The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-11-25
tne neat or rne cnamper. AT any rate

suppose he should be properly so called) |
was breathing easily and naturally as
though in u profound sleep. The doctor |
was seated on the floor, his back against |
q sarcophagus, looking intently at the
crystal flask which he held in his hand
Its contents, about one-half of which
had been exhausted, sparkle6 brightly
in the torohlight.
I arose aud approached my friend.
AS did 60 ! noticed something alarm.
ing in his appearance. His features
were set and drawn, while his eyes
glittered with light that was fearful
in the wild intensity Of their glare. I
hesltated to speak and stood looking ir-
resolutely at him for some minutes. He
seemed unconsoiouns Of my presence.
From time to time he would mutter in
| hoarse and inartiCulate voice.
In the hope that he might become
moro composed if left to himself, and
In order to distract my own excited
thoughts, turned my attention to the
Egyptian. His respirations had become
somewhat shorter, and a slight twitoh>
ing of his eyelids was apparent. Sitting
down beside him and taking his head in
my lap, knocked Off the neck of tho
bottle Of wine and poured some of it's
contents down his throat, at tho same
time pinching tho epiglottis to make
him swallow. The effect of the draft
was soon evidenced by an increased color
in tho swarthy cheek, and in few min
utes, while watched him closely, the
eyelids trembled and with great effort
slowly opened, and two great eyes of
intense blackness stared solemnly into
mine.
There cc:ild have been nothing moro
natural than for the man to have opened
his eyes after having been restored to
! consciousness, yet this action, natural
rs it was, affected me more than tho
first discovered indications of life. A
cold wave swept along my spine, and
my heart paused until l thought it
! would never resume it's pulsations.
On what prehistoric scenes had those
inscrutable eyes last gazed before they
looked into mine? What awful events,
forgotten ere yet pyramid was found
ed, what mystic rites, what mighty
men of old long sunk into oblivion, had
been mirrored in those hideously ancient
orbs?
1t was as though tho sphinx had
awakened from her granite sleep and
looked upon mo. Luckily for me I was
not called upon to long endure that
awcsome gaze. The eyelids foil, and, as
if exhausted by the effort Of opening his
eyes, the Egyptians respiration soon
evidenced that he was again sleeping.
l laid his head upon fold Of the can
vas and arose to my feet. AS l did SO
cry from the doctor attracted my atten-
ton. He had arisen and was pacing
fcverishly about the tomb.
ooh, fools and madmenP' he cried.
ooh, blind and more than blindl Idiots
and imbeci]csl What have we done,
asses that we are? What have we done?"
l stared at my friend in terror and
amazement. His words were those of a
mailman, and the glitter of his eye and
the frenzy Of his manner were in keep
ing. While | still stared he continued
| his CALCULATIONS in half dozen Ian
guages, gesticulating wildly, throwing
his hands aloft, tearing his hair and
darting about the chamber.
"Do you know what this is?'' at
| length he cried in terrible voice, ad-
vancing toward me with the flask held
aloft
"Of course not, " replied, striving
to appear calm and self possessed.
"Of course you do not" he answered
with sneer "Of course you do not
How should an imbecile like you know
what it is? What should it be2 What is
it but the real elixir vitae, the elixir
OF life, the wine of youth, the medicine
of Immortality, SO long. sought and
never found That's what it is, and
that's what we have been wasting on
that muddy carcass there instead Of
treasuring it for the preservation Of our
own lives through countless ages. And
why not" he cried, his voice rising to
a scream. as he TUNED fiercely to me,
"why not for all eternity, for, in the
long ages Of existence that this will
give us shall we not be able to discover
the ingredients of which it is mado
and the manner in which it is concoct-
ed? Eternity Etcrnity!'' he screamed.
can eternity of life is ours!'
/ A cold, 10y horror seized me. There
could be no doubt Of my companions 3
insanity. He was raving maniac The
exciting events Of tho last few hours
had been too much for his highly
wrought nervous system. | was alone
with him, far from human aid, and
where no sound or cry Of mine could
reach the ear of man. TO what cX-
tremity might not this insanity drive
him? ] was unarmed, and, though a
stronger man than he, yet knew that
insanity lends strength almost super
human. There was nothing to do but
to strive to appear calm and if possible
quiet him.
$50 you really think this must he
tho elixir Of life?" inquired calmly.
"Of course it is, " he cried. ''Do you
hupposo it will restore life to that car
rion there after 30 centuries or more
and not prolong the life of one already
living? Yes, it is the true elixir, the
true fountain Of youth" Here his raw
ings became incohcrent and SO contin-
! ued for some time.
"Well, it may be as you say, DOCTOR"
I said at length. But let us first get
this fellow fully resuscitatcd and get