Scientific Suicide

"Tnmnmisci-nblciiirin," said Cyrns laddox, olooKjjiv, "and it is best that tbc world should l)o rid oí my presence. Ko ono cares tbr nic." "Oh, düii't s:iy that. unule," said Lizzio Silvcr. beseecliittgly. "You know 1 ore you. 1 ou are the only íViend I I Irnve in the world, and if you were to ÜJe wliat wou ld bccüine oí' m,.' "I auppoM young Guy Cheevers Wild console you tor niy loss," said m: Maddox, griinljr. "Atnny míe I doii't cate, i will end my troubles nnd sorrows to-morrow at 1-J o'clock." And witíi theso ftarftil words lio stro.le out of the room, leavin Lizzie sobbing-, witli lier ourly black head resems; un a (lii)iicr-)lato. "Wtet'e tho matter now, Bcss? IJns thc milliner disappointed yon in your I ove of a bounetf' ksked a warra Jiiiarty voicc, which was the prpertr of "yoüng Guy Glieevcrs," as Mr Síaddoxcalled hini- as that gentleman slrodo info tho room. "Oh, Guy!" sobbod Lizzis. "Unció í.yrus s going Lo die to-monwv at 12 o ulock. "IIow do yon know?" askcd Guy. Jje saiü so." "Bilt liow does lio kiio-wF' "He's going to kil] hiraself." "So as to make himselfa trae pi-ophet, oh?! iisked Guy. lauhing "Oh, Guy, doji'tjokc!" crfocl Lizzie tcY.ully, "Ha WiJl- I kllów lie "l doubt it!" said Gny, skeptically. "Bul !ip tried to ewruiiit suicide sev['"' ti iiio.'," JL ie, te M burmiij charcokt; but ho iorgot to stop uu the keyholo, :ml I smell einokü aml .;ot nie iieigliboi-s to bra.ik ppeu the door, nn 1 save I hfm. ' )if trioJ to liaiiTf liimself, but tiio eoi-J broUc, and lie fired a pistol at hirnselt", bu t he tortol to put miy ball iu it, so t!i it íailfiil, niiil tli. ii - -" '■(vivuaou I" cned Guy, a Lizzie rf. ippe i tbr vran: of bwicíi ; "wü it a clctermiiied msn he must bel b u;)i perseverauoe doacrros to bj rcraiíod. llave you uiy idea wliat ul.m lia wi i try íicx t T' "I'iu si: re I rlon't know'" sii.l Llzzie, nioaru.uily. "ooiiieiuiiy dfoodi'ul, i t un poso." '■ünt wlnt Aoos lie wint (,o imke away wiU iilutsuif ÏOiV askcl í;...- wo!) lerlngly 'Why, he B.ays he Is a miserable ïmn, O bui-den to evei-y one, and that lii'e nis nu joya for biin, an,l that he Í3 Wenry of ihis woi-1 l " "Aiul so would liko to ti-y tha next?" BTi.l Gruy. "Peihapa lic won't find it ns plaisuut as tlii.s one he is qnitting. A'v'liat au umeasonablo man ho must bol lic is rich, talented, healthy, and baa a vei-y pretty niece"- lierc, in a moment of abstraetion, he allowed his nnn to wantler arotind Miss Silvei-'s waist - "uul what more can he want? Ijutsoiiie people ncvor aro satisfiod. ïi suujjis ne is aeieiinmea to piy into fujturity, and it scenis a pity lo disapjioint so laudable 'aè ainbition; but diity- duty to myself- couipels 1110 to i iutorfeiu I dislike scandal or j mout. A coronur's jury would cause j bjtli, therefore we must block liis litt!c fama. 'JJut lio.v?" asked Lizzie, curióusly. "A prudent General," sa iel Guy, lmughtily, '-iiover coafldes his plaiis to liis arniy, particuiai-ly when thatarini is of tlie feminlne pender- so excuse me; imini's Uiu word ; but restassurw my ffaarest Eliiabeth, tliat u'nless youi woriliy unele shulUcs oli" Uie murta cuil in a Burruptitious ni.aniier biUbrc 12 o'clock tu-inurrow, lic wUl not do it afterwai-d- of oourso I mean Uegally. Farewell till to-morrow." Havinj coucluded this address, Guy erroue uu in a trapío mat uier, leavinsr Lizzio greatly Burprised, brtstlll quito reassured, lor in liur opinión what Guy cou KI nat do was not wörthdoing. Tiic noxt inoi-ning Mr. Mad Joxina.lo lila appearance very satuniino and gloomily: ándate bis breakt'ast with a niouniful air lliat wns torriOly impressivo. llavin, iinishcil, lie tlicn took luavc oí' bis ïiieco iu a fculin"ma n ner. "Inmabout to Icave yon," he said mounmilly. "I am about'to end tliis liio of niisciy. I liopc you may be happy." 