The Seaforth News, 1932-07-21, Page 6PAGE SIX,,
THE SEAFORTH NEWS.
.10114
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1932.
(Continued from last week.) 3 was silenced. Again I tested the
powder, firer for alkaloids, then for
"Lau'danum. was administered to strychnine, and again the reitaracter-'
IMr. Noed!men before the physician
came."
"Yes; I found' morphine too, but
no other alkaloid.'
'Professor Drew, are you .aware
that Mr. Nordman took his usual
bitters before partaking of his break-
fast?"
"And what of that? Has not a
Kentucky gentleman the right to
take his dram before breakfast?"
"Are you aware that it was a ton-
ic made of wild chenry ' bark, golden
seal root, and Whiskey?"
I saw that white the girl had not
yet . unfolded her scheme she was
driving me to a corner.. Suddenly we
became antagonists.
"'Why .did you come here to -night,"
I said. "haveyou not done enough
of wiokedness in wrecking: my past
life? But for you Read -Head would
have gone back to the mountains."
"I repeat, Mr. Drew, the tonic Mr.
Nordman drank was made of golden
seal root, wild cherry bark, and whis-
key."
"The fact, if it be fact, has nothing
to do with the strychnine," I -sneered..
"That is a very common tonic in
Kentucky."
"Golden seal contains a colourless,
innocent alkaloid."
I stood so near that I could easily
'have touched her. Her eye was 'fixed
on mine, and I felt its force when
she spoke that name, golden seal. I
saw .now, too, the end of her argu-
ment, and that she proposed to claim
that I had mistaken this substance
for strychnine,
"i'ii squeeze her pretty throat," I
thought to myself. "The love of
other men has suddenly changed to
hatred; for less than this other men
have strangled women they held
dear." I raised my hand; the mus-
cles of my wrists were fixed, the
'fingers clew -like; the devil possess-
ed me whenI lifted nay arm. against
that defenceless girl
But a black face cane now between
us, a black hand pushed the girl badk.
"De gearl ant but a chile, Ma'se Sam-
uel; lis'n t' de chile."
Thrusting the negro off, I attempt-
ed to reach again for the throat of
Susie, who, making no movement,
stood seemingly undisturbed, Then I
was looking into the muzzle of a
pistol. "Yo' 'bdege de nigger t' keer
fo' de chile; better yo' let her go an
wid de story an' den go back t'
Kaintuck. Cupe am monstrous suah
yo' caint hurt de chile."
'There was no effort to Sham ac-
tion, I knew that the negro would
shoot before I could harm his charge.
My arm dropped and the watchful
guardian slunk back. Then Susie
continued:
"Golden seat,: I said." She looked
me, in the eye, awaiting my answer.
"Even if tlhis is so, that substance
is not a poison, nor does it give the
strychnine poison test."
She took from her pocket a small
vial containing white powder. "Will
you test that powder for strychnine?"
I turned to my reagents, always
convenient'in this 1a'batory, and ap-
plied the test. The blue -violet colour
of strychnine sprang into existence.
"It contains strychnine,", I said .itlh
some agitation.
"It does not."
"'Susie, that is strychnine. I have
sworn to it before, and now reaf-
firm my statement, but I add to it
the further oath, as in this very I
'have done before. My reputation is at
stake. If that be not strychnine 'my
Me goes out"
"Please do not think od violence.
I beg you to do no harm to yourself.
I, too, made a pledge that night, a
silent vow, and a'm on my way to be-
gin it fulfilment. Now I seek you to
release you from thought of me, not
to judge you further,`_. 'This I prom-
ised you to do. iely object is but to
show you that I must go elsewhere
than with you, ,Put up the weapon,
tape. !Professor Drelw would' not
fsissrrs me.". ...
istic colour appeared, "'It surely.
contains some strychnine."
"No trace. of strychnine, Mr. Drew,
II assure you. Under these condi-
tions, yourtest is at fault. I believed
you were wrong when you testified
'before' the Court. 'I knew that Red -
Head told no lie. You swore .by your
tubes and glasses, but I believed in
the word of a 'hurhan being in whom
I trusted: You were a great chemist,
I a weak girl. You powerful, I help-
less. And, yet T was right and you
were wrong."
"And so you assert," I continued,
"that strychnine was not present?"
