The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-04
tones, like the distant roar of fierce


whole life's labor. Drink, if thou wishest
it; but pause ere it is at thy lips. Once
having quaffeG it, thy life is no longer
subject to the laws which govern the lives
of other men. Thou art forever shut out
from sympathy with them. Thou canst
never again know any tender emotion, for
if thou shOuldst weep from any cause,
from love, pity, or sympathy, the spell IS
broken, and thou art once more poor,
infrm old man with only few hours Of
life remaining. Count the cost, then, be-
fore drinking the strange draught."
Peter Althausen heard as if he were in
dream. The human shape turned back
to cloud again, the cloud melted into thin
vapOr, rolled away from the cauldron, and
dissipated itself among the brown rafters
Of the ceiling Peter looked into the yes
sci. At the bottom were a few drops, not
more than small vial full, of liquid as
clear as crystal and yellow as molten gold.
He dipped into it small idle of silver,
and quickly collected every drop into
crystal drinking glass which he had ready
When he had taken up the last drop, the
huge capldron, with loud crash, fell to
pieces, and its broken fragments fed the
flames which had so long nourished it.
Peter held up the glass and looked for
moment at its bright contents.
"I will drink a few drops" he said "a
drop will suffice to make me immortal
| The rest will share with Madelaine and
her mother"
Then he put the brim of the tiny goblet
to his lips. As he tastod the first drop,
the mixture seemed to circulate through
his withered frame like liquid fire. His
veins began to expand, as if fresh
blood swelled out the dried channels; his
nerves thrilled with the pain of sudden
| Weakening to life; and the worn muscles
on his arms filled out into the firm, hard
roundness of youth. Still Peter held the
glass to his lips The memory of his wife
and daughter faded from his mind He
forgot that he was to share with them the
magic potion. When he turned the glass
over on the table, only one or two drops
trickled down its sides, and were lost in
the thick dust which covered everything.
As he finished a trembling foot WAS
heard on the threshold, and looking out,
| Peter beheld his wife. She was feeble,
white haired woman, with q worn,
wrinkled face, yet not so old by many
years as her husband. A patient, loving
wife, in spite of many trials, had Dame
| Althausen been all the days of their wed
ded life.
She paused at the door, but did not
come in
"Is my husband not here. good YOUTH"
she asked, somewhat wonderingly.
| Are you mad, or are you growing old
so fast, Berthag' he said, impatiently.
"DJ you not see it is L."
As he spoke he started in wonder. His
shrill, querulous voice had changed in
moment into the deep, ringing tone OF
manhood.
at is true; must be much changed"
he said to himself. "She does not know
me. | have been at last successful, Ger
tha," he said aloud; "the Elixir is mine
l have drank of it."
AS he spoke the old dame saw Made
't'ne, where she had sunk into the chair,
her head bowed forward on her breast,
still unconscious.
"And you have killed our child, Peter
| Althausen you have given her life as the
price of your blind sel6shness," said the
poor mother wildly.
She ran to Madelaine, and kneeling be-
side her, tried to call her back to life. AS
she chafed her hands and called upon her
by name, the girl sighed family and lifted
her head. Dame Althausen uttered cry
of Joy, and the mother and child were
clasped in each others arms.
| Peter looked at them without emotion.
He was not even conscious Of any regret
that he had not reserved few drops OF
the rare liquor for his wife and child. lie
felt 6. desire to escape from scene In
which he had no sympathy, and turning
away he went into an adjoining room,
which was the poor little sitting-roOm
where the dame and Madelaine were ac-
custOmed to sit at their work. There
was an antique mirror, with a quantity
carved frame, hanging on the wall. He
went eagerly to look in it, and on behold
ing, recoiled in amaZement.
The figure which he saw was tall and
elegant the head was crowned with thick
curls of black hair the eyes glowed with
youthful fire, and the skin was unwrinkled
and fair, rosy with the flush Of youth and
health. The face and figure of the old
man had instantly been changed into a
shapely, handsome youth of twenty sum
mers.
The contrast between this young man
and the bowed, aged figure Of the woman
whom he could still hear weeping over
{ ler child, filled him with rcpugnance.
| will fly instantly" he said. My knowl
} edge of science will keep me from lacking
bread. | will go to some strange city anc
take another name That withered gran
dame shall never call me husband"
d And without glancing back to wher'
3 the two women still remained, claspinl
e each other fast, without regret for thos
r who had been the victims of his selfisl
devotion to his work, he went out and lef
4 them forever.
q Twenty years had gone by since tn
g fire had died out in the Alchemist's fur
d mace. The old house had fallen into deca'
e and had nearly all disappeared. Rising on
G Of the portion Of the ruins where tn
laboratory had stood, was newer house
J. with fresh brick walls and bright littl
r pointed windows looking out into tn
y street The street itself was much bright
r, er and buster than Of old There va
u some sound Of traffic in the shops an
- many noises which disturbed the stillnes
sr and quiet which had prevailed when Pete
h Althausen dYelt there.
Ia he new house, which looked smilin
= AID homelike, lived Madelaine Althauser
n now happy wife and mother. She va
!, ~ longer pale and thin, but had grow
: DlumD and red checked and comely. !
- tail youth called her mother, and goodl
Il array If girls and boys 1llsd up the inte
$ val Letueen him and the tOddling urchi
y uao sl9ng % her ample skirts as sh
a moved about her household. Her hu
,e band worked IN famous workshop
= yhsrs they made wonderful clocks. II
ne Was very clever, and could make all sor
Z. - ,,.,a ,ga,.a with little birds nyiDp