Jalepenos and Lemons

The glasses of astral light need a portable power supply. I don't want to mount a big battery to my hat or carry some steam engine in a pack.

I used a copper wire and a regular steel nail in a jalapeno. I got from 0 to about 2 volts. Although it's about half a volt, the current is only about 2 to 4 milliamps.

I need more amps to generate the astral portal in the lenses.

Once again using the same copper and steel as bi-metals, I wired a lemon. Just like the jalapeno I got voltage without bi-metals though they are better for these tests. With this citrus fruit the voltage is better than the current. The acid in lemon juice, vinegar, and jalapenos all make good electrolyte.

Science didn't provide enough amps so I turned to alchemy.

I created an essential oil from a dozen lemons and a dozen jalapenos. I made sure to wear gloves and goggles. I didn't want any of that in my eyes.

Equal parts by weight of concentrated Oil of Vitrol (sulphuric acid) and saltpeter were placed in a retort. I heated the retort until brownish red fumes appeared. I cooled and condensed the fumes into a brown liquid. This liquid was distilled into a pure fuming Aqua Fortis (nitric acid).

Carefully I mixed it with the essence of lemon and jalapeno while chanting power words in Latin and envisioning the alchemical symbol of power. I place the copper wire wrapped steel nail into the mixture and it melted the nail and exploded! THAT took forever to clean up.

On the next try, which was hours later, I added the Oil of Vitral only to a new batch of lemon and jalapeno essence. Once again I chanted power words and envisioned the alchemical symbol of power. It worked! I got 9 entire volts!

I quickly capped the flask and packed it in ice. It's almost midnight and all I've eaten today is an apple and some cheese. I'm tired and starved. Damn, Mikaeus will be picking me up in a few hours.

Tragic History

My realtor's office is in a small home several blocks from downtown. He offered me tea, which I accepted, and asked how I was settling in. I wasn't about to tell him the real story, instead I said I was doing well and enjoying the property. I then inquired about the history of the home. When it was built and who the previous owners were.

"Oh that's all boring documentations. If you're enjoying the home, why bother?"

How shifty. Tired of being treated like a child by police officers or otherwise, I insisted he disclose the information.

He paused for a moment, drumming the fingers of his right hand on the desk. "You do understand that the sale was final," he said.

I looked him in the eye and asked for the truth. He pulled on his tie giving a nervous chuckle.

A shiver went up my spine and I suspected the worse. "Who died in the home, sir?"

He cleared his throat and explained that the home belonged to Mr. George and Mrs. Margaret Lovelace. George had it built for their wedding. They had a little girl named Jenny who died of influenza. Shortly after, Mr. Lovelace fell down the stairs and was killed. Filled with grief, Ms. Lovelace hung herself in the kitchen.

No wonder I got such a cheap deal on the home. Only an outsider would be unfamiliar with the homes history. So many tragedies would have been in the paper. I have been sleeping with the light on and tossing most of the night. This is going to make things worse. Now I will never sleep. I haven't heard anything like doors opening or footsteps or other instances of haunting, it's just my nerves. Oh, why can't I be brave like Bella Fortuna my favorite dime novel character!

I wonder if the deaths kept potential maids away. Luckily, I had three ladies show up at ten this morning for interviews. I had them wait in the parlor while I spoke with them individually in the dining room. I'm offering $160 a month plus room and board.

Mrs. Opal Barns was in her 60s, hardly able to walk, and smelled of camphor. My heart went out to this widow but I was certain she would be unable to perform her duties. The idea of finding her deceased somewhere in my home scared me.

It was a toss up between shy Miss Rose Kinder and stiff backed Ms. Alice Frost. Ms. Frost had the most experience, but Miss Kinder melted my heart with her smile and soft voice. Her three month probation begins Wednesday next week. The cellar lock should be in place by then.

Easter Parade

Easter provided some normalcy in my life. I received a flowery post card from my Aunt Shirley and Uncle Fred in Central Missouri. I bought a new peach dress and white parasol for the Easter Parade. I do enjoy bright colors.

The mailman also brought a letter.

"My dear Miss Boron,

I have sent you a Parcel, one which
should presently arrive at your new
Home, containing two more Books
for your Library.

