A. D. 2000

  CHAPTER V

  It was the night of December 1st, and torrents of rain poured down,flooding the streets of the city and the grounds of the Presidio.

  Seven had just struck from the little, old-fashioned clock on Cobb'smantel.

  But few changes had taken place in that room since the last evening wesaw our friends there.

  The lights shone just as brightly, and the fire in the grate glowedwith all its former heat and cheerfulness, yet an air of depressionseemed to pervade the whole room and its occupants.

  Cobb walked the floor with a quick and jerky step, while Craft satsilently watching the embers in the grate, as if trying to solve someabstruse problem by their aid. Hathaway lay at full length upon thelong sofa, near the further wall, puffing a cigar and sending out thecircles of smoke in a manner peculiar to men who are in a nervous mood.

  From the time that his comrades came that evening, with the exceptionof a few words of welcome, Cobb had appeared in this abstracted manner,and had seemed to be totally oblivious to his surroundings. His friendshad, with great perception, understood his feelings, and had remainedin their chairs, preserving a dead silence, waiting for him to open theconversation.

  At last, with a quick movement, he stepped toward a side-table andfilled a glass tumbler with whisky, and drank it to the bottom; then,setting down the glass, seemed to be again absorbed in his thoughts.

  Only a minute, however, did he remain in this position; for it seemedthat the liquor had revived him and the depressing sense of gloom waspassing off. Turning to his friends, he exclaimed:

  "Am I not a coward, thus to seek energy and strength in that bottleof liquor? But I cannot help it; I am in the saddest mood of my life!Until this moment I have had only a longing for the time to come for meto make the experiment; but now that the time has arrived, I must admitthat I am terribly loath to undertake the ordeal. O my friends!" hecried, "it is certainly impossible for you to understand my feelings!I am like the condemned man on the scaffold about to leave this world,with its pleasures and sorrows, never again to see those whom he loves;never again to associate with those who have been dear and kind to him.I am to enter into a strange condition; and when I again move, andwalk, and see, if, indeed, I ever do, it will be to find that those whowere dear to me are but dust."

  Saying this, he buried his face in his hands, bowed his head, and wept.

  His friends said no word, their own feelings almost overcoming them,but waited the passing of this transitory outbreak of the man'sfeelings.

  "There, dear boy," said Hathaway, rising and putting his arms about thelatter; "there, let it pass. We are convinced, that if it was requiredof you, you would undertake this task; but it is not required, so letit end here and forever."

  "Yes;" and Craft joined his voice with that of his friend. "Yes; thereis no need for you to suffer, no need for you to imperil your life forthe sake of advancing the sciences. Let it end!"

  Cobb brushed away the tears, and looked at them a minute in silence;then, with a quick, jerky tone, said:

  "No, it is too late! My fate ordains it! I will--I will, I say, gothrough this ordeal! Were I to stop now, what would you think of me?that I was a coward and afraid to carry out my boasted theory!"

  He paused a moment, and then his face brightened.

  "Enough!" he cried. "It's all over now, and I am Cobb once more! Were Inever again to see the light of day, yet would I venture this uncertainexistence!"

  The old fire of his eyes flashed forth.

  Craft and Hathaway saw that it was useless to argue the question withhim, and reluctantly submitted to the inevitable.

  Striking a match, the latter said:

  "So be it, Cobb; I deplore your undertaking, but I admire your pluck."

