The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-10-12
alchemist motioned his visitor to take

neT seal.
"You feel no nervousness" he said,
letting his fingers rest for a moment on
her wrist.
II feel at home," she replied. "for the
first time since left Indiaw
II must be Indian then, for it is my
home," observed the other.
when l first saw you and heard you
speak, you brought India to my mind"
was her answer "No one but Hindoo
ever had such black eyes as yours or 30
soft voice. You are as different frolr
your brother as Calcutta is from Lin
colnshire."
81 have two brothers." said he.
"But Henry is not like you either"
ga connecting link perhaps. He is
hazel eyed, with curly chestnut hair. !
wish you could see him."
81 can imagine what he is. / have
seen his portrait. He does not explain
you. But the Buddhists believe that
the souls of the dead live again in such
bodies as Karma appoints for them.
Perhaps you were Hindoo in your for
mer state"
"And Saprani was the queen of my
heart! Well, she woold hardly have
been more beautiful as an Indian prin.
cess than she is now. A serpent is the
only thing fit to be compered with a
woman"
"Most women might not think that a
compliment"
"But you are not like most women,
Sinfire."
Introduce me to Saprani," said the
visitor, leaning forward and clasping
her slender hands on her knees.
The alchemist rose from the divan and
advanced toward the glazed cabinet. He
wore a long dark tunic confined at the
waist and falling to his feet. On his
head was cap somewhat after the fash.
ion of Turkish fez. Standing in front
of the cabinet, he drew from his girdle
a long slender wand and tapped with it
several times on the glass which protect
ed the left hand division of the cabinet
The light from the brazier, mingling
with the red rays from colored lamp
depending by chain from the ceiling,
shone family into the interior of the
cage and revealed something moving
there with slow and stealthy motion.
Gradually this object approached the
glass and partly reared itself up against
it. 1t displayed the head and glistening
black neck of a magnificent cobra, its
sides spotted with gold. The alchemist
touched a pulley, and the glass rose up.
ward like window, leaving the front Of
the cage open.
He then retired three or four PAGES,
keeping his eyes fixed upon the serpent,
and crouched noiselessly down upon the
carpet until he squatted upon his heels.
Meanwhile the cobra remained motion
less in the cage, with its head lifted.
The alchemist now drew from the folds
of his robe short instrument of cylin.
drical shape, pierced with holes after the
manner of flute. It was made of ebony
and highly polished and was decorated
with bits of red coral and pendants Of
sparkling crystal. It was a toumril,
brought from India and used by the SER
pent charmers in their incantations.
Raising it to his lips. he drew from it
soft and ;plaintive sounds, pleasing to
the ear, yet differing in some essential
respects from the music of the west.
The sounds gradually grew louder,
though never losing their soft, insinuat-
ing quality, until the vault of the cham
Der seemed to resound with echoes Of
soothing potency.
At the first notes the cobra had changed
its position, turning its head toward the
player. As the music continued a slow
continuous shifting was observable
throughout its glistening coils. The for
ward part Of its body was pushed beyond
the edge of the cage and held poised in
the air. the head and neck still upright.
Then the long, tapering form, still stead
lily uncoiling, sank toward the floor in
sliding undulations, writing ,rhy ythmic-
ally forward in harmony with tie Sweet
throbbing Of tie flute. As iffested With
itsjet black scales and golden spots Upon
the dull red carpet in the dim-'light-of
seemed to rest, for it was never still-it
was a beautiful yet terrible symbol of
sensuous dehght-the subtitle pleasure
that bears within it the poison Of death.