'Óii. don't iro." said Ijt1b. tom-rnti cliiym tü hini, and lookiug up intö liis tace pleadiii'ly. "It'a useiess," said Mr. Maddox, inn!y. "My luimt is iixed, and nothinsf you may say can persuade me to relinquish my piripose. J!nt you, my de ir cliild, shall nut bo unprovided tbr. 1 uitend to make my ■,. LH in the )ev lium-ü tliuD are Jel't to me, and you will not be forgotteu. Good-by, my deai, . i . ; i i t ' .„.il til i i ■ kutm - uuoncii : - mu men, atter cuibracüig lus oieoe fervently, Mr. Maildox ruslied lVoni tlié room frautioally Mid Recurelj locked hinuelf iu lus umi room, and bogau to prepare hiiusell" for l juunicy. "üiniu ü'clock I" ho said to himself, lookiuat his vratch. "Threo hours yuu Knougb todo all I nave to do. First to iu;i..e iny wuJ." ïnu last will aud testament of Mr. Cyrus Maddox was evidoutly not a loug one, as il was iiuLshcil in an liour. "Jtílevuu o'clocicr' aaid Mr. Maddox, "and 1 have lini.shed. llow slow tho time passes, tp bc suro! what nall 1 do witil 12 o'clock, ibr 1 a„, doterimnod not to die untü jiooii "' A knook at the door Jw :Vvly;" cr,ted Maddox, angnly. "luucaii'tcome iu!" )ou, saui a voke outside the door biul eau come iu. I havo a duplícate doorzit"' U yU dUt üpeu the Mr. Miuldox i-ose and unlocked t door savagcly, and Mr. Guy Cheevc 6uuiu u uno tne room, carryiiig an o long box undcr his ann. lie placed the box on the table, and then took a seat opposite Mr. Maddox and stai-ed blandly at him. "Vliat do you want?" asked Mr. Maddox, fiercely. "Don't you sue lin engased r" "Ol, I know," said Gny, "what you are abont to do. Don't tliink ihiW ming to interfiere, not at all. lint be iore you make your quiotus, I wish t ask yon a few questions. Havo yo provided for your uiece's future wel tare ?" " VfhaVa tha t to you ?" "ConsiderabK i un about to mar ry Xi isa Silvor, so her üiterests are wit utnllv mine." "Theu she is provMed for amply." "Thunk you for your information ery glad to hear it. And now, excuse the apparont impertiueuce of the question, but whcre is your will?" "Here," said Mr. Maddox, laving liis hand en it. " "Buppose you givo it to me to take eire of? "Givfi it to you ! Why, pray ? ,'.'■ 1.n!'u become mispJucéd," 'i 11 keep it myself," said Mr. Maddox, roughly. "Tlien lust leave a memorandum on the tablc," said Guy.earncsíly, to tell wlica-e u is. It will save ti-oüble, per"Get out!-' cried Mr. Maddox, an"Ah, I seo !" snid Mr. Cheevers, coolly; '-ni a huny to begin. "Vell, I won't detain yon, but I have a little su?a-estion to olfer." " is tttis," saul Guy. "Miss Silver Informa me that you have made scveral previoua efforts to cut short voor trouüles and your brcath, and ahvnys [ unsuccessftilly. Now, it seems to me voii don't go the right way about it. i lus box"- and liei-o he opened tho box boiore alluded to- "contains aev. eral little plans that I think miirht V case you. Ilere'soue"- aud he show - cd a lutle steel instrument. MVhat's that?" asked Mr. Madclox, curiously. "Tliis," said Guy, "is an artiole that yon can place round your neck like a collar; then, by striking your hand on tiie leít sule oí" your neck, a slmrp spike ís dnven right into your insular vein- " " "But that would kill me !" said Mr Maddox, stariiijf. "Well, ain't that what you want?" demanded