  "Then to business," returned Cobb, "for this is my last night withyou. Now, listen and understand well your instructions: My leave ishere; countersigned this morning," and he touched his blouse pocket;"so to all inquiring friends to-morrow you are to say that I left lastevening. All my property in this house is to be divided between youtwo, and to be yours forever, for I will have no use for any of itagain, excepting a few things which I will take with me when I leavehere to-night. The iron box which you see in the corner goes with us,as it contains papers and valuables which I hope to again see and use.This valise is packed with a few articles necessary upon our arrivalat the chamber; with these exceptions, everything in all my roomsbelongs henceforth to you both. In my laboratory you will find manyinteresting works and many valuable instruments; make such use of themas will improve your minds. My manuscripts are there also, and you willfind much information in them. I wish you, Hathaway, to go to townand get the same teamster that we had before--you will find him atNeeland's, and his number is fifty-six. Drive to this address," givinghim a paper, "where you will receive certain packages which will beready; then drive to the old place where Craft remained with the driverbefore, and await his arrival. You must not go to the address until11:30 o'clock, nor must you be at the rendezvous an instant before12:30. Craft will meet you there at that time, and remain with thedriver, while you will continue on to the pedestal. I will be at thelatter place. Is that perfectly understood?"

  Both signified assent.

  "There is one other subject," he continued, "which is of the most vitalimportance, and concerning which I pray you make no mistake. At 127Market street is a medium-sized safe, within which is a full accountof all that which has transpired up to this morning, as well as afull account of what will take place, as regards myself, to-night. Itcontains all information necessary to enable the person who may openit, a hundred years hence, to locate my body and bring me to life,should my arrangements fail to fulfill my expectations. This safehas been sealed, and the key thrown away by me. Upon the door is thelegend: 'Intrusted to the care of the Treasurer of the United States,and to be opened by him in the presence of the President and hiscabinet, on January 1st, 1988.' With this safe is a letter explainingthat the contents are of the greatest importance, and that it will befor the good of the nation that the same be well taken care of; andfurther, that it is desired and requested that it be deposited in theTreasury vaults until the day set for its opening. This safe will betransferred to you upon presentation of this order," and Cobb handedCraft a large envelope which he had taken from his inside pocket. "Icharge you, upon your oath, to deliver it safely at the vault doorsof the Treasury. Draw lots to see which of you shall take a leave ofabsence and take it to Washington. Gentlemen, be sure in this; it maybe life or death to me."

  Both of the others reiterated their promises to carry out every detailas desired by him, not only in this, but in all other things connectedwith the work he had in hand.

  "Good! And now, Hathaway, away upon your mission. Craft and I willawait the arrival of the hack."

  Hathaway at once left the room, and passed out into the storm, whileCraft settled himself down in an easy-chair by the fire.

  Cobb wrote a P. P. C. card, and laid it upon the table.

  "Give that," he said, "to the boys at the mess; it will be for a longertime than any of them think, I guess. When they read it, little willthey think that that card will be faded, musty, and, perhaps, crumblinginto dust when its owner calls at the club again. Ah, Craft, neverbefore did I leave a farewell card with such feelings of sadness! Theywill take it in their hands, read it, and cast it aside with the singleremark, 'Well, he'll be back soon.' Will be back soon! Yes: when theirbones are dust; when their souls have passed out to their Maker; whenthey have each solved the grand problem of life!" Seizing the card inhis trembling hand, he kissed it--"a brother's kiss, a parting kiss tothose who are dear to me," he cried. "Ah, Craft, perhaps before theirswill my bones be mingled with the dust of the earth!"

  Dropping the card from his hand, he bowed his head in sad contemplationof the future. His thoughts were turning back, once more, into a gloomychannel.

  "Cheer up, Junius, and let us trust, dear boy, that you willsuccessfully pass through the orde
al and live among men again. Have youcompleted everything that is necessary to be done? or are there somefew things yet to be gotten ready?" Craft hoped to change the currentof his friend's thoughts.

  "Nothing. Everything is ready for me, and I hope--aye, I know--I amready myself;" and he raised his eyes glittering with his powerful will.

  "And to-night is your last with us? Oh, Cobb, I wish you would givethis up!" imploringly said the other.

  "No, no; oh, press me not, Craft!" and he looked beseechingly at hisfriend. "I must advance to my task; it is impossible to retrace mysteps, yet God knows the heart-pains which rack my breast; He alonecan fathom the utter misery of my position. From father, mother,brother, and sister, and from friends most dear I am soon to be partedforever--forever, _forever_! Hear you the word? _forever!_"

  Like a wail of deepest anguish, prolonged and heart-breaking, came thelast words, ending in a sob, as he sank into his chair and pressed hishands to his streaming eyes.

