The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-04

who, had been informed, by none other
than himself, was in possession of an elixir
which would not only reiuvenate the
hearts action, but would also perfect one
physically, and eradicate all traces Of age
that might have accumulated up to the
time of its administration. | loDged to
take this magical potion, and in order to
do so / came to Rome.
Here | found what thought to be my
savior, but, good friend may no other man
fall victim to the baneful desire for youth
and pass through what I have lived to at
tain it. told him | was prepared and we
arranged the terms. The price-it was
nothing to the grandeur of the elixirs.
What longing came over me when the day
approached, what unspeakable anxiety l
felt for fear he would not bear with my
impatience when the hour came. How
ever, was not to be disappointed. On the
18th of March, five years ago to-day, as ar
ranged, | entered the narrow and filthy
street leading to his laboratory. | saw
nothing along the route but the vial that
contained the quivering liquid which he
had shown me once before. The very
thought of it made me feel younger.
AS l entered the low-ceiled room the
alchemist thrust his head from out an ad-
joining room and called NE to him. L
passed into his sacred study, where he
stood looking at me with a sinister express
sion which seemed to fade out of his face
and blend with the half smile that played
around his curling lips. / could not mas
ter my nervousness. Presently he spoke
to me: "You are just in time. In few
moments l will be dead" he said. 1.-THE
hand of time rests heavily upon my shout
der and in a short while his deadly sickle
will have cut me down. l have seen too
much sorrow, too much misery and woe to
care to live it over again. You are yet
young and still unmarried by heavy years.
There is still content for you. Are you
prepared to take the dose ?"
ayes" | answered instantly, and | am
sure my voice betrayed my Impotence to
take the potion. He stepped TO small
table upon which rested the precious vial
and uncorked it. "There is a little too
much here for one dose. / must measure
it." he continued. Slowly he poured it
into a small receptacle and each drop
glistened like diamond. Suddenly he
looked up at me elevating the vial as he
did so, and the entire contents passed
into the graduating glass. l felt his long,
bony hand clutch my arm and saw his
eyes staring into vacancy. With shud-
der that seemed to pass into my own body
he gradually relaxed his grip, and l
reached out and took the precious stuff
from his hand just as he sank at my feet
with a half-uttered moan. As he rolled
over and turned his face toward me saw
by his CLASSY eyes, which stared blankly at
the ceiling, that he was no more. l stood
as though in a spell, and then with NUT
tered prayer to my Maker l drained the
glass to Its depths and flung it from me.
With crash it fell among the bottles
around the shelves, and as | fled from the
room the echoes seemed to pursue me. /
reached my home, and throwing myself
upon the he'd almost instantly passed into
a deep and peaceful slumber. When l
ewoke the following day and looked in the
glass nv face did not show the marks /
efxnected to find there, but on the con-
trarv I felt better than ever before.
strangely enough, the few gray hairs
above my temples had changed to
brown. In few weeks the slight wrinkles
at the corners OF my eyes were smootneo
out. and alter shaving myself each time