L41as, yes! You have but to proper-
ly mix hydrastine and morphine to
obtain the colour reaction of strych-
nine, though neither will give it
alone. These two substances you ad-
mit were present in the material you
tested, do you not?"
"I do."
She held out her hand. "Good-bye
Professor Drew. I shall leave you
now; at your leisure in daylight you
may verify my statement."
"Where are you going, Susie?"
'Where neither taint of birth nor
dishonour rests on any soul; where
purity of heart and love .of God are
one and inseparable; where ascend
the prayers of those who live not for
themeslves, but to work in human-
ity's behalf. If from this peaceful
home I should go out into the
world, it shall be to serve manikind,.
and when the life -work to which I
devote myself henceforth is done, my
body wiil rest in the blessed borne of
the dead, where cluster others who
live to love, and pray and die in
Nazareth. But while I live you shall
not want for prayers, my brother."
She extended her hand. "Bid Susie
farewell dor ever."
She turned to the door, and then
my self-possession deserted me.
Leaping forward, clasping her arni
with both hands, I held her back.
eCome back, my dear one," I cried;
"you have no right to bury yourself
alive; you can live with me, and yet
pray for me."
Then uprose the words Judge El-
ford once had spoken,a prophecy
now: "Such a lovely creature must be
holier and lovelier if blossomed un-
tarnished in heaven."
She dropped her eyes, and I saw a
tear glisten and then roll from her
half-closed lashes.
"I cannot. The pledge is made."
Still I held her hands.
"Thank God for the one tear you
have shed, Susie."
Preceded by Ci1pe, she moved into
the dimly lighted hall and then drew
her arm from my grasp, passing on-
ward until by an angle both were
shut from my sight. And then I
stepped to the €rent window, threw it
up and again leaned out. From toward
the left, where slept old' Seroggins
and his sister, came the weird song
that the night sometimes sings; it
rose as my wild heart -cry had .done,
and died into nothingness, as had my
fruitless pleadings.From beneath me
just then two forms passed into the
feeble light of the gas -lamp and next
were swallowed in the darkness be-
yond.
CHAPTER LXVI
"To What Has Ambition Led "
I cannot say how long I leaned out
of the window. My heart was deso-
late. That mourned tune' of teh wind
and the two forms that vanished. in
the night as the sad refrain wore out
were companion pieces which by eye
and ear carried despair to my sou',
But at last I did turn back and closed.
the window: On the table stood that
vial of whitepowder and beside it
also the dishes used in 'testing t,
To my mind came the fearful oath
I made to Susie when. I affirmed that
strychnine sorely existeid in that test
case. "I know potions which leave a10
'mark and yet do their work prom'ptly.
If this be not strychnine my life
.4:
,YWi'r:,la.
goes but."'I turned' to niy locked clip-
board, in which were to be found my
most valued and ''rarest specimens.
Opening it, I took therefrom a wide-
mouthed ` bottle containing- a quantity
of s:ai'a1l.plant bulbs and a letter. Re-
moving the letter, I replaced tlie
�hottle _df hulbs, and; turning the key,
seated myself before ,my desk. Un-
ffolding, the 'letter, which ; was post-
marked in a certain part of Arkansas,
1 read as follows:
"My Dear Professor Strew: By
email' to -dray I send you aplant which
grows in this section and a few
bulbs from the same species. These
possess remarkable powers. Three
children recently ate of: them and died
slowly and pain1ees'iy. They retained
their full mental powers to the laslt.
My efforts to relieve them were est -
less. I have tried the tincture of the
bulbs on rabbits; they became lan-
guid, seemed pet to suffer at all, but
slowly wasted away. At last they
quietly went to sleep and did not awa-
ken. In ,'the same mane•nr the child-
ren died. Please give me the name of
the plant, and also investigate its con-
stituents. Sincerely yours, —
The name 'o'f the writer I suppress;
he is a reputable physician. Across
the face Of the letter in, my own writ-
ing I find recorded: "Too dangerous
a drug to be made known :through
science to the public." Twisting the
letter, I touched it to the flame watch-
ing it burn to the last spark, and then
I turned off the gas and went home.