Guy, sternly. "ÍSTow, here's auother," he wer.t on. "Here's a wheel you observe. You place tlns band around your neok, pass it around tlie wheel, and give it tvvo or tlireo turns : then lel gx. The recoil Mili twist 3 pur ueaa ainiost oü yonr shoukloi-s- Kjiyrou to ;i certainty." Mr. Maddox stared at him -vith unf' i meel horror. "ïhen," wout on Guy, coolly, "hore's a uttta package - a torpedo." It contaiiu nitro-glycerine. You place it in your niouth, snap your toeth on it, and oü" gocs your head, snmshed iato a luilhou of atoms." ■(rood lieavensP exclaimod Mr Maddox, fearfully. "What a terrible idea " "Nut at al!," sai.l Gur, soothingly. Beautífnl inventlon- I quito pride niysdf on it - scientiflo suicido, yon sec 1 Anybody can tako poison, or blow thelr bralrts out; but to do it scientiflcallv ï-equh-es ial t:Uent. You have it and 1 ani con iidont yon Mili r!Ílcct ci-odit on my inventivo skill. Novv," he continiiL-d, confldeutiaüy, "ií' you could uso all three ol' tho.se iñventiona at onco - ent vour iu"iilar garrote yonrself and blow your head olí', all at once - why, l'd thánk vou " " What !" cried Mr. Maddox, fiwcely, j "do yon think I'm going to uso any oí your infernal inven tions? Get out of this room, you cold-blooded villain before I tlirow you out of the winclow !'■' "But I have a grcat many more to show you, remonstrated Guy; "and yon see I want you to try as 'many is possible. AVell, well!" he added, as Mr. Maddox grasped the poker threateninyly, "I'm golng. But l'll leave this box here, and beforo you e-et rid oí yourseii", just in:iko a memorandum of what yon will uso, and leave it on the table, because, yon know, there will probably bo nothing let't of you to drnw conclusions í'roni, and so-'" Here any further speech was cut short by Mr. Maddox his visitar and hustliiy hún out iuto the passage. "Urell?" said Lizzie, anxiouslr, to Gny. "1 Uiink ït's all right," said Gay, frriiuiiiiT. "Get the lunch rcudy. Your uncle is all rigüt. He'Jl be down." Aml snro enough, so lie was; nncl thoufh he spoke uot, he ate most voraciouslv' of evBiy thinj. "Lizzio," said ho suddcnly, aftcr an Ikhu-'s pause, "did you ever" seo an infcmal ola fooi and an idiot?" "Nerer, thut 1 knowof," said Lizzie. "Bécause, just look at me, and yon'll SeO OIK?."' Sllill MlV lr:lilll,v aiul lie stalked up.stairs. Up to tho present timo of writincr, Mr. Vyvas Maddox is still alive, enjoying í-omarkably -ood health; and he seems to be on triendly terms wiili Mr. Clieevera and liis wit'c Lizzio. líe probabïy forpave that gentleman on accouni of a discovery that lie made that the Mtro-glycerino torpedo con. taiued noilüng more daugcroug than ■s:ilt, nul the other "infernal inventious" wei-e infernal in about Lhe same ratlo; but Guy still maiatnins that when a pers, m 'is weary of lif'e they eh ou ld easo their troubles by scieatiflo suicide. The Northeastern Lumberman reoommends the following marnier of stuininx pine to represent black waJ. uut: Put pulierized asphaltum into a bowl with about twico its bulk of turpentine and set it whgre it will warm, shaking trova time to time until lissolved ; then sti-aiii and apply witli ither a alotli or a sUil brush. ' Try a ittle flrst, and if the stain be too dark, .liiu it wiili tui'pentine. Ifdosirable ;o briag out the gmin still more, give i ooat of boileil oil au 1 turpeiitïne. iVhon thn woü t i-; thoroughLy dry, polish with a inixtui-e of two parta shellac rarulshand one part builed oil. Apply by pattiug a ïcav drops at a time on the cloth and rubbing brisklv