurred in .String - tow n. A mail you have not seen for years' has died, and you; propose to swear• concerning the cause of his death?" . "Yea." "And may I ask, do the sign -glasses augur good to the living, er is the omen such as to •lead you to String - town to swear a man os'to the gal- lows?" 'Susie, this i5 not sign.lore, this is science. Long since I wiped out df my nature those superstitious signs and omens of which .you speak, but which have now no 'credence with me. This is science, I say, and science speaks unerringly concealing that which is; she tells, too, of things that havepassedand predicts those yet to come." "But you* did not ansaver'eny ques- tion. Do t'he glasses say that Mr. Nordman died of .paiso10?" • "Yes; but I beg you to keep the fact to yourself: I should not tell you this.,, The girl dropped on her knees:;"No, I say n•ol ltd was n'ot.poisonedl" All her composure, her irony, her sarcas- tic tome of voice, vanished. She wrung her 'handt, and kneeling thus appeared for the first time a pleading woman, with the heart emotions' of a wo'ntan. "No, '\Ir. Direly, I say it was not poi- son, even if your science swears it" "Compose yourself, ,Susie." "You are the only man I fear; no other chemist can come to Stringtown County and impress a jury 'of our people as your words will do, or an- tagonise them as they may do. Say that you will not colmel grant me this favour!" • ,"I cannot." She drew from her bosom a folded paper, and took from it a pressed atfd dried blue flower. "When we stood in the path near 'my home' in old Ken- tucky the day we last met,' you gave me this flower, and of your own ac- cord told me that if ever I wished a favour and presented this flower the favour should he granted. 'Whatever it May be and wherever I shall be,' you said, 'you have but to ask,' I: bring you now the flower, and on my knees, I 'beg you to fulfil the promise made the girl hong 'be'fore you con- tracted with .Mr„Patten to read for hint the signs of the glasses. Is not the word ,given toimein the years that have passed as sacred as the legal contract you made but . a few days ago. I ask you to drop this case, to come not to ,Stringtoawdt during” the next term of Court, Believe in tete, Mr, Drew; accept my pleadings be- fore you dothe signs and omens that you read in these tubes and vessels. I am alive, I have breath, conscious- ness and love. Torose vessels are dead, insensible. ,Will you not take my word be'fore that of lifeless ob- (Continued on next page) PROFESSIONAL CARDS`. Medical RO'SSy Physic?*a and Surgeon. Late dfi London Eiae- p13 1, London, England.' Sge ftl attention to disoases of the eye ear, nose and'khroaj. Office ,and r,*aad-:, donee behind Delmigion Bank, G'fioo :Phone, No: 5; Residence Phone €04. DR. F, J,:,B'UIR1r,jOIWS, Seafottie.• Office and residence,''Goderic•h st-reek east of the United 'Church, Co peter for the County of Huron. Telepfatee'., DR. C. MAOI(IAY,.—C. Maclhae. honor graduate of Trinity Univers and gold ,medallist of Trinity Medkei College; member of the College of Physicians and ,Surgeons of Ontario. DIR. F. J, R. FlO'1tSTIJR ye, Feer, Nose and Throat. Graduate in'l1sdi cine, University of Toronto 18941. Late Assistant New York Opfutlasl- mic and Aural Institute,. Moor'EeIii'c Eye, and Golden Square throat foal ta'is, London,- England. At Comm- ercial Hotel; Seaforth, 3rd Monday ire each month, from 11 a.m..to S p.fa DIR. W. C. StBRO:A1T,=Graduate of Faculty of Med'icine,. University e$ Western Ontario, "'London. Member of College of Physicians and Sur- geons of Ontario.. Office in rear elE Aberhart's drug. store, Seabbctf. Phone 90. Hours 1.30.4 pea., 13Q -9 p.m. Other hours app'ointalreette Dental DIR. J. A. MT_TNN, Successor, ie Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of Nmrth:- western University, Chicago, 411- Li- centiate Royal College of Dental Sur- geons, urgeons, Toronto. Office . over Sif1d hardware, Main St., Seaforth. Phone 151. IYR. F. J." REMEDY, graduate Royal College o'f' Dental •Sttrgeotare Toronto. Office over_ W, R. Stecittee grocery, Main St., Seaforth. Ptonea" office 185W, residence igsJ. Auctioneer. ,GIEOIRGIE ELLIOTT, Linensek'. Auctioneer for the County of tame. !Arrangements can be made foe Skle Date at The ,Seaford: News. Chargee 'moderate and satisfaction guracezed.. WATSON AND R'EED% REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE AGENCT (Snccssors to James Watson MAUN ST,, SEAF.IORTH, GMT - All All kinds of Insurance risks eifxc>r ed at lowest rates in FirseeCltaere Companies. THE McKILLOP Mutual Fire Insurance Go, FIAIROL AND IISOLATED `IO0'Atsi PIR)OBFE'Rrr'Y, 0 iN L Y, PNSUR6f0 Officers — john .'Bennewies, 1Scod.- hagen, President; Jas. Connolly, Goa& erich, Vice -Pres.; ID. F1 'Mr;Gregoc; Seaforth No. '4,'Sec: Treas. Directors-GGeo. R. McCartney, Sem. forth No. 3; "Alex, Broadfoot„ Sag, - forth No, 3; 'James Evans, Sedee5It No. '5; Robt. 'Ferris, Myth No. le jias, Sleoldice, Walton No. 4; John 'octete, l rucefield; W+Villiani, 'Knox, i atcdes- borough. • Agents—gas, Watt,'Blytii No. a; E. tHinchiey, Seaford -4 J. A. tdersaea Seaforth 'No. 3; W, 'J. Yeo, Camas No, .3; R. 'G. Ijanmuth, Bornholm Auditors Jas. 'Kerr, ;Seals—ask,., Thos. 'Moylan, Seaforth No. 3. 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