The next day I asked William my as-
sistaut, to remain after school hours,
'saying that I had a powder to inves-
tigate. Together, we applied the stry-
chnine colour test, to which it it re-
sponded. Then pure white alkaloid of
Golden seat and pure morphine were
separately tested, no blue -violet co-
lour occurring with either, Mixed in
proper proportion (one part of the
alkaloid to'four 'of morphine), the re-
action of strychnine asserted itself,
"I said to my assistant: ''Bring me
the reserved portion of the material
we tested in the Stringtown poison-
ing; case."
He went to the basement and re-
turned with it. This substance we al-
so tested with the former result. The
nextday we purified the crystals, and
by appropriate method, now that I
had an inkling of the nature of the
mixture, I separated the alkaloids.
No strychnine was present.
L can supply the word Susie did
not speak when she refused to finish
a sentence, William."
"What word?"
"Never mind. I shall do my duty."
4 opened my private locker, and took
the bottle containing the bulbs. "Wil-
liam crush these bulbs in the 'iron
mortar, add alcohol,' make a tincture
of them. Be very careful; this makes
a powerful potion. William," I added,
"lI shall be very 'busy for a time
writing a work which I wish to com-
plete within three months. I shall
consider it a favour ,ff during that
period you will assume all possible
details of the laboratory. You may
leave me now; I wish to begin."
From that day I spent any spare
time at my desk. I lived my life over
and passed again through the scenes
of my boyhood. And each day, with
the cold determination of, a fatalist
who; had sworn to do an act of jus-
tice, I took ten drops of the bulbs
from Arkansas. From day to day I
grew weaker, but suffered no pain,
ieIy friends were at last alarmed. I
gracefully submitted to the closest ex-
amination that themedical profession
could make, but no fault could be
found with any organ. No specialist
could discover an abnormal condi-
tion. Still, I lost strength, flesh and
energy. At last I kept to my room,
and then became confined to my bed.
'Wise old Doctor Smith thought he
knew everything, but I smiled at his
lack of :knowledge in this ease. He
was a professional man of attain-
mento, I a scientific man, and we
were bath, taking a lesson of our mas-
ter, empiricism. At last he declared
that Inc' tonics and stimulants had on
me no more effect than water; and
then I asked: "Doctor, how long will
I last 11 no sudden change for the
worse occurs? Do not be afraid to
tell me, Doctor. I knew ten weeks
ago that your remedies could not avail
in my case."
"Professor, you will surely last( two
weeks," he replied. "What puzzles
me, however, is that you have no
symptom 0.f disease, 00 pain, no loss
of appetite, no fever, no delirium, no
'depression. Your temperature is nor-
mal, your heart -beats strong and fall;
you are well in every way, but are
slowly wasting."
"I have been declining ten weeks,"
I answered. "But death like' this is
pleasant; at least, it would be to' one
whose mind is free from remorse,
Will you do me the favour to send
Wiliam to me, Doctor," I asked,
"and at once?"''
"lit is useless to attempt to deceive
you; too well you a,ppre!ciadc yptar
condition," replied the physician. • 'i
shall tend Wiliam, and •"to -mor'ro'w
will call as' usual hoping that this last
prescription will effect 'a change." I
smiled in reply, and the wise man left
me,
"Be seated, Willlem," I said when
he came; "I have a favour to ask of
you and a story to tell, But before 'be-
ginnan,g, look the door: we 11111S not
be disturbed. 'Now, open' that drawer,
take :from it the package of :manu-
script, put it on the tahle, andafter
'this <: interview, in detail : at your' lei-
sure record alio acid to the mafiu-
script:the sidbstauce of this interview.
Draw your chair closer ;to my bed-
side, for talking exhausts one as wealc
as I, ant."
here ends the manuscript as writ-
ten by the hand, 'of,Professor Drew.
CHAPTER LXVII
The Music and the Voice Die Out
Forever.
'Many of the residents of Northern
Kentucky can recall the familial' form,
of old C'o'pe, a black man who, with.
violin in hand, during the summer
months wandered about that'' section)
of the state. His garments were of
many colours and patterns, and were
abundantly and curiously patched.
