The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-04
PLYMOUTH, INDIANA, THURSDAY MARCH

noise of them. and the shouts and laugh
ter of the children, one might almost lose
his senses.
But Madelaine and her husband minded
it not They were happy and contented,
and the roses bloomed on the DANES
cheeks as they had never bloomed there
when she was maiden.
All these years Peter Althausen had
been wandering over the earth. There
was a restless spirit in him which did not
permit him to remain quietly in one place.
He had great skill in medicine and wher-
ever he stopped for any length Of time
was much esteemed as a youth of great
knowledge, but he could never stop to
gain either money or reputation. He
could make no ties to bind him, for his
heart seemed quite dead in his breast, and
he had no sympathy with the pursuits OF
his fellow-beings.
= After twenty years, on the ann.vcrsary
of the day on which he had drank the
youth giving Elixir, he had returned to
his native town, led by a vague curiosity
which he could not understand, and
which was more like human emotion than
anything he had felt in all these years.
He sought out the house where his
daughter lived, and going softly up, he
looked in through the diamond-paned
window which jutted out upon the street.
1t was after dusk, and all the children
were in bed, except the tall eldest, who
sat at the table fashioning some wonderful
piece of mechanism out Of bits of steel,
and wire, and wood. Madelaine sat in her
low chair by the fire, which burned bright
ly on the hearth, holding her youngest
baby to her breast. Her husband was
seated Dy her side, smoking his pipe and
curling slow wreaths of smoke up from
his mouth, as he looked thoughtfully in
the fire. All this Peter could see as he
looked through the window. By and by
Madelaine spoke. He could hear ner
voice.
"It is just twenty years ago to-day"
she said, "since my father went away,
never to be heard from any more; and
two years later, on the same day were
we married, my Gottlieb."
yes" said Gottlieb, rousing himself
from his revcrie as he commenced speak
ing, land thou hast been a good wife all
these years, Madelaine."
"What became Of my grandfather ?'
asked the youth, looking up from his
work.
az cannot tell" answered his mother
sadly "My poor mother, who died short
ly after he disappeared, said the Elixir of
Life he had so long worked for, came at
last, and that she saw him changed into a
youth of twenty summers. But her wits
wandered, poor soul, from the day he went
away. / only know he was gone one day
and never returned again. think he was
crazed because his cauldron went to pieces
and spilled the liquor for which he had
ha ond
died in his grief and madness"
GLOW strange it would be-" said
her husband, "and how sad to
live always; to see all cur
friends die, and be left to live alone. How
should | live without thee, dearest?' he
added, taking her hand teaderly. while the
head of the matron leaned over and rested
On his shoulder.
"Ah, ves," she sighed, "what would
| life be worth if one lived without sympa-
thy and without love? 1t pains me to
think of it." And two tears which had
stood in her eyes, fell over her cheeks
upon the shining head of the babe which
nestled in her fair, white bosom.
All this Peter Althausen saw and heard
A strange feeling stirred within him as he
! looked on the peaceful group: mingling
of emotions which bad slept for many
years, arose in his heart When the tears
fell on the golden hair of the babe, the ice
about his heart seemed suddenly to b6
broken up. A flood of tears coursed Over
! his cheeks, and falling forward, he smott
upon the window.
In moment Gottlieb came out, follow
/ ed by his wife. There lay Peter Althau
sen, fainting and speechless, upon th'
pavement, no longer a youth with raver
curls, but an old man, wrinkled and white
haired. The spirit had told him truly
At the touch of the tears upon his cheeks
the power of the Elixir was forever de
strOyed.
They placed him in the arm-chair by
the fire, and l,e smiled family. He coulC
not speak, but placing one hand on tn
head of his daughter, he pointed upward
with the other, and raised his eyes as if il
prayer Then his head dropped forward
and raising him, they saw that the las
spark of life wasquite out.
The old Alchemist was lead.-R cerstd
/ Magazine for March.