Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-04-07

AA5 sAAAl III 1lS1 plc SEtSD. Lean
der she said, Il will not go. See
those liquid fires glowing in lurid hues
Ike the eyes of some dread monster
This test Of yours is needless, and ]
fear it!''
Lady Venus" he said earnestly, Il
do assure you they're onE big bottles
and quite harmless too, having water
in them, not physic. You've no cal
to be alarmed"
She yielded and they crossed the
road. hTe shop was small and UMPIRE
tending. In the window the chief or
naments We're speckled plaster limbs
clad i'll elastic socks, and photographs
of hideous complaints before and after
treatment with a celebrated ointment
and their were certain trophies which
Indicated that the chemist numbered
dentristry among his accomplishments
Inside the odor of drugs prevailed, in
the absence of the subtle perfume thai
is part of the fittings of fashionable
apothecary. and OH the threshold the
goddess paused, irresolute.
Their is magic in the air." she eX
claimed, land fearful poisons; this mar
is some enchanter."
Nov l put it to you," said Leander
with some Impotence, ''does he look
it,"
The chemist was Il mild little man
with a high forehead, round spectacles
little red beak of a nose. and weak
gray beard. AS they entered he was
addre ssing a small and dra ggled child
tell your mother" he said, that she
must come herself. / never sell pare
goric to children"
Their was so little of the wizard in
his manner that the goddess, who pos
sibly had some reason to mistrust 4
mortal magician, was treasured.
AS the child retired, the chemist
turned to them with a look of bland
dignified inquiry, something, perhaps
the consciousness of having once passed
an examination, SustainS the meekeSt
chemist in an upward superiority. He
did not speak
Leander took it upon himself to eX-
plain, This lady would be glad to be
told whether a ring she's got on is the
real article or only imitation he said,
80 she thought you could decide it for
her"
Not So" corrected the goddess, aus
tereiy; for myself l care not"'
Have it your own way" said Lean
der, Il should like to be told then. I
suppose, mister, you've some way of
testing these tllings|>
"Oh yesv' said the chemist Il can
treat it for you with what we call aqua
FORTS, a combination of nitric and ny
drochloric acid, which would tell us
ut once. / ought to mentin, perhaps,
that so extremely powerful an agent
may injure the appearance of the metal
if it is of inferior quality. Will the lady
oblige me with the ring
Aphrodite extended her hand with
naughty Indifference. The chemist eX-
tie ring as it circled her finger,
and Leander held his breath in fortunes
of anxiety. A horrible fear came over
him that his deep laid scheme was
about to end in failure.
But the chemist remarked at last:
Exactly; thank you madam. The gold
is antique, certainly; but l should be
inclined to pronounce it, at first sight,
genuine / will ascertain how this is.
if you will take the trouble to remove
the ring and pass it over"
''Why?" demande Aphrodite, obstin-
ately.
81 could not undertake to treat it
while it remains upon your hands," he
proested; 1.-The acid might do some in
jury"
1T matters not"' she said. calmly;
and Leander recollected with horror
that, as any inquiry to her statue would
have no physical effect upon the god
dess herself, she could not be much in
by the chemists reason.
DO what the gentleman tells you,''
he said in an eager whisper as he drew
her aside.
Il know your wiles, oh perfidious one
she said Having induced me to re-
move this token you would seize it
yourself and take fight. I will not
remove this ring"'
There's a thing to sayw exclaimed
Leander; there's suspicion to throw
ly to do that I'll go right over here,
where I can't see it, and [ won't stir
out till it's all over. Will that satisfy
you? You know why I'm so anxious
about that ring; and now, when the
gentleman tells you he's almost sure it's
gold
sit is goldv' said the goddess.
IF you're so sure about it, he re,
taliated, why are you afraid to have it
proved?"
II am not afraid,'' she said; but l re-
quire no proof"'
Il d." he retorted, land what told
you before I stand to. If that ring is
proved-in the only way it can be
proved, I mean by this gentleman
testing it as he tells you he can-then
there's no more to be said,, and I'll &c
away with you like a lamb. But with
out that proof I will not stir a step,
and so / tell you. 1t won't take mo-
ment You can see for yourself that
couldn't possibly catch up the ring from
here-'
Swear to me-" she said, ''tnat you
will remain where you now stand; and
remember" she added, with an accent
of triumph, 'our compact is that should
yonder man pronounce that the ring has
passed through the test with honor,
you will follow me whithersoever bid