Portrait theft and murder shadow a New York editor
Horace Hazeltine and Robert Cameron confront anonymous threats linked to a mysterious portrait head removal. Clyde suspects Murphy the artist or his Chinese servant. A dead Chinaman found near Murphy’s door and broader editorial concerns pull the narrator between crime, love, and business.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Robert Cameron
Philip Clyde
Cameron
Clyde
Ferelyn Grayson
Evelyn
Philetus Murphy
Murphy
Cragholt
Lodge-Keeper
Flere
Jerry
New York
Strange
iNow
Eivelyn Grayson
Greenwich
Greenwich Station
Tonneau
Francois
Philip
Romney
Mr. Murphy
Nell Gwynne’s Mirror Chapters Reveal Cameron’s Restlessness
The narrative notes Cameron’s growing nervousness as the 21st approaches, with Evelyn as the discoverer of a portrait fragment kept secret. It recalls Murphy’s sighting on the Fourth of July when Evelyn and Mrs. Lancaster visited Titicus mountain’s Port of Missing Men, enjoying scenic routes and a car stop at a waterfall.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Nell Gwynne
Cameron
Evelyn
Murphy
Mrs. Lancaster
Missing Men
Titicus Mountain
Connecticut
The Nell Gwynne Mirror Shatters in an Unseen Force
In Cameron's study a prized Nell Gwynne mirror shatters into a thousand fragments without any visible cause. The narrator and Cameron inspect the wreckage after Cameron reads Baudelaire aloud, and a chilling sense of mystery deepens as the room's artifact fails before them.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cameron
Nell Gwynne
Make Your Own Toy X Ray Machine for Fun
A 1912 guide explains building a toy X ray device using a box mirrors and a light source. The setup hides light paths with four mirrors at 45 degrees and cardboard tubes, creating the illusion of viewing through solid objects.
Misheard Tease Ends With Silent Garage Door Miscommunication
Mr Mann spends weekend with friends and is tricked into delivering a message to Thomas to fetch the car. The guest heads to the garage, but the door is shut and no car arrives. The punchline reveals the miscommunication over a closed door and inaudible calls.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. Mann
Thomas
Mann
Parsley and onions in ancient meals cited by Hackwood
The article cites RL OW Hackwood’s Good Cheer noting Homeric warriors ate beans and hominy lentils, herbs like parsley crowned Hercules, and onions and cabbage used in ancient diets. It mentions Greeks, Romans and Egyptians praising vegetables for health and vitality, with exaggerated ancient yields and regional cultivation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Mr. RL. OW. Hackwood
Diomedes
Achilles
Ulyases
Greece
Hercules
Anacreon
Homer
Altara
Alexander
Egypt
Saya
Asia
Ravenna
Libya
Patrolman Joffee Captures Pair After Quick Description Call
Captain Walker Whitsett recalls Max Joffee, a Walnut Street patrolman, who arrested eight men within hours after a holdup description. Joffee first arrested two men described as tall and short, then returned with two more suspects, with the last pair identified next morning.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walker Whitsett
Max Joffee
Walnut Street
Joffee
Highteenth
Nineteenth
Grand
Troost
When Women Smoked Hard
A 1791 note on rural Scotland cites snuff tobacco and whisky as chief luxuries. It claims tobacco use is excessive among women, with many adopting smoking after learning to spin. Smoking is said to have been introduced as an antidote to rheumatism and age, increasing overall tobacco demand.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Scotland
Mail and Misdirected Letter Motif Reveals Library Twist
A puzzled exchange asks how a mailed letter returns to the library table, suggesting a mix up or misdirection. The dialogue hints at a humorous or literary conundrum rather than a real event, focusing on the question of mail handling and unintended reappearance.
Burke Quote on Pleasure Turning into Burdensome Labor
A concise extract notes that constant application to pleasure drains enjoyment and makes it a burdensome and laborious task, echoing Burke on pursuit and happiness as a disciplined, yet tedious, endeavor.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Burke
Emerson Quote on Charity and Equality
A reflective line from Ralph Waldo Emerson warns that benefits received should be rendered back to others line for line and deed for deed. It cautions against hoarding good and emphasizes reciprocal generosity.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Emerson
Also Mentioned on This Page
HORACE _ HAZELTINE
Colossus
Rye
Baudelaire
Charles II
Nell
Charles IT
Cam
Eron
London
Tolstoi
Hole
A. Neely Hall