Old and feeble was he,' queer in ac-
tion and shrewd in tongue, but polite
to a fault. To one man he would give
a curt question,` to another a shrewd
repay or a oomioal :remark, brit al-
ways he would ask of each: "Ha;b yo'
'seed de Susie chile sense I gwine dis
way?" or, "Nab de deah Susie chile
gwine yeah way?" Some considered
:him a professional vagrant, others
though hint demented, although there
,were people who 'knew that he was
searching for his life charge, who dis-
appeared from Stringtown seemingly
without bidding any one farewell, • It
was generally accepted that the child-
ishness of age had touched hint,- and
all agreed that the demented old man
was harmless.
Three days before the close of the
Period of ,Retreat at beautiful Nazar-
eth, in Kentucky, the Mother Horne
of the patient Sisters ,of Charity, the
'form of old Cupe might have been
seen advancing along the road from
the village of Bardstown. Reaching
round the quiet building which she.-
the entrance to the grounds that sur-
round the quiet building which shel-
ters those self-sacrificing women,
whose greatest pleasure liesin doing
charity in the world, and in ,praying
for the betterment of mankind, he
passed the entrance and reached the
broad avenue that leads to the central
building. Passing along this, he came
to a lane which led to the right and
terminated before an uplifted cross
bearing the form of th'e Saviour, while
at its base were many rows of modest
white tombstones. The old man bent
the knee, and then .passed on toward)
the house before bink, It.wes the hour
of five, the hour for, closing the ser-
vice in the little chapel which' nestled
to the right of the great home bufl'd-
.From out the front door cavae
now the good Sisters in their s'ab'le
dress and white caps; silently titer
scattered over the grounds, absorbed
in meditation. The negro stepped to
the side of the elm -flanked road, took
off his tattered hat, and with bent
form stood as silent as were the nuns
who passed in pairs and in groups.
The eyes of a few were raised as they.
met his shadow on the drive, but they
dropped at once; still the majority
moved on without making any re-
cognition whatever of the presence of
the lonely man whoa had entered that
sanctuary. Then along the path, dance
one of the throng whose face arrested
the gaze of the negro. His torn hat
now dropped to the ground, the hick-
ory cane fell from his nervous grasp,
and then he kneeled on the ground
with eyes riveted on the girl. Raising
his arms, he extended ''them toward
the silent woman, "Susie,
Hearingthe voice, she raised her
eyes and caught sight of the intruder.
A 'sudden start, a step toward' the
kneeling man, a reaching but of her
arms, and thee, as could, be seen, b
y'a
strong mental effort her;fornr resum-
ed its normal position, her eyes, dropp-
ed again to the ground, and she too
passed 011, and wal'leed through the
lane that led to the crucifix.
The negro arose and rem sin ed
standing by the edge of the 'gravel,
roadbed, until the silent Sisters 're-
traced their steps, but this time the
face he knew so well passed him by,
no upturned eye met his look, no fal-
tering step nor oustretched arm; and
as"night fell the aged wanderer turn-
ed and left the sacred grounds,
The next afternoon the old man
again stoo d'beside the avenue at the
very junction of the path, agile he
kneeled and held out, his arms toward
the sweet-faced girl, and invpioringly
called her name; but this tithe she
evade no recognition of his,. presence.
'True to her vow, withstanding tem'p-
tation—for this ,friend : of other days
stirred her .emotions ' to the ` heart-
depths—she passed, and turned back
to leave hinoin the gloom oft evening
standing, v:olin in hand, as before.
But the next afternoon the Retreat of
Silence ended, for the eight days of
prayer and meditation, had passed,
and' then the faithful nuns came out
of .the 'church talking with one anoth-
er, and free to speak with whomso-
ever they met. And now the girl call-.
ed Susie sought at once The spot
where the negro stood; she held out
both her hands, and burst into tears:
And is this dear old Cupe?
'IEt ani 'Cupe, elle hab trabelled up
an'; down, up an clown, lookhl' fo' de
Susie chile."'
"Susie no longer, Cupe; no longer
.the Susie you knew."
"Yo' ,am rv'a'llcin' -an' talkin' an' yo'
ha'b de sante sweet face,"
Tell me of Aunt Dinah."'
"She am pow'ful weak. an' sits 111
cle ole cabin yraitin' •10' Susie; aai'.
each time 'When 'Cupe come 'ap de
wallc ani' look in de doah she say,
"Who' ani de Susie chile?' Au' dell
IC'up•e say to hisse'f, ''G'o gack, ole
Cupe, and walk up an' ddlotwn till de
,gearl" am foun.'