  Let him not be called weak. He who could face death with a smile uponhis lips, now cried at simple separation. But, alas! how much meant theword, separation--forever, _forever_!

  The sound of carriage-wheels caused Cobb to start from his brooding.Raising his head, he glanced through the window just as the brightlights of a hack flashed along the road.

  "Our time is up!" he exclaimed, with a strong effort at firmness;"there is our hack. Take that box and your coats, while I will takethis valise."

  Saying this, he arose and put the things together near the door; thenentering the other room, he put out the lights. Returning to the frontroom, he and Craft took their several loads, turned down the lamps, anddescended the stairs to the hack.

  Could anyone have seen Cobb's eyes in that dark hall, he would haveseen the tears falling many and fast. His anguish was great, and itwas all that he could do to refrain from crying out in his pain. Thequarters that had sheltered him for many a day and many a night,were being left behind, never again to be occupied by him. His booksand instruments, the companions of many happy hours, were to be usedno more. He had taken his last look upon them. Oh, it was hard! andhis strength was sublime to overcome the tendencies to a completebreakdown, and a bursting into a flood of tears.

  "Good-bye, dear old rooms! Good-bye to all that is in them--again,good-bye!"

  Craft heard his sobs as he uttered the words, and his eyes filled tooverflowing.

  Down the walk they went without another word, and to the hack which wasstanding in the pouring rain, with its lights flashing out upon thenight. There was no thought of the water that was streaming down uponthem; other feelings filled their breasts. The door was thrown open,and Cobb motioned Craft to enter, and then followed himself.

  "Drive according to your instructions," he said to the driver; and thedoor was closed upon them.

  As they started away, Cobb turned to the glass window, raised his handgently toward his old quarters and murmured sadly: "Good-bye! good-bye!"

  Away they rattled down the road toward the main gate.

  "It's a bad night, Craft." Cobb's voice was hard and forced, but it wasevident that he was desirous of bringing his thoughts to other things.

  "Yes, indeed it is; but good for us, nevertheless. How much warmer anddrier are we in this hack than if we were outside to-night!" trying toput his thoughts into another channel.

  "Number two! Half-past eleven o'clock--and all's well!"

  "Number three! Half-past eleven o'clock--and all's well!"

  And the cry was repeated on to all the posts, the answers coming clearand sweet to this poor, departing soul.

  As the last sentinel gave his call, the carriage passed through theouter gate by the main guardhouse, where number one was walking hislonely and solitary beat. As they passed the porch, the sentinelrepeated the round of posts, crying, in a sharp and pleasing tone:

  "A-l-l's well!"

  "A good omen, by the gods!" and Cobb half sprang up in his seat. "Agood omen, and it is for me! I feel it! I know it! Away, then, withall sorrow, and let me feel that this is my bridal trip, instead ofmy funeral voyage. Come, Craft, we are clear of the post; sing me theold song of 'Benny Havens.' It will cheer us up and I want to hear thewords once more."

  "All right!" and soon Craft's soft, melodious voice swelled forth inthe strains of that old song so dear to the hearts of every man fromWest Point. Softly, but with power, came the words:

  "Come, fill your glasses, fellows, and stand up in a row; To singing sentimentally, we're going for to go. In the army there's sobriety promotion's very slow; So we'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, oh!"

  And then Cobb's full voice joined in the chorus;

  "Oh Benny Havens, oh! Oh! Benny Havens, oh! So we'll sing our reminiscences of Benny Havens, oh!"

  As the last words of the chorus were sung, the lamps of Californiastreet shot their rays into the carriage.

  On they went, but a silence again ensued, and neither spoke until thehack had reached McAllister street. Here Cobb caused the driver to pullup, and alighted, telling Craft to continue on until he came to whereHathaway was waiting for him.

  He was then to transfer the iron box into the express wagon, dismissthe hack, and send on the team.

