Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-03-05
9GIetteo MlisreIlanp.
THE ALCHEMIST.
BY ABBY SAGE.

AT one end of large room, so old and
dusty that it looked as If ages had passed
since the pondereus brown rafters in the
ceiling were first fixed in their places, q
huge fire roared with q hollow sound in q
brick furnace. Over this furnace sat a
deep brazen cauldron, filled with boiling
liquor, which looked like molten gold, on
whose surface and brim danced blush,
lambent flames. An old man, with stream
ing white hairs, bent over the cauldron.
His figure was crooked and deformed with
age and continued STOPPING, and his hair
and long, silvery beard were dry and
crisp, as If they were singed in the fierce
heat in which he worked. This old man
was Peter Althausen, who was working
night and day, and had been working
night and day for fifty years, to fnd the
Elixir of Life,-thst wonderful liquor
which would make youth immortal and
keen the body always vigorous and
fresh.
On this day the old Alchemist was
wondrously happy. Never had the fire in
the furnace roared so deeply. Never had
the mixture in the cauldron borne such
bright, changeful bubbles ON its surface.
Peter watched it with the fierce glow
from the fire reflected in his eyes. At
length he cried,
"There is only one thing wanting
now. The Elixir is nearly perfect 1t
needs only q portion of life blood from
young veines."
AS he said this he looked wistfully at his
barred arms, but the sight of the tlaccid
flesh and wasted veins made him shake
his head despondingly. After moments
pause, he went to q staircase which as
cepded from one corner of the room, and
called in shrill, tremulous voice, "Made-
laine Madelaine |"
A light foot was heard upon the stairs in
answer to his call, and Peter Althausen's 8
youngest daughter, the only remaining
child of his old age, came slowly down into
the laboratory.
"Didst cali me, fathers" she asked
softly,
All Peter Althausen's family wore the
traces of subdued grief on their faces.
They had waited so long for the liquid
which was to give them immortal youth
that their youth and prime had wasted in
the slow fever of anxious expectancy.
Their voices were low and mournful, they
stepped slowly and irresolutely, as if all
the freshness and buoyancy of life were de-
ferred for them, and they were waiting in
patient quiet till it came
Madelaine paused and repeated, "Didst
thou call me, father?"
Gay, my child, said the old man, look.
ing up from his task of stirring the mix.
ture in the cauldron; "the potent LIQUOR
is nearly completed. = 1t lacks only little
life-blood., from younger and fresher veins
than mine. Hast courage to bare thine
arm to me? hThink, child, the Elixir that
is to make us all immortal"
The young girl smiled little-a sort Of
sad, weary smile, and asked, "Is it well
to live always, father? / feel sometimes
tired-so tired! Perhaps we might some
times be glad to die"
'c,Nonsense, child p said he, impatiently
"I am fourscore and five years, and / an
most eager to live. To the young death i
far off they do Eot fear it. But decide
quickly. Seel the liquor foams higher
and higher"
The girl barred her white, thin arm, an(
Peter pierced vein with a sharp lancet
The blood trickled in a tiny stream into
silver bowl which he held close to tn
wound. When it was half full he bount
her arm up hurriedly, and did not motto
that she had tainted in the chair where sh
had seated herself.
The mixture in the furnace en-
crossed all his senses. 1t was grow
ing more and more brilliant, and the glow
ing bubbles rose higher and higher
till they overhowed the cauldron's brir
and were devoured by the leaping flame
beneath. Peter emptied slowly, drop afte
drop, the contents of the bowl in the boi
ing mass.
Then, from out the cauldron and en-
circling it, vapor began to rise: vapo
which grew larger and denser, till a
length it touched the ceiling like flame
IL ~ 1,so
to change in form and shape itself, til
while the old man looked, the cloudy mac
nut on the semblance of gigantic huma
form. Though 1t was like the figure of
mar, it was still the color of fire. Th
streaming hair and beard were like hcl
ing tongues of fame. The eyes wei
glowing Goals, and the robe which sweI
about this wondrous image from the heal
and throat, and shoulders, to the cauldron
bTim whereon its feet were set, fell
quivering folds like sheets of glitterinl
yellow fame.
Peter covered before the presence, bl
did not speak. The spirit did not wa
for him. but spoke in deep, mutterin
tones, like the distant roar Of a ferS
fire!
"Peter Althausen, thy life-work
finished. In the bottom of this cauldrc
are some precious drops Of the Elixir
Life-enough 10 make thee and thine iI
mortal II is thine--the reward of II
whole lfes labor. Drink, If thou wishe
it; but pause ere it is at thy lips. On,
having quaffed it, thy life is no long
subject TO the laws which govern the liV
of other men. Thou art forever shut O
from sympathy with them. Thou can
never again know any tender emotion. 4
if thou shouldst weep from any caus
from love, pity, or sympathy, the spell
broken, and thou art once more a poo
infrm old man with only few hours
life remaining. Count the cost, then,
fore drinking the strange draught"
Peter Althausen heard as 4 he were
dream. The human shape turned bsi
10 cloud again. the cloud melted into tn
Vapor, rolled away from the cauldron, al
dissipated itself among the brown rafte
of the ceiling. Peter looked into the VI
sci. At the bottom were few drops, n
more than q small vial full. of liquid
clear as crystal and yellow as molten gol
He dipped into il q smah lpdle Of silvs
and quickly collected every drop into
crystal drinking glass which he had read
When he had taken up the last drop, 4
huge caUldron, with loud crash, fell
pieces, and lis broken fragments fed q
flames which had 30 long nourished
Peter held up the glass and looked for
moment at its bright contents.
win drink few drops" he said
drop will suffice 70 make me immort
The rest ! VIII share with AAdslaine q
her mothar.p
Thsn ia pus The bslmAf ia ,luv sohI