"Did you get • the money I placed
,with judge •Elford to ,care for `and
lDliniah during your' 'lives?"
u'Et ant all safe waitin' fo' de Susie
gear.' t'come hank an' spun' et."
"That can newer be, Cupe."
"An''caint yo'go hack wit de ole
man „
'No this is my:' home, and that
lane leads to my ,f,inal resting -place,
Never yet did one ' of my sisters
break her vow, nor shall I, :'Go 'back
to Dinah, Cupid, say to her that Susie
is ,no. logger a part of teh world."
!He thrust' his hands' into the mass
of rags in Which he was clothed, and
took out a purse well filled. with bills.
"r'o'll bonen de ole man by takin;'
de money." '
"Is this part of the money I left
with Judge Elford to support you
and- Dinah?"
''Et am."
"Carry it to Dinah. T have no
meed of money; I ani comfortable,"
,'An' 111115' de ale man go home
alone an' say t' Dinah 'de dear gearl'il
neb:bah come back t' de cabin?"
"Coudn't Cupe an' Dinah come t'
a cabin h'ar;bout an' lib .wha' dey kin
see de big house yo' fibs in? Et 'ud
be monstrous soovin' 1'; de ole man."
"No, Cupe; bid me good-bye and
go home to Dinah."
"Please, Misses Susie, yo' needn't
feah no troub'l; Cupe'Il; jes ' come
down t' de walk in 'de ebenin' an'
scan' by de side ob de road, an' he
won't say nuffiu' t' boddah yo.' Yo'
may pass up an' down, an' Gupe'll
look on yeah sweet face,,an' den tu'n
'bout an' go. back t' Dinah."
'>t am with you always, I love you
as much as ever, But you must not
:conte' here to live. Go back to Dinah
and be happy, in. the old cabin."
"An' dis am de end," he muttered,
"de end ob de welkin' up an' down,
an' up an' down" !Then he added:
"Ef yo'll be de one t' say good-bye,
an'll let de ole man sten' heah fo' a bit
t' -night, doh .won't be no cause t'
scold him, fo' ill de niahn'n he'll be
walyin' back t' Stringtown. ]Honey
chile, he wants t' sten' heah till de
sun goes dawn, till de'dalkness settles
obah de lan' an' olbah de house what
shets yo' upferebah."
"Good -,bye, Cupe, nay; dear old
Cupe," said the sweet-faced Sister.
She pressed his black, wrinkled
hands between her white palms, while
tate tears trickled down her cheeks.
Then she turned and left him stand-
ing where the cemetery path joins ,the
great .elrn avenue which leads down
to Nazareth.
The shadows settled as fall the
shades of summer's evening in this
midland between the North and the
South. The mournful' cry of the whip-
poorwill, that strange bird of night,
arose from out an old elm to the
right, and from the' left came the an-
swer. Then rang the bell that sum-
moned the nuns to prayer and repose,
and soon thereafter, throughout the
great house' ,each light went out. And
naw occurred a thing unknown be-
fore in Nazareth. From near to where
moaned the gloom birds a soft strain
of music floated onto the air and into
the windowsof the silent house, The
melody was that .of a single violin, its
tone so plaintive that i:1 thrilled each
listener with a sense of sadness. The
good Father in the little house to the
right steppedto the door; seemingly
heaven was sighing to some one in
that great bank of buildings, where
all. was dank and still. Then a husky
voi:oe, which, wordless to all 'but one,
seemed scarce'Iy human, arose and
blended in the melody; but to that
one of the listening nuns it breathed
a familiar refrain:
"Yo ax what make dis'da'key weep,
Why he, lilke uddalis ant not gay;
What make, de teaks roll • down his
cheek
From early down till' broke 'o'b day?"
The music and the voice diel out,
forever; the moon cast the elm trees'
shadows across the vacant avenue
where stood the m•ouroitg singer;
once more arose the cry of the nighit-
'bird.
The 'End,
',Dad, wiha't : were you in the war?"
Father '•smiled proudly. "Why, any
Son,your• father was a battery ser-
geant—major,", he replied,.
• "High or lo voltage,' D!ad?" asked.
the boy.
