The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-05-31

there one that will give the touch that
will turn all to gold? II you have such
an extract will ask aid of YOU
1.-THE touch of Midas! That is what
thou wishest. Men from the creation
have coveted it. Thou art young to be
smitten with such desire. Tell ME the
reason"
81 cannot wed the woman l love un-
til 1 have So, 900, 900. Do you wonder now,
philosopher, that 1 wish this touch Of
Midas?"
of Midas? know not why it is SO, but
this desire for gold seems to wither the
human heart. The affections are
scorched by it's fierce heat. 1 can give
thee the aid thou wishest, but reflect
well before thou dost accept it. The
fate of Midas in it's literal sense will
not be thine; but thou wilt find
when thy two millions are accumu-
lated that all thy being is merged into
the one idea: Gold. gold, gold!"
The doctor reached for two walls.
"For this one time the two are to be
Blended he said. after this thou
wilt need but the one"
what are they?" queried the young
man.
Extract of golden-rod and stock.
Leave the last with me, for thou wilt
need it but this once. See! L have in
jected double portion into thy veins.
Be not alarmed at slight illness; all
will be well with thee and as thou
wishest."
"How shall 1 use this?" asked
Charles, putting the bottle into his vest
pocket.
GAS thou hast seen me do. But use
not until thou feelest thy powers fail
ing"
For the next few days all went as be-
fore. Charles Hendricks presented him
self at his place of business as usual,
and was beginning to berate himself as
fooF for believing even for a short
treatment, When, on the ninth day
after the incubation, he was seized
with severe pains in the head. Com
PEELED to give up his work, he retired
to his bed, where he soon developed a
high fever which rapidly merged into
delirium.
Wildly he tossed and raved, but sud-
denly in the night there came burst
of music. Nearer and nearer it seemed
to come, and then, while he listened, en-
chanted, the music ceased as suddenly
as it had begun. The mists cleared
away from his mind, and he lay quiet
ly, his mind unusually clear and active.
In the morning he arose, apparently
as well as ever, but that strange clear
ness remained. Taking up the papers,
he turned as usual to the stock reports.
To his surprise, he found that all stocks
had fallen. With a new, clear wisdom,
he saw that the lull was but temporary.
Something within him told him that
this was his opportunity. He went
hastily to the stock exchange, taking
with him the few hundreds which he
possessed.
Men were frantically unloading ev-
erywhere. With keen vision and
sharpened judgment that amazed him
self, Charles invested his little all, and
awaited the result. Before the next "a
hours had passed, stocks took an up
ward bound, regained their old place,
and were steadily climbing higher, leav-
ing Charles Hendricks several thou
sand dollars richer.
These he reinvested. In ten days he
became the central figure on change.
Whatever he went into prospered. Men
watching him said that he had only to
touch thing and it turned to gold. He
became known by the name of Midas.
The two years passed, and he was
worth two millions. Millionaire An
derson greeted him graciously when
ever they met, but Charles, intent only
on stocks and bonds, passed him coldly.
To be multi-millionaire now became
his ambition, and he grew oblivious to
every human interest save that which
brought him nearer his goal. Visions
of untold wealth floated through his
mind, and soon his name became syn
onymous with all that was keen, calcu-
lating, shrewd and hard. And so the
years passed.
Once he visited an insane asylum.
Among the inmates there was one who
raved, foaming at the mouth, while he
struggled violently with his keeper. In
the distorted features he recognized
with a shudder the face of the budding
politician, who had blossomed into a
successful one, having held the guber-
material chair of the state for two
terms, been senator also for two, and
had even been spoken of in connection
with the white house.
He left the building hurriedly, his
mind reverting shudderingly to the fate
of his other companions. In the hos
pital the poet lay, a physical wreck;
helpless for life. A little mound in the
cemetery was all that remained of he