Black Cat Vol. 05 No. 12 September 1900

The Black Cat was a pioneering monthly literary magazine that published weird, uncanny, and fantastical fiction at the turn of the twentieth century, when readers still thrilled to tales of the supernatural and the mysterious. This September 1900 issue opens with 'The Levitation of Jacob,' a strange tale exploring whether physical matter can be utterly destroyed, followed by 'The Music of Money,' a dark lesson about a miser whose wealth becomes his curse. 'The Yellow Mask' brings eerie disturbance to an ordinary evening bath, while 'The French Doll's Dowry' unravels the mystery of the enigmatic Mrs. Delenbar. The collection closes with 'Missing,' a moving tale of a man who makes the ultimate sacrifice for his friends. These five stories capture a transitional literary moment, blending Victorian moral instruction with mounting Gothic atmosphere, weird fiction before it became a genre, and the uncanny pleasures of the periodical tradition. For readers who appreciate early weird fiction, turn-of-the-century magazines, or tales that balance the supernatural with moral weight.