Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-22

turned on the hot water tn the bath was
nearly full
Are you prepared, young man. he cried
in loud voice, as he re-entered the reception
ROOM
'rm quiteready sir, y said Mr. MacTaggart
from behind the screen. II can smell thepo-
tent odor of the drugs, even here"
Don't tride, boy, cried the American ply
sician; take your watch with you, and pro-
coed to the bath. You will find it very hot,
and the odor of the eastern balsams is pun
gent; but do not let that deter you; enter it
as speedily Is possible, for the hotter the bath,
the more rapid is the osseous change. Re
main extended in that bath and perfectly
still, and every five minutes by your watch,
and not more frequently on any account, let
your head disappear beneath the balsamic
film with which the surface Of the water is
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
balsarls 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 be was
determined to have his moneys worth. After
little time he entered the bath.
Every five minutes bis 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 q fat 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 q 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 a considerable change,
think" he said SoleHnly.
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 indictments"
Mr.. MacTaggart bowed as gracefully as he
could, 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 a boiled lobster, and
! his ewes were bloodshot from the same cause
Goodness me,n 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 he 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:
"Ehl Donald, man, is it fou ye arel 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.