  "You will find me at the appointed place," he said, as he passed downthe hill.

  The hack soon passed out of sight, and Cobb continued on until he hadarrived at the pedestal. Seeing no one in view, he applied his handto the spring, and was soon inside of the chamber. Striking a light,he was enabled to ascertain that everything was just as he had leftit. Turning to the compass box, he was satisfied that it had not beendisturbed, for the needle still pointed to 993.

  Opening his valise, he took from it the eight bottles of ozone, atwo-quart bottle of a thick, dark-brown liquor, several rolls of silkbandages, three or four small boxes, and a tumbler and sponge.

  By the time these preparations had been completed, Hathaway drove upwith the express wagon.

  Dismounting quickly, the two men unloaded the contents, and carriedthem inside.

  First there were two iron boxes; these Cobb laid at the head of thecase on the trestles. Next was a very heavy iron cylinder, and then abarrel of plaster of Paris and a ten-gallon keg of water; finally, awooden frame-work with a large screw and wheel to it, was brought in.

  All things being gotten into the chamber, Hathaway drove back to whereCraft was in waiting with the driver. The team was quickly transferred,and the driver dismissed, and watched until well on his way to thecity. The two men then joined Cobb in the chamber.

  It was now one o'clock in the morning of December 2, 1887.

  Cobb turned some alcohol into the asbestos lining of the heater, andsoon a bright and cheerful fire made the room quite comfortable.

  The bottom of the glass case, which was hung upon hinges, was thentaken off and laid upon the smooth floor, then some of the old boxingwas laid out to form a mixing-board for the plaster. These things beingsatisfactorily arranged, the plaster was mixed by Hathaway and Craft,while Cobb commenced undressing. Stripping himself to the skin, hebound his hair back with bands of flannel, and then thoroughly oiledhimself from his head to his feet, that the plaster might not adhere tohis naked body.

  "Is the plaster ready to set?" he asked, as he stood with his back tothe fire.

  "Yes," answered Craft, adding a little more water to the mass.

  "Now spread the plaster upon the glass door, to the depth of twoinches."

  This was done, and in a minute it had set; then another spreading wasmade to a depth of three inches. As soon as this was laid upon theformer mass, Cobb carefully stretched himself upon the whole and placedhis hands by his side. The plaster gave way a little as his form sunkin it.

  "Now," he said, "pile up the plaster until you have made it about fiveinches high, and I will remain in this position until it has set."

  They did so, and in about five minutes Cobb arose from the door,leaving a perfect mold of his body.

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p; Next, he bound his head and body with wide strips of cloth, surroundingthe loins, and up to the lower parts of the breasts, with some fifteenwrappings. This being satisfactorily accomplished, he threw a greatcoatover his shoulders, and said:

  "I will now explain the working of the various apparatus which we haveplaced in position. After I have wrapped my face, as I will show youlater on, I will lie down within this mold; you will then place thedoor, supporting me upon it, on its hinges and close the catch. Throughthe small glass door in the upper part of the case, you will arrangethis platinum tube from my mouth to the orifice in the side of thecase, just here where this wheel is," and he pointed to a little wheelmade on the end of a projecting tube through the side of the case."Opening the small door, you will have free access to my body, andyou will attach the bandages upon my face to the little spring catchwhich you see upon the inside of the case, near the upper part. Covermy face and bandages well with plaster of Paris, so that no entrancemay be given to the ozone. Take those eight bottles of ozone, andquickly empty the contents upon both sides of my body, into the sidetroughs which you see, and at once close the door. I will take thisposition at 2:30 o'clock, and immediately take a dose of five grainsof opium. In twenty minutes after, by your watches, you will turn thiswheel on the side, one point, and every minute thereafter a point,until the forty-five points, or full revolution of the wheel, havebeen passed over. This is to shut off the supply of air gradually asthe ozone commences to enter through the pores of my body. Have somefresh plaster ready, so that the instant this is accomplished, you can,by quickly opening the little door, pull out the tube from my mouth,and cover the opening with a spoonful of plaster; then, as quickly aspossible, withdraw your hand, leaving the pipe inside, and close thedoor again and seal it with Portland cement. Before the ozone is placedwithin the case, see that the lower door upon which I lie is sealed bythis preparation," and he took a medium-sized bottle, and gave it toCraft. "Now, as regards the compass-needle, I will explain its action."He moved over toward the instrument as he spoke, but suddenly startedback upon discovering that the needle no longer pointed to the figures993.

