The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-03-03

seemed filled with amazement and ex-
claimed: "On my honor. gentlemen.
l was not aware that any change had
taken place in 1t and I am utterly
unable to account for the agreeable
transformation that has taken place."
WELL" said Alonzo, you must have
put something on it to have made the
change"
Not anything. I assure YOU"
Then" said Everett, tell us ex-
actly what you have done since you
left us this morning."
Il have not done anything. I only
rode down to the spring as told you
/ would last night and after taking
a good drink of the sparkling water,
/ bathed my head and hands with it
and then sat down to read while my
horse fed on the grass near by. Just
before 1 started back ! took another
good drink from the spring Somehow
on my way here, Notwithstanding the
loss of one Of our companions, my
spirits have been buoyed up and 1t has
seemed to me as If I were thirty years
younger. That, gentlemen, is ell, and
It is the solemn truth"
THAT accounts for 1t ALL" exclaimed
Everett. II believe that you have found
the spring Ponce de Leon, the Span
lard, sought about four hundred years
ago-the fountain of perpetual youth.
You know that he journeyed up the
Mississippi river and penetrated in the
Pueblo country in New Mexico IN
search of it. There ia little doubt that
the fame of this spring had reached
the coast in those days and was di-
vulged to the Spaniards shortly after
their arrival on this continent. When
the Indians became better acquainted
with the Spaniard and saw his cruel,
grasping and dominecring spirit mani
Tested so plainly towards them, hatred
took the place Of friendship and for
fear that their enemies would drink
of the water and tyrarnize over them
forever, they endeavored to conceal
its location from them. Whole tribes
were slain by the Spaniards. Many
suffered death rather than reveal their
and in time those that sur
vived knew not where It was located.
Had de Leon pursued o different poll
icy and treated the natives Of the
country in a friendly spirit he might
have accomplished his object and
made known to the wcrld his great
discovery.
1T must be the fount that de Leon
sought. for the water possesses a Won
derful power to have wrought such o
change as Is manifested in
YOU"
Lead us to it, professor" said
"that we may also drink it's
health giving qualities"
The professor led the way down the
valley and at the end of an hour turn
ed sharply to the right, and there, in
a park comprising several hundred
acres. surrounded on three sides by
towering mountains. it lay in a grove
Of timber bubbling up out Of the earth
and forming little brooklet that led
from the fountain. Here we went into
camp, making ouselves as comfortable
as possible. All drank of the water
and seemed greatly eXhilarated by 1t.
The next day Charles, who had
seemed wrapped in deep thought for
some time, said: Boys, I have been
thinking for some time that Billy, at
ter all, might not be dead, but only in
a trance. / have tried to turn my mind
to other subjects, but my thoughts will
revert to him and I am going back to
the cavern once more to have look
at him. If he is lying in trance there
ought to be some way of resuscitating
him. I have been thinking that the
water from this spring, perhaps, might
have the desired effect. 1t certainly
can do no harm if it does no good.
1t will, however, ease my mind and
make me more reconciled to his loss.
Will any one go with me?"
After some further conversation we
all decided to accompany him, and
leaving the camp in charge Of the
Mexican, we repaired to the cavern
and effected an entrance. Billy lay
just as we had left him and we applied
the water to his face and head, while
a quantity was allowed to run down
his throat. In about ten minutes, when
we had nearly given up hopes, a faint
tremor passed over his frame and
later his eyes opened and he
looked around from one to another
with a wondering look. He then sat
up and was given another drink of
water. He wanted to know what was
The matter and upon being told that he
had been sick, replied, feel all right
now. boys" and proceeded to get up.
Say, Charles" said Everett, that
water seems to have such a marvellous
effect. why not try it on the old man
here. Perhaps. however. it would be
better to try it on the girl since the
professor has taken such a wonderful
shine to her. She, you know, is young
er and has more vitality, and if she,
too. lays in trance, as Billy did. the
water ought to have the same effect,
though it may take somewhat longer
for it to act"
by thunder" replied Charles, Il will
try it and see what effect it will have
on her"
Raising her head slightly and plac-
ing the blanket that had been around
Billy under her head and shoulders,
Charles knelt down by her side and
gently let the water trickle through
ner partially opened lips. When n half
pint had been poured in, he waited
for few moments and then repeated
the dose.
After a time we were about to re-
move the blanket from under her head
and retire from the cavern, when the
professor, who had been watching her
ntently for some moments, exclaimed,
amid great excitement: Heavens,
she moves. She is not
lead.'
We stood for a moment in awe, for
we did not think that she could be re-
then kneeling down by her
side we rubbed her arms and hands
vigorously to assist nature in renewing
the flow of blood to all parts of the
body. In a few moments her eyes
opened and wandered around from one
10 another Of our party: then they
closed and remained SO for some time
Charles allowed a little more water to
-un down her throat Whap ha had tba