Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-04-06

covered. DO not speak, and breathe only
through your nose. will warn you when
the process is complete"
Mr.. MacTaggart entered the bath room,
watch in hand. The odor of the Oriental
balsams made him sneeze violently, the water
was evidently very hot, and was covered by
thick oleaginous film. But young Mr.. Mac
Taggart had paid his five guineas and he was
determined to have his moneys worth. After
a little time he entered the bath.
Every five minutes his head disappeared be-
meath the steaming, oily surface.
In the meanwhile Cecil Dacre was not idle.
He rang the bell; Pippa and her mother ap-
peared; the one carried little charcoal
brazier and fiat iron, the other very small
work bag and big pair of scissors. They
laughed immoderately as they set to work
upon the clothes of the young Scotchman.
Three inches were cut off from the trouser
legs, the sleeves of the coat and of the shirt;
Pippa's mother worked with will with her
needle to refashion the extremities Of her
garments, and as she finished each, Pippa
herself carefully pressed the newly made
seams with the hot fat iron. Then the ply
sician dismissed his two assistants, he flung
open the bath room door and addressed the
bather.
"Come forth, young man." he said. "You
entered that bath miserable and puny speci.
men of humanity; you will leave it, in all
human probability, well grown youth OF
progressing appearance"
Mr.. MacTaggart did as he was bid. He
dried himself to to the best OF his ability, but
the balmy odors of the balsams of the East
still chung to his hair. No sooner was he
dressed and had emerged from behind the
screen, than the mock doctor addressed him.
"Young man" said he, and his voice was
apparently momentarily choked by emotion,
"behold the result of the wondrous bath of
Bokhara. There is considerable change,
think" he said solemnly.
Mr.. MacTaggart had evidently grown out
of his clothes; his arms and legs protruded
in portentous manner.
"Don't thank me-" continued the Ameri-
can physician hurriedly; "don't thank me,
but hasten home to bed to sleep off the power
full effects of my potent medicaments"
Mr. MacTaggart bowed as gracefully as he
cQ&ld, and left the premises
The very first person he met in the street
was his acquaintance Orlando P. Jones.
MacTaggart's appearance was sufficiently
striking. His ordinary straight red hair
was curly and extremely odoriferous from
the effects of the turpentine. His face and
hands were the color of boiled lobster, and
his eyes were bloodshot from the same cause.
Goodness me-" said Jones, 81 shouldn't
have known you. What have you been do
ing to yourself!"
"Don't ask me-" said MacTaggart; "my
happiness is too great for words" and his
scarlet face was illuminated by smile Of
celestial beatitude
Before be reached his own house he had
met at least twenty of his acquaintance
Each one interviewed him with similar
result.
But the cup OF happiness was rudely dashed
from his. lips when his extremely plain and
elderly sister, Miss Flora MacTaggart, on
her arrival, addressed him in these indignant
words:
''Eh! Donald, man, is it fou ye are? or
simply fatuous? that We have been making a
Merry Andrew of yerser by cutting doun yer
claithes."
In vain the brother explained his visit to
the doctor.
Then the secret came out, and Mr. Mac
Taggart and his sister left Naples for Rome
within the twenty-four hours-C. J. Wills
in Belgravia.