The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-10-17

know why Because they taste like soap, perhaps. Dolts, they don't know how to use the precious dust; the crysalis of the true Falerian, dormant but not dead. l do, seel"
 He uncorked the vial, and inserting a fine wire withdrew a few particles of the dust. Then he removed his hat from his square box sufficiently to allow him to insert the wire into an opening in the lid.
 There he said in satishe ed way and raising the glass of water and lowing gravely toward me" to your health"
 He shut his eyes and drank the water, stopping between every swallow to draw a long breath and smack his lips. Fi- nally, when the glass was emp,y, he rested his head on his hand and sat silent for perhaps minute.
 Ah-h.h :" he said at last
 "You seem to have enjoyed that water, y l remarked, somehow feeling compelled to say something.
 Water That water! He calls that water !" He repeated this over again in a sympathlzing tone. An -ah, my friend, tell me, ooes water touch 1 Hc ScnSc NltH QUOT SD ulFlHe l That not the violet l With lips of morning wet,
 Utters such sweetness from her little shrine. Does it 7"
 repressed an idiotic desire to say that Croton water did not generally possess that peculiarity, and merely replied help lessly that didn't know. The strain of waiting for that policeman was plainly telling upon me.
 Pshaw lid he, arousing himself with gesture of lmpatience, :" hate self lshness. Here taste the wine-or the water,' if you choose to call Il so." | After all 1t was only pure water tn e madman was forcing upon me He cer- tainly had put nothing into that which he had quatf4d with so much gusto. Be- sides, began to experience an oddly dts ilnct feeling of curiositY-a sort of unde- fined instinct that was about to under go some strange and novel experience. The man , whole actions were calm and deliberate, despite the strangeness of his language, and certainly his extraordinary pleasure over the simple goblet of water bore every aspect of genuine sess.
 Can pour out the water for myself ?. l asked, determined to be on the sa.e side.
 Draw it fresh from the faucet, yon. der, If you like" he replied. This teassured me. l walked across the room and filled the glass. My imp l. tience to see what would follow led me to taste at once.
 It was water-nothipg else.
 :" am fool,' slld, anRrily dashing the contents of the glass into the sink He smiled, half fcontemptuously thought. " DId dcink over there2" he asked sar- castically.
 What has tha; to do with it?" re- tor,ed
 Bring your glass of water here and see. You ought to know enough by this time to comprehend that the first re equisite of successful experiment. is not to neg lect all the essential conditions Singu- lar, how many people forget that simple rule"
 What have {! neglected? 7" asked, filling the glass anew
 This" As approached the table he hAuded me the ends of the other wIfe that was attached to his mysterious box. Following his directions, placed tue lit tie button of metal under my tongue and allowed him to clasp the bracelet about my wrist.
 Now, taste your-water," he said, leaning back in his chair to observe me the better.
 raised the glass to my lips. Heavens what had happened? Alter the first swallow, looked again at the liquid it was still water to the eye, but to the pal ate such wine as had never before known. A liquor which seemed to leap like wild fire through every vein and ar tery that filled my very brain with its rich, hot, ffuity aroma, as if the essence of thousand vineyards were concentrated Tn each drop an ichor that sharpened every sense into a deNrium ot exquisite delight drained the cup and rushed again to the faucet to fill it--not noticing that had broken the wires in my haste Again tasted-but only water once more
 They had good wine, those old Ro- mans" remarked my visitor drylv. Modern Roman wine is vile stuff. They've lost the art"
 Tell mel" exclaimed breathlessly: what IS this, what are you, what Goes it mean :"
 That's my secret he reioned shortly with a low chuckle. He arose from hls chair and began gathering hls apparatus and packing II into his hat. This done he moved toward the door.
 He was evidently about to leave me, but now my desire for him to rem ain, my anxiety to know the meaning of the won drous phenomenon in which had been partaker, overpowered every other thought.
 begged and implored him to stay | mathematical my rudeness and stupid lty l1mpiored him ia endearine terms. record this without blush, for know that the indulgent reader will ascribe it all to the wine had taken.
 After some hesitation he relen.ed. Once more he unpacked his apparatus. must have glared at it huugrily, for he carefully put everything out of my reach, except the ends of the wires with the bracelet and button, which lost no time in adjusting to my person. We drew