Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-10-27
The Secret.

The Secret.
Roger Bacon Was an EErlsh monk. vho
taught in the I'nlyrrsiiy of Orrorl more than
sixteen hundred years ago. lie va, man
NJ great Learning. skilled ~ Latin, Greek and
Hebrew. hut especially fond Of chemistry.
IIs used to spend many hours each day in one
of the secret cells of the eotvsrr engaged ia
somr experiment. While thus employed he
had found tha, sulphur, charcoal and siltpelre
mingled together in certain wav. would
make 4 new and sirance compound, indeed 80
strange DID this new compound seem, ih,i the
monk himself was almrs, afraid Of II, and
therefore told M one of his discovery.
Among the pupils waS , youth. who was
90 fond II study, and 20 prompt 10 obey his
,sarhrrs. that be became f,voriie with al,
md Roger Bacon would ofi,n lsL his help in
his lalorntoy-a large room where the stu.
dents wcrr instructed IN chemIstry-bu, never
allowed him to enter his private cell. This
youih'' ramc was Hubert de Drcuy.
Sometimes, as Hubert sat rcading or stu.
diving. or mixing mndicincS in this room, he
was st5riled with sounds Ike thunder -ominC
from his masters private ccll-somc,imcs 1
bright LIGHT .honc frr momrrt through the
chintS 81 the door, then an unpleasant oJor
would almost .un,r1,r him.
An these rhiucs excited nj. crricsilv. hu,
Whenever he Knocked or strovc IN rntrr. Ro-
ger Bacon would stcrnly bid him To attend to
his nwn affairs. and never interrupt him srnin.
The door was always kept locked 'ri every
time the boy yenlured In ask tho cluso. he
vas slcnccd by lis teachers grur words and
severe look-.
Months rlided away. and still he esrerly
but ,ainly sought to learn the secret. At
length an opportunity was afforded. lIaron
was widely known as physician 1nd as
surgeon Ono cold November d,y he WI.
called To attend m Waller de Toscly, a rich
man in tho next town, who had been danger.
ouslv hurt. Tho monk gave all th- nect.s1.
~ orders to Hubert. and bidding him to he
careful tn put cut the fires and lock the door
when he WoS done, he set on on his GRAND Of
mercy.
Hubert soon finished his task. and "a, just
bonndlng up the oaLcn stairway, when an
evil thought came in'o Ms mind Roger
Bacon Is gone. he will not he hack frr several
hours. can now find out what keeps him ~
much in ,ha, dark damp cell. "lIe looks
anxousy around. no ono is near, and with
light step and heating heart he reached the
forbidden room. The Key is not there. md
So there is no hope of entering. yet perhaps he
might see something through the sey.h'lo.
and kncelinr he presses his cheek against the
heavy door. u opens a, his touch. hr Roger
Bacon IN his haste had locked without closing
IL. and thus the eager boy stands where he
had for months lonred TO he In vain he
looks Tor ANYTHING new or strange, and with
a sad face is turning away. when his eve
falls upon huge book, whose open pice is
slill wet with ink from his teachers rcn. IL
is written in Latin. bat that is as plain To him
rs his own English. and in another moment
he has read the secret so long hidden from
him. Now he must try for himself II the
mixture is indeed 30 wonderful. "Ah" hc
exclaimed. "ihis yellow powder is the sui
phur. ihi. hard and clear substance is the salt
re,re. and this blsck powder must he the 9TH
cr. Here is the very bottle my master has
used. ! will mix !, in this and see. The fire
is not dead in the furnace, few sparks viii
give heat rnourh, and then Hubert de Dreur
is IS wise as his wises, teacher.
An that afternoon Roger Bacon had been
bending over the sick mans bed ho had
done all he could To relieve his suiirr'nes :;
and os night was coming on, he hade him
good bye and set out for home. The wind
whisiled over the bleak hills, and the monk
WTanpeu hls c'hah cl"s'' ''"''
hurried his horse towards the convsnts good
shelter. As he reached the top ef the last
hill. Oxford Law before him with lights twink
ling here and there. and its tall spires rising
high. Suddenly stream Of fame rose from
his cou,en, high on the darkened sky, and in
an instant roar loud as the heavies, thunder
bur., on the still night. and distinctly amid
this fearful sonhd was heard shut sharp
cry Of distress. One moment and the whole
convent wa, IN FIRE. The trembling monk
dashed down the hillside to the scene OF woe
As he .psng from his horse, a man drew
forth from the ruins the lfsless form Of iiu'
her, de DrsuS,