Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-24
VOL. XxIT.-NO. IA.
Prom tho American Messenger
Fatal CURIOSITY.

~ 49, 5"Nah VIC y Shtfttsttf VI O&tof0
more than six hundred years ago.
He was man Of great learning, skill
ed in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. but
especially fond Of chemistry. He used
TO spend many hours each day in one
the secret cells of the convent. en-
gagged in various experiments. While
thus employed he had found that sui
phur. charcoal, and saltpetre, mingled
together in certain way, would make
new and strange compound; indeed
SO strange and dangerous did this new
mixture seem. that the monk himself
was almost afraid of il, and therefore
told no one Of his discovery.
Among the pupils was youth who
was so fond of study and so prompt
10 obey his teachers, that he became A
favorite with all. and Roger Bacon
would often ask his help in the labora-
tory---a large room where the students
were instructed iu chemistry-but he
never allowed him TO enter his private
cell. This youths name was Hubert
de Dreux.
Sometimes as Hubert sat reading or
studying, or mixing medicines in this
larger room, he was startled by sounds
like distant thunder coming from his
masters apartment; sometimesa bright
light shone for moment through the
chinks of the door, and then an un-
pleasant odor would almost suffocate
him. All these things excited his GU
riosity; but whenever he knocked or
strove to enter, Roger Bacon would
sternly bid him attendto his own affairs.
andnever againinterupthim. The door
was always kept locked. and every
time the boy ventured to ask the cause.
he was silenced by his teachers oruff
words and severe looks.
Months glided away, and still he
eagerly but yainly sought to learn the
secret. At length an opportunity of
cred. Roger Bacon was widely known
as a skillful physician and surgeon.-
One cold November day be was called
on to attend on Walter de Losely.
a rich man in the next town, who had
been dangerously hurt. The monk
gave all the necessary orders 10 Hubert
and bidding him be careful to put out
the fires aud lock the door when he
was done, he started on his crrand of
mercy.
Hubert soon finished his task. and
was just bounding up the oaken stair
way, when an evil thought came into
his mind. Roger Bacon is gone /; he
will net be back for several hours:I
can now find out what keeps him so
much in that dark, damp CELL" IIc
looks anxously around; no one |, near.
and with lig ht step and fast beating
heart he reaches the forbidden room.
The key was not there, aud 80 there i
no hope of entering; yet perhaps he
may see something through the koyholo
and kneeling he presses his check
against the heavy door. Il opens nj
his touch, for the monk In his haste
had locked without closing IL. and thus
the eager boy stands whcre he had for
months longed TO be. In vain he looks
for anything new or strange. aud with
y sad face In turning away, his oyo
falls on huge book whose open naro
IL still wet with the ink from his mas.
ters pen. IL is written In Latin, hut
that Is as plain 10 him rs his own Eng.
lish, and 10 another moment he has
read the secret so long hidden from
him.
Now he must try Il for himself. 10
SEQ 1.-THE mixture Is indeed 20 wonder.
ful' "Ahl" he exclaimes. ethia yellow
powder Is the sulphur, this hard clear
subslanc is sallpelre, and this black
powder must be the other Here Is
the very bottle my master has used;
! will mix Il In this. and see. the fire
Is not yet dead in the furnace: n few
sparks will give heat enough, and then
hubert dc Dreux will be rs wise as his
wisest teacher"
All that afternoon Roger Bacon had
been bending over the sick mans bed:
he had done all he could to relieve his
suiierings, andas night was coming ON
he bade him good.by and set out for
home. The wind whistled over tho
bleak hills. and the monk wrapped his
cloak closer around him as he hurried
his horse towards the converts good
shelter. As he reached the top OF the
last bill, Oxford lay before him with
lights twinkling here and there, and its
tall spires rising high. Suddenly n
stream OF flame rose from his convent
high on the darkened sky, and in an
instant roar loud as the heaviest
thunder burst on the still nightair. and
distinctly amid this fearful sound wac
heard sharp short cry Of Distress
In moment tho whole convent was
on fire. The trembling monk dashed
down the hillside TO the scene of woe,
As he sprang from his horse. a man
drew forth from the burning ruins, the
lifelcss form Of Hubert
The terrified crowd believed that
Roger Bacon had been practising
witchcraft. and without listening TO his
defence, threw him into gloomy
dungeon. For many years he remain
cd in prison. but at last he was released,
at the age Of eighty lay down in death.
lie wrote his well-kept secret in strange
words in one of his books, and wise
men studied long years before they
could read it. lie had discovered
4. -. D.. ,s.ake ann Do01efer
The terrible explosion at Oxford in
1882 does pot seem strange TO US, for
We know the wonderful power Of gun,
powder; but to he people of England
a. lnas ume, u Appeared 70 DC Tie work
li an evil spns. Thus year by year
INC wor4 advances IN Anowiedge, and
.ho children ol 1904 are .mlllar with