  With a troubled look upon his face he gazed upon it. The needle nowpointed to 1,007.8, or to a reading of 16 degrees 47.8 minutes.

  "This is caused by some local attraction," he said, looking around.Then, suddenly: "Ah! I see it! It is caused by those two iron chests.But I fear it cannot be helped; for if they are moved into any otherposition, the attraction, though it might not be so great now, wouldbe greater at some future time. It cannot be helped! I am sorry, forit will add nearly a year to my stay in this chamber. You perceivethat the needle of that compass points to 1,007.8, or 16 degrees 47.8minutes. That is the magnetic variation, plus 14.8 minutes for thoseiron boxes, of this place at the present moment. The magnetic pole ismoving slowly toward the west; very slowly, indeed, but fast enough forme to utilize its movement. At present it is moving but 0.3 minutesper year, but this movement is increasing in a direct ratio of 0.145minutes per year, which will bring the change in the variation, in1988, to within 14.85 minutes of where the little hanging catch nowis. My calculations were for one hundred years, but those iron boxeswill carry it just one year longer, or to January 1, 1989. As I said,the needle will move 0.445 minutes toward the west this year, and0.590 minutes next, and so on, arriving at 4 degrees 34.85 minutes onJanuary 1, 1988; but this will be still 14.85 minutes from the littlecatch which you see hanging down. In one year from that time, it willstrike it. The instant that it does do so, the fine wheel-work isreleased, and the heavy weight will cause it to move; this movementwill drop the large beam upon the glass bulbs of the batteries, breakthem, and drop the zinc into the electropoion fluid. The batteries willthen work, and I will have my power. The flask of alcohol is broken,its contents saturating the asbestos feeder, while a current heatingto a white heat the platinum strip, starts the fire. At the same timethe same current through these magnets withdraws the bolt holding theunder door of the glass case in which I am: it falls by my weight, andI roll upon the bed-springs, while the door, relieved of its weight,closes again, thus shutting off the escape of the ozone. In descendingthrough the bottom of the case, the bandages are torn off of my face,and another current of electricity passes through my heart by means ofthe proper discs. Thus, you see, I am released from my ozone prisoninto good and fresh air; the ozone is shut off, and my life is broughtback by the shock of electricity. From the alcohol heater, which is bythis time all aglow, I receive the warmth necessary to again set myblood circulating properly through my veins. Of course, I am weak, veryweak; so I at once commence refreshing myself from the liquors in thosebottles. After that I prepare some of the beef juice, clothe myself inone of the suits I have in that small iron chest, and I am a new man.If the air in the chamber is not pure enough for me, I have plenty inthat cylinder, and can turn it on at any time, for it contains 8,000cubic inches of air under pressure of twelve atmospheres, or, in roundnumbers, 96,000 cubic inches; giving me plenty of air for over fivehours, without counting that which may be in the chamber. Before thattime I will be out of the place. Last comes the wooden frame and wheel;that we will now set in position. I had this made for fear that I mightnot have the necessary strength to open the door when the time came;with it in position I can bring a pressure to bear upon the slab doorof this chamber and burst it open, if need be. Do you understand it allnow?" and he smiled at the curious expression on their faces.

  "Yes," said Hathaway; "but why have you gone to all this trouble withthat compass, when you could have put in good-sized springs, as well?"

