THE MAILS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8000, 12 December 1905, Page 4

THE MAILS.

R TUESDAY, IiECEMIIEK 12. J ft' For Wellington ami South, per Ta- , j&kanuna, ai WW u.ui. I For Auckland ami North. |xr lt.i- . f tojt'. at " l"» j ?■■ WEDNESDAY, DF.f'EMIIF.II 111. > For Auckland ami North, per Ka- . '' I»w», at 7 p.m. : ' TIKKSIt.VY. DECEMIIEH 11 \ For Wellington and South, l*r ho- ] toiti, at lO.tt) a.m. '.' i tar Auckland and North, per To- , ' kapuoa, at " P- m - FRID.VY. DECEMBER 1.1. | For Australian States .at 6.13 ; a.m., due Sydney Dec. J" I \ For South Airica, pc' Sophocles , from Melbourne at 6-l."> a.m.. due , Durban about .)un. -HiFor Auckland and North, per R,i- ---• rawa, at 7 p.m. SATURDAY. DECEMBER 16. For Auckland and Ncr-tnt per Tafcapuna. at 7 p.m. For Australian States, etc., at 7 ' p.m., due Sydney Dec. 22. *For Ceylon, India, China, Straits ■Settlements, Mauritius. Meditcrranrt)n Ports, Continent of Europe and United Kingdom, via Suez (for cor reapowlenco specially addressed only) At 7. p.m., due London Jan. 27. Parcel mail for Continent of Europe and United Kingvrcni, per Rimutaka. closes at Wellington on Dec. 31, due London Jan. 30. New South Wales regulations provide that articles addressed tm Gil-" tert Ellicc, Santa Cruz, Shortland, Banks, Union and New Hebrides Group and Ocean Island cannot be accepted for registration, nor can reffistered correspondence for any of them be received. An arrangement naa been sanctioned for transmission of registered mail matter for British Solomon Islands, vj a Sydney. P.- D. HOLDSWORTH. Chief-PoatmasUr. nAPPY LIVINC. HAPPINESS HAS COME OF LATE TO MANY A NEW PLYMOUTH CITIZEN. In New Plymouth there is ninny a happy home. Perhaps you know of some, or better still, it may be that you rest your hend in one yourself. Then ajrnin, there is nuiiiy an unhappy creature in our midst. Tig not surprising that this rhould be the case, when one thinks of the burdens some backs arc for- , ted to bear. If yours is not tinback that bears the burden, still we think you would be glad to lend a helping hand to lighten another. Let mc show you how it cun be doni and at the sniue time tell a ■tory of New Plymouth life that will prove that this aid can easily be given. Mrs 11. Heal. New Plymouth. ■ays :—" For three years I suffered with the kidneys and badly ne-ded a medicine to Rive me relief. The Symptoms were pain in the back and giddiness and headaches. The iiuins in my back were simply iconising, and ray heartaches were so violent that they used to prostrate me. I was for ever using medicines, but they never did me any good. I was at a loss what to try next when I saw Doan's Tto'iinehc Kidney Pills advertised, and I got a box at the Co-operative Store in Currie Street. These pills ere the In-st medicine I have ever rsed. They are splendid. They g;a\e me such relief that I did rot take them regularly, but I know they will effect a permanent cure in time." Take no substitute. Remember it ia Doan's Itackache Kidney lMls which Mrs Ileal recommends, a::d if you suffer as she did you want the same remedy. Doan's Backache Kidney Pills are told by all chemists and itorekoepcrs at .'is per box—six loses I6a 6d—or will be posted on receipt of price bv Foster McCle'.lan Co., 76 Pitt Street. Sydney, X.3.W. But be sure they are DOAN'S.