Once having cut the Ribbons, simply
draw the Brass Rings apart to bisect
the wax Cases.

Your Serv't in Yog Sothoth Neblod Zin,

~ Khem Caigan"

What does "Yog Sothoth Neblod Zin" mean? Either way, I'm excited to receive more books.

Disturbia: 140 Cherish Lane

I was so disturbed about the mechanical child I just had to do something. I took the trolley downtown to the police station. There was a stern faced officer at the front desk. After introducing myself I explained the situation and he raised his brow, surely he thought I was a loony. He asked me "What's your name again?" Ms. Angelica Boron I said slowly offended that he hadn't paid attention the first time. He told me to "stay put" and walked over to another officer. I couldn't hear them but knew they were talking about me because of their glances.

The second man approached me, smiling obligingly, and introduced himself as Officer Charles Sutton. He asked me to tell him again what was going on. As I spoke he took some notes and asked me to please wait and he motioned toward a chair. He left and I paced instead until he returned with another officer. They escorted me to their blue steam auto and took me home.

I lead then to the attic to investigate. By now there was enough light coming in from the front room shining through the hole I'd made to illuminate the lab. Of course they questioned me about the smashed wall before they entered. I didn't want to go in there.

They came back out. "Madam, there is nothing in there."

"What!" I went into the lab and it was totally empty. No creature and no equipment. I pointed out the scratches and heart carving on the wall. They asked me if I'd done that. "No! No!" I yelled.

I insisted we needed to search the house. They tried to calm me down, suggested I see a doctor or get one of those side saddle machines swearing it cured hysteria. Ha! I was furious and declared I wasn't a madwomen. I followed them to the front door and closed the door rather hard because I was trying to keep a civil tongue.

I raced through the house checking the doors and windows. Indeed, the backdoor was unlocked. I KNOW I didn't leave it unlocked. Someone got in and took the mechanism and all the equipment. But why?

I sat in my parlor for a while, glasses off, cloth on my head, listening to music while having chamomile tea and cakes. After my nerves calmed down I went to my lab. Working on my Glasses of Astral Light helped take my mind off matters.

Mechanical Creature

My heart is racing. I've checked and rechecked the attic door to make sure it's locked.

Part of the attic is an improvised nursery for my seedlings. Old kitchen pots, pans, and fancier seed starter trays are stacked on overturned crates beneath the windows. The room is finished, wall papered in yellow with white flowers. White curtains on the windows and oil lamps mounted on the walls. There are bits of fabric and thread on the bare wooden floor so it may have been a sewing room.

There is a back wall covered in fancy leather paneling that divides the attic in two. Curious about the missing space, I took a sledgehammer to the center of the wall. Of course, I knocked for the beams so I wouldn't cave the roof in. I busted an area between studs just wide enough for me to get through. Covered in dust and weary, I realized I hadn't brought a lantern up. I fetched one from the kitchen.

I stepped through the hole into a windowless lab with flickering lamp light illuminating total ruin. The analytical engine screen was smashed. Broken flasks were strewn about. Tools scattered across the floor. Slumped against a wooden table in the center of the room was a copper mechanism with the dress and face of a little girl. Setting the lamp on the table, I kneeled for a closer look. Her or it's skin was dry, dirty on the cheeks, and stretched a bit too thin across a metal skeletal structure. The face was riveted to the metal skull in several places. The eyes were open. They seemed like glass and the pupils didn't adjust to the light. The poor things hair, a blond little wig, was cocked to one side. There were tiny brown panels in on it's scuffed shoes and on the back of it's head. I felt a steam valve under the dress in the back. I dared not turn it. I was afraid the thing would move. It's metal hand protruded from torn white gloves that had splinters embedded in the fabric. What was this thing? Had it ever been alive?

I stood and looked around the lab. Saw a string hanging from the ceiling, pulled it, and electric lamp lights buzzed on overhead. There were scratches and chiseled areas all along the wall at child's height. On a wall post there was a carved heart with the initials J.L. and the word mommy.

I picked up my lantern and fled the room making sure the attic door was firmly latched. I'm sure I left the electricity on. In the couple weeks I've been here, I've never heard any stirrings in the attic. None at all. I must find out who that little girl was.