The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-01-13


within were slowly cvapora,c,l. and the
drug crystallizcd in minute and almost
colorlcss prsms Oh tho sides and
bottom of The bottle.
Not NIL tho softnoss of spring. and her
breath that made the buds inf old. could
arouse again tho fadn:. fires in the
wthcrcd body OF tho alclemist. Life
was passing from him who hal been
tho only living thing in the now desert
cd studio He crawlcd no step back
upon the road 10 health and before tho
summer was established he died.
Feet that lGd not entered there be-
fore now tranlplcd the dust Of the
studio. All was confusion, usiicr great
deal than the careless disarray amid
which the student had fondly worked.
Auctioncers' clerks came and made
their inventory of the tleadman's poor
belongings. They attached stout labels
to articles of furniture Which one smart
rap of tho salcman's hammer would
have shvercd into fragments. Tho
only objects left untouched were u lie ,p
of old bottles in u corner beneath the
window, on which the dust of years had
formed II coarse and sold crust; these,
aud tho solitary bottle in the window.
They were not worth Il place in the
catalogue. nor Il label.
The morning after the sale, Il fat I'M
tidy clcaning-woman strobe into the
room, followed, at distance which in
dictated fear if not respect. BY her hus-
band, u retired. or supcrannuated
costermonger. The great red eye of
the clcaniug-woman ranged the erea of
the studio, and noting such pcrquisites
as tho remover had left her, she indi-
Gated them TO hor husband, who co.,
lcctcd and slowed them i'll Il basket.
In the course of tim, the whole
of this collection reached the
sorting yard Of a rag, bone. and bottle
merchant. Here the articles were sort
cd according to their kind. and present.
ly an even row OF black bottles and au-
other row OF sca-grccn bottles, showed
in what manner order light be evolved
out of chaos.
The bottles arrived eventually at the
bottlc-cleaning yard of 81 wcll-knowl
spirit merchant. where they received 81
plentiful ab!ution OF warm water. with.
in and without. This spirit merchant
was Il person of great talcn: in his
calling. who ny judicious blending and
treatment could produce Il port ST
recognized standing and condition, eff.
fectivc for Use upon i given night.
Tho bottles passed. from the hands of
tho washer. having undergone as Of
fectual cleaning rs the Skill of that
functionarv could compass. Outward
ly they were now all alike. The eve of
q connoisscur, equally with the eye OF
Il superficial observer. would have fail-
ed to distinguish the most insignificant
difference between them. l shall, how
ever. select one OF these bottles. and
that not at random, nor without design,
and shall give it hcnceforlh place of
its own in this story.
He found pa|c-grccn bottle of or.
binary size and shape; it had passed
through many hands, and had been pre-
served unbrotcn amid scenes OF DIVER
sity. since last it stood in the spirit mer-
chants yard. 1t was, in short. the bot
tic which had stood in the window of
the old alchcmist's studio. Tho ablu.
tonary rites to which it had been SUBJ
jectcd had not dissolved the minute
colorless particles into which its deadly
contents had crystalized under the SUMS
warmth. They still chung to the sides
and bottom of tho bottle, as potent us
before of swift and horrible destruction.
Spirit would have dissolved them in Il
few seconds; water touched them not.
This bottle. then, was carried pres.
emily with IFS companions to an upper
room in the spirit merchants establish
ment. where the air was weighted with
the odor of rich liquors. and processes
beautiful in their dclicacy and mystery
were performed by talented and re.
spectacle persons during tho hours
from to G. Here, when all was pro.
pared. the bottle received an exceeding
~ choice blend of old liqueur brandy.
1t was then corkcd, scaled, labelled,
and properly bestowed in another de-
partmcnt of the house. 1t remained
there during some weeks, when it was
once more removed. in the company Of
II others, to the wcll-chosen cellar OF
Mr.. Theodore. the wealthy and dis.in-
guished amateur. They came under
the ailectionatc care OF Mr.. Dimmick.
the butler. "rhcse bottles arrive most
OPPORTUNITY" said Mr.. Dimm;ck to
himself rs he unpacled them. And so
in fact they did. for Mr.. Theodore was
giving, ut the end of the week, one of
the graceful suppers he so much affect
cd to the members of u liberal prcfcs-
sion. Twenty actors. the most rcnown-
ed in London. would appear at his
board at midnight on the following
Saturday, for tho invitations had been
accepted to man.
Preceded by his pantryman. who car
ricd the case upon his shoulders, Mr..
Dimmck descended the steps of the
cellar, counting each step aloud in his
progress, rs his habit was. One bv
one, in an ample bed of sawdust on Il
vacant shelf, the careful-minled butler
placed the bottles. The Bottle was
laid the last but one in the upper layer.
Mt the cnd nearest to the light hand of
a person entering the cellar. Mr..
Dimmicll then surveyed the arrange
ment of the bottles, and, scein. that it
was good. he withdrew.
| The day OF the supper arrived, and at
II in the evening Mr.. Theodore issued
from his club. called cab AMI was
driven to his res .encr, y costly and
comfortable house in one of the most
agreeable quarters Of tho town. He
went ut once to the dinng-roonl, where
he passed q few minutes in critical
study OF tho table and sidc-boar,l. Ono
or two of his rarcr vintagcs. destined
for an advanced and marvellous stage
of tho Feast. We're displayed upon the
latter, bus Mr.. Theodore remarked
with surprise the absence of q particu-
lar bottle, toward which his fancy had
aAectionately projected itself during
his drive from the club. He summoned
his butler, ana in terms of len emf re-
proach discovered TO him the deficiency.
Mr.. Dimmick apologizcd. and could
not imagine how he had contrivcd to
be so ncglec,ful, and retiring in confu-
sion. sank grave!v into the fragrant
shades of the cellar. Going to the shelf
where he had deposited the contents of
the newly arrived ease OF liqueur-bran-
dies, he took the first bottle in the mp
per layer. Holding in the wary man
ncr of one who understands how fine
liquor should be carried. he was about
to commence his ascent, when he re-
Elected that ono bottle would but lust
make the round OF the table. ~ glass
apiece and such Il very 1inc lqneur!
Thov will want another said Mr.. DIM
mick. lie went back to the shelf and