The Ueath-in-Fear. What Uth» future of radium, that my«terioas robsUoes 'hose internal fire must have bun at work when me earth itself was a sun, and wilt continue after many bodies, now suns, have grown cold ? Dr. Sheldon put down the popular "lie »iew"hehad been reading and sat lost in thought, staring straight before him with blank, unseeing eyes. " What future !" he muttered, " A marvelous one, beyond a doubt. The curing of what we now call incurable diseases, the restoring of sight to the blind, the power of life and dtath—all these may lie within reach of this insignificant looking yellow atom. Science has as yet done no inore than touch the fringe of the possibilities of radium. *• Ami I—I," he continued, a sullen fire burning in his eyes, " might have taken my share in working these miracles but for the curse of poverty. I have given up everything to learn and to know—to watch each new and strange development in the wonder-world of science, and now lam left stranded on the threshold of success. It is not to be borne I I have a right to what I have earned." He got up, shook himself and went out, walking across Kensington Oardon to Lancaster Gate. His spare, npright figure and measured stride suggested the soldier rather than the scientist, but his pale, intellectual face showed the man of thought. He stopped at a large house, nodded to the servant who opened the door and made his way, unannounced, to the library, where an elderly gentleman sat surrounded by books. "Ah, Sheldon," with a look rf pleasure, "what brings yon out so early? You are generally at work in your laboratory at tm's hour, and about as easy to get at as a lion in his den." "The laboratory will soon have to be closed for lack of funds," was the abrupt reply. " Scientific experiments are very costly, aa you know, and I have nearly reached the end of my resources. To stop my investigations now—when any day I may (discover a i,teat, truth—will be nh stoppingtuyWe- IJtrW you would help me if you could, and Iwonld take your help—as, Indeed," with a harsh laugh, " I would crotch at effn the widow's mite to keep the work going—but, unfortunately, the money is not yours, but your stepdaughter's." "And she is out of your reach and mine. It is quite hopeless to think of her now. She and young Follett have settled matters between them." " What a blind fool I was to wait so long 1 She would have married me readily cuiough six months ago. But my life was so full, I had no thought of a wife until ruin and despair sUred mc in the face. She would have had good value for her money I I could be-

stow almost as much as I received. With the help she could give ine, in a few months I should win wealth, fame, and honor." " But she prefers to dance in the sun with other midgets," was the contemptuous reply. ' This Follett has changed hei completely, •he had ceased to take any interest in serious things. She says she has never been young before, and she wants to be happy. Such folly I" "He is the stumbling block, then ? Ife stands between me and all that I have given my life to win. If he were out of the way she would return to the old thoughts and lays." J- Possibly, but there's no getting rid of niii. She ishopelesslyinfatuated. Nothing t could say would have any elTect." " Hut perhaps something I ruittht do would not be without results." Dr. Sheldon said to hinuclf as he ieft the house. And his face was hard and cold as a mask. On bis way home he passed a bank with a % well-known name, and the gilt letters caught his attention, bearing, as they did, on the subject in his mind. " Twenty thousand pounds," he muttered, •' that is the amount she lias safely locked uptime. Twenty thousand pounds 1" if is hand opeiirfl and closed. <'■ Half of it would force tiie gales of knowledge behind which I stand. •Thegreatest good of the greatest number'-that is a wi-e saying. Why ihould one life bl.ick the ».;y when thousands ire waiting to be li-aled and .-aved ? It he *ere removed the rest would be only a >mestion .if lime." His ey.s had the Hire of a monomaniac's. Science was a mav.er to whom be could rc:u.e untiling; the desire so b-ain the hidden things on earth and air possessed him like a madness. He must satisfy the craving at all costs.

That night he wrote to Mr. Follett, devising some feasible excuse for asking him to call the following evening. He was very busy all the next day. visiting vvrious hospital:* and medical fiieuds. and when he uttered his laboratoty nt-'e.in there was a look tf evil triumph on his set face. Tii- house .vf.s4:;iipty, for he had sent the old v.euan vho waited on hiui home an hour c^ucr

r It i- .in rsperhrent, of com-e, : " i.. - iid t :i.:ii, his preparations completed, lit at last ...r d.wn, •' but I see no iv.i*>ii whv it ,\vy t \d .iot .succeed. If lean kill :«. Mu*llauim:il with i iiuall amount, why should I not in- ;ib!e U) kill a larger animal with the .'.m.-ddevable quantity I have burrowed to-day ? And what a" trustworthy servant it is! There *ill he nothing to excite anyune*> suspicions. IVralysU ci tilt* cerebral iicnous *y.-;t"!ii, followed by complete suApL-ossr.n of ;ill the functions—and death. A perfectly natural death accordiup to all appearances." '•What a devil's work-ship it looks!" /oang Foitett exclaimed, as lie entered the laboratory lhat evening. ** I never saw fucii i lot of evil-looking things—yon an't think >f them as mere -machines, tl-.ev liiijrht be imlf alive." He laughed a* he ,<puke, hut he >ras evidently interested and impressed.

