The Opelousas courier., 1891-06-13

rather a startled manner, but I laughed
it off,"
J. was silent for Il while, toying will
the mirror, and wondering what the cas-,
might mean.
"Well, what do you make it out t,
bes" be inquired.
"Oh." ] replied, II can't say as vet,
haven't sufficient data. The trouble
may be in your optic nerve, it may be in
your liver, and it may be elsewhere still.
| should have to put you through Q
lengthy examination. And just at THU
moment | am too tired and hungry to
begin one. II Oh will give me time to
eat some luncheon, I'll be in better
tFim."
"oh, certainly, certainly. Only can't
you tell me at once whether you think
am going to lose my reason2"
II hardly think you are going to lose
your reason" l replied. "And now, if
you will excuse for a little. I'll go down
stairs and take a bite. Perhaps you
would like a chop yourselfF"
"Oh, no, thank you, thank you. /
shan't be able to eat with any appetite
until this fear is off my mind"
While | swallowed my hasty luncheon
! thought the matter over. 1t puzzled
me a great deal, but suddenly, as I was
folding up my napkin, an idea struck
me which I hoped might clear the whole
matter up.
Rejoining Mr.. Carathwaite in my Office,
| said to him: ~ have come to the con
%clusion that this is a case for a specialist:
If you like / will go to a specialist with
you"
II Am quite at your ORDERS" he re-
sponded. "Do you think it's the brain
or the eye?"
81 hope it is neither; but the special
list will tell U.S."
We entered my carriage and were driven
down town to a famous curiosity shop in
Seventeenth street, just west of Union
Square, the proprietor of which, Mr..
Maverick, lie esteemed, as everybody
knows, n Of the most learned authorl-
ties In antique curios in America.
"Here we are," said I, getting out of
the carriage. "Will you comet"
"But, what are you going in here fora"
questioned Carathwaite.
ITO consult our specialist" said I.
My patient looked ~mystifed, but he
followed me into shop.
| presented my card and asked to see
Mr.. Maverick. In another minute we
were closeted with him in his private
Office.
"Will you hand Mr.. Maverick your
mirrorF I demanded of Carathwa:te.
Maverick took the mirror and looked
it over. He studied the frame through a
magnifying glass. t'This is a bit of
work from the hand of Etienne De-
laulne," he announced presently, tone
of the most skilful goldsmiths of the six
teenth century. / don't know where
you got it, but / may tell you it is in
finitely valuable. / have never seen a
finer specimen of Delaulne's handicraft,
nor n in q better state Of preserva-
ton"
"And the glassa" / queried. "We are
especially interested in the glass"
"The glass, said Maverick; sis proba-
bly, Venetian. must examine it a lit
tie"
He went to the window and began to
scrutinize the glass, twisting it about
and peering at it from various angles.
"Ah, yes; | thought So" he exclaimed
all at once. "Come here, gentlemen"
he called to US.
He held the glass off at a certain
oblique angle ana inquired: "Now, when
I hold it like that, what do you see2"
Carathwaite simply uttered a long, low
"Ah-h-hp
"Why, | see a human skull" he said,
"a most perfect image of a human skull.
l would swear it was the genuine reflec-
ton of q real one. How it gets there /
can't for my life imagine"
"Ah, that was the art of the Venetian
glass workers" said Maverick.
He crossed the room and took down
from a bookcase a volume entitled: |
manual Art of Medieval Italy" He
ran over a few pages. found his place,
nAO 4O0A utONN sCuCbl6u lUDk4ug- |
of the sixteenth century were
often o~rnarnented with grotesque designs |
-serpents, skeletons, skulls, sometimes
cIucifxes-produced in the coating of
quicksilver in such a way as to be visible
at n angle of vision, and then to
give the effect of a reflection of some ex-
terror object"
"Well, Doctor said Uarathwaits,
rather sheepishly, when he had
Tegained the street, you have effected d
speedy cure. What's your feea"
81 can hardly ask you atfee since your
srouble was all in the mirror" / said.
= will take it out in telling the story
The gratitude of millionaires is very
ike that of kings. / have never seen
heard from Mr.. Alexander Carath-
again. When he needs medical
or advice be calls upon that
lotorious humbug, Blank.-New York
Making Live Wires Dead.