PROFESSIONAL CARDS
Medical
DR 33.'HLIGIH! ROSS, Ph•ysiciva
and Surgeon. Late of London Hos-
pital,
owpital, London, England. Special.
attention to diseases of the, eye, ear,
nose and throat. Office and . resi-
dence behind Dominion Bank. Office
Phone No, 5; Residence Phone 104.
DR. F. J. BiUIRIROWS, "Seafort:h.
Office and residence, Goderich street,
east of the United. Church. Connor
for the County of Huron. Telephone
No. 46.
DR. C. MtACISIAY.—C. Mackees,
honor graduate of Trinity University,
and ,gold medallist of Trinity Medical
College; member of the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario:
DR. F. J. R. h1ORSTER—Eye, ;Rae
Nose and Throat. Graduate in Medi-
cine,
edecine, University of Toronto 1897,
Late Assistant New York Ophthal-
mic ante Aural Institute, Moorefield'.e
Eye, and Golden Square throat hospi-
tals, London, England. At Comm-
ercial Hotel, 'Seaforth, 3rd Monday is
each month, from 11 a.m. to 3 pm.
DIR. W. C. SIPIRIOAT,—Graduate of
Faculty , of Medicine, University of
Western Ontario, London. Member
of College of ..Physicians and Sur-
geons of Ontario, Office in rear .of
Aberhart's drug, store, Seaforth.
Phone 90. Hours 1.30-4 p.m., 7.3G
-9 p.m. Other hours by app'ointmemt.
Dental
DR J. A. MUNN, Successor to
Dr. R. R. Ross, graduate of North-
western Uaiversi;y, Chicago, Ill. Li-
centiate Royal College of Dental Sur-
geons, Toronto. Office over Sills'
hardware, Main St., Seaforth, Phone
151.
r
DR. F. J.. BECH'ELY, graduate
Royal College of Dental. Surgeon',
Toronto. Office over W. R. Smith'e
grocery, Main St., Seaforth, Phones,
office 1&5'W, residence 1857.
Auctioneer.
, iGIEORIGE ELLIOTT, Licensed
Auctioneer for the County of Huron.
Arrangements can be made for Sale
Date at The Seaforth News. Charges
moderate and: satisfaction guranteed.
WATSON AND REID'S
REAL ESTATE
AND INSU'RAN'CE AGENCY
(Succssors to James 'Watson)
MAIN ST., SEAFORTH, ONT.
All kinds of Insurance risks effect-
ed at lowest rates in First -Class
Companies.
THE McKILLOP
Mutual Fire Insurance Co,.
FIAIRIM AND ItSOrLATED TOWN
PROPERTY, O 1N 'L Y, INSURED
Officers -.John Bennewies, •Brod=
hagen, ,president; Jas. Connolly,; God-
erich, ,Vice -Pres.; D. F. McGregor,
Seaforth No, 4, Sec.-Treas.
Directors --Geo, R. McCartney, Sea.
fortis No. 3; Alex. Bro'adfoot, Sea -
forth No. 3; James Evans, .Seaforth
No. '5; IRobt, Ferris, 'Blyth 'No. 1; Jas.
Sfioldice, Walton No. 4; John Pepper,
Brucefieid; William 'Knox, Londes-
borough.
Agents --Jas., Watt,' Biyth No. 1; W.
E. 'Hin'chiey, ,Seaforth; J. A, Murray,
Seaforth No. 3; W. J. Yeo, Clinton
No, .3; R. G. ilarmuth, Bornholm.
Auditors — Jas. 'Kerr, (Seaforth;
Thos. Moylan, Seaforth No. 5.
Parties desirous to effect insurance
or transact other business, will be
promptly ,attended to. by applications
to any of the above named officers ad-
dressed to their respective post
offices..
Persian Balm quickly relieves chap-
ping, windburn and all roughness
caused by weather conditions, Keeps '
the complexion clear and lovely. Com-
pletely absorbed by _.gentle rubbing.
never leaves undesirable stickiness.'
S'timul'ates' the skin. Makes it soft,
smooth and flawless.'4 Preserves and
enhances ,natural beauty,,'So'athes, re-
freshes and invigorates, . Makes 'hands
soft and flawlessly_ white. Imparts
that subtle charm 'so' essential to ,true
e'legatece,
Want .and For Sale Ads, 1 time 25c