" They are alive to .1 certain extent," was ihe reply. "I believe in the theory that ' if ipitil~. thought waves, or any other of the psychic manifestations can influence human beings, they can also influence delicate machines in a far greater decree.' Thr.ii" things Have been my companions for s p Ion:: it is only reasonable to suppose that there is some communion between us." " What a ghastly idea \ One does not like to think that it is possible for such deadlylooking instruments to have any wii! power of their own. Even as mere machines, they uiust be bard enough to control." To himself he thought: "The doctor looks deuced queer, he'll go out of his mind if he encourages such fancies. 1 should think he is pretty near the boundary line now." "Then if you will sit down a minute, I'll fetch those Indian jewels I was telling you about," Doctor Sheldon said in thecommouplace tone of ordinary conversation, as he placed the only chair in the room for his visitor. " I should be glad of your advice; you will understand such things better than I do," with a pleasant laugh. "Your fiancee and I are old sriends, and I should like my gift to her to be something out of the common." As the doctor went out of the laboratory, be locked the door noiselessly behind him. " How cold it seems to have turned," Mr. Follett thought, as he leant idly back in the :hair, waiting. " and what a long time he is gone!" He shivered as though with a sudden chill, and was impressed by a curious sensation of vague discomfort and fear. " If it were not so preposterous I might imagine that there was something antagonistic to me in this room," he muttered ; that one o/(lhose horrible-looking machines had taken a dislit* to me. Pshaw ! shat non••Hie I am talking," with an attempt to

laugh. " Thii place li sitting on my norrti He would have liked to get up—to row himself in 6ome way, so as to throw oil tht L disagreeable sensations, but he did not sett to have the energy to move. Then as he sat, gazing vacantly betel--him like a man but halt awake, he saw t mouse run out into the middle of the flow I* stopped a moment, listening, but evident ly reassured by the silence, it darted abor* picking up some crumbs that the doctor hj.".. let fall. He would often munch a biscuit i. appease his hunger when be was too busy i take his food properly. Follett idly watched the little creator, playing at his feet, but, as he watched, tti darting movementa suddenly ceased. For s momant it was quite still, its bright ey»i glancing about uneasily, as though wondering what waa wrong. Then it grew stiff ani motionless, the eyes glazed, and it fell over—dead. The sight of that body, in which tin quick life had been quenched so suddenly, startled the young man into action, He sprang to his feet, as though roused from a dream, and looked round, alert and suspicious.

" There's something wrong here j I felt it myself, and that poor lit Lie beast lies deid to prove it," he muttered. " There's »ome deviltry at work; I'll get out of it while I can."

He rushed to the door. It was locked. He shook it violently, calling loudly for help, bnt there was no vojee or sound in reply. The deadly torpor was creeping over him again ; he must escnpe from this baleful influence, whatever it was at any cost. He flung up the window ; it was a dangerous leap, but to remain in that room meant death—he was convinced of it now—a strange, horrible death, from which' only a little animal had saved him.

Fortunately he was a trained athlete, and gathering himself together he jumped clear of obstacles. The next moment he had reached the ground in safety, and was running madly away, as though afraid that the mysterious power might still overtake him. Dr. Sheldon was discovered lying dead in the laboratory next day.- He must have gone back after Follctt's escape, and, whether intentionally, or oblivious of the clanger in his rage and disap-- milment, he had remained within reach uf the mysterious metal, whose rays are so potent !o kill as to cure. There was radium enough in the room to destroy human life, and lying in wait—m-*>re deadly, more silent than any beast of the jungle—when b-iulked of one victim, it had sought for and found another.—Loudon " Outlook."