  "That is just it, my boy. I could not have put in a spring just aswell. Had I used a spring, it might be rusted or broken by the time Iwould want it to work. Batteries could not be thought of at all, asthey would not keep so long. In fact, I had to get something that wasas sure in its work as the earth is in its movement around the sun.Nothing is more sure than that the compass needle will slowly turn backtoward the west. It is simple and sure; why, then, should I seek foranything different?"

  "I understand it all; your explanation is quite clear," said Craft."It is a most marvelous and ingenious combination of natural laws withhuman auxiliaries."

  Taking his watch out of his pocket, Cobb then said:

  "The time is passing; let us at once to our work. You both know yourduties; so commence."

  At exactly thirty minutes past two, Cobb had taken the opium and hadhis nostrils, and mouth between the lips and teeth, filled with fineasbestos cloth, while strips of the same material were placed over hiswhole face, leaving but a small opening for the platinum tube betweenhis lips. He had previously thoroughly saturated the bandages about hisloins and body with the brown compound which he took from the bottles,and which he had informed them was the nourishment to give sustenanceto his system during the period of his inanimation.

  Lying down within the plaster mold, he told them to place the doorin its position. Craft and Hathaway, by hard work, got it on to thehinges, and fastened the catch; then opening the little top door,asked Cobb if it was all right so far.

  "Yes," answered Cobb, partly opening his mouth, and speaking throughthe filling. "Yes; it is all right. And now, no tears, no show ofgrief; let me say a lasting farewell. I thank you, dear boys, for allyour kindness to me, and it grieves me sorely that I will never againsee you; but such is fate! May God bless you a thousand fold, and watchover you through life, is my last wish! Take my hand, each of you;there, that is right; good-bye! Now fit the plaster well over my face,and look to your watches."

  "Good-bye, dear old friend!" they both exclaimed, while the tearsstreamed down their cheeks. "Again good-bye! and God be with you!"

  Craft then quickly broke the seals of the ozone bottles, while Hathawayplaced the perforated vessel containing the stronetic acid at Cobb'shead.

  Craft then placed all of the eight bottles of ozone in the case, and,wrapping his coat about his arm to cover the hole and prevent theescape of the ozone gas, scattered the conten
ts on either side of thebody, but not touching the door upon which Cobb lay. Taking his armout, the door was fastened, and their attention was given to watchingfor the time when they should commence turning the small wheel at theside of the case.

  Save a slight raising of his finger in token of recognition of theirlast farewell, Cobb had not moved since the closing of the door.

  At 2:41 his chest was rising and falling in a regular manner, while aslight tremor of the case denoted his heavy breathing.

  As their watches showed 2:51, Craft turned the wheel its first notch.From that moment on, not a word was spoken by either of them, nor asound made, save the sharp click of the wheel as it turned onwardtoward the 45th division.

  They watched their friend through the glass cover; the heaving of thechest became less and less, the breathing lower and lower, while apurple hue settled upon his body.

  At thirty-six minutes past four, the last division of the wheel hadbeen reached. Craft then took a spoonful of plaster, and, insertinghis hand carefully inside of the case, pulled out the tube from Cobb'smouth, and poured the half-liquid plaster into the hole in the cast.

  Taking his hand out, the door was carefully fastened and cementedaround its edges; the same thing was done around the edges of the lowerdoor. They then put out the fire in the heater, and set the insidespring of the slab door of the pedestal.

  Going to the case, Craft laid his hand upon it, and then, kneeling atits side, gave way to his grief, and the tears came thick and fast.

  "Come, Craft," said Hathaway, whose eyes were also filled tooverflowing; "come, old boy; it is all over. We have performed ourpart, and, perhaps, are accessories to a man's suicide. God be withhim! he was a noble man, a true friend, and one we will never ceasemissing."

  Craft arose, and they passed out into the cool morning air. The marbledoor swung back upon its hinges, the inside catch gave a sharp sound asit closed upon the latch, and Junius Cobb was entombed alive.

  Quickly applying the cement to the edges of this door, as they had doneto the glass case inside, the two friends, seeing that it was perfectlyset, descended the hill and passed out of sight.