Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-08-28
The Wonderful Elixir.
~ ELSIE T. HAYNAR.
~ The corner. of the long old

IN The corners of the long old
ro.sr- with its lofty ceiling and
-raiatiy-csrved vain<eotinx. the
sAadowS were gathering thickly. and
erea the searching light from the
hf-h zrrhed north windows failed to
Si.p-i the gloom for the winter twi-
ixhs was almost over and night was
a-ar At hand At . large oak table
"a curious table. whose branching
f.es we're formed by the twisted
bceses Of serpents with opened
zzr=sAS and extended fangsl drawn
esrse TO one of the windows q man
was seated His fnely-shaped head.
~i-h It's long white hair. was leaned
-ezrily against the high-carved back
II his chair and the merciless north
rxh. brouxht out clearly and dis
sia~tIy every feature Of his strange
face
o. the table before him were
rz--eI 4 motley collection of odd
shaned visls and Tasks filed with
r7rSSSs liquids. some of which
-sea-ed ike gems IN the thickening
-Ira-- while others shown with a
--s-,s yellow light like a cats eye
IN the dark
lis long. slender hands like vel
fszr1 ivory. which rested on the
ar-zs - his chair. opened and closed
ru-vzl<ively- This was the only sign
cs IL he betrayed
Presently he began 20 mutter to
ki--s-it in q low tone:
-Teai<ht, will put il to the
t-<f-she fral teSt-to-night, For
s--~ the Elixir has stood all
r-eri--z tests ard now il only needs
tbs eroWning proof of its infallibil-
rv-
II. iesEei over the table and lift
- h~zutifuIiy-<haped flask loving
" m his hand The transparent
e-vxraI th. suid IL contained. glowed
skf-i-y through q delicate mistlike
vel
~ ~ withdrew the stopper a drop
feI fron IL onto his hand looking
Sc- al the world Ike a drop of blood
fresh drawn from some ones heart
H replaced the stopper at last, after
s--~FlInr and examining the fluid
---siy as II he were touching some
ring thing which was precious tn
49, trd in very truth the liquid
Sai seem to pulsate with some
srrz-ze life Of its own and to gain
rs-ss-sSi-a of y he had spent many
b1-~. aborious years of his own life
Ss77 With the fa<k in his hand he
49, and walked slowly to the
farther e1d of the long room He
a-prar-d lost in thought. not MOTTO
i-r The noisy sramperinx of the mice
h~hiaa the vsinseoting as they hur-
rs~a away at his approach ard push
ny ASIDE ab<ent-mindedly n long
e-b-~s -hs-A- IN company with
sth~-S. kEzg from the ceiling and
h-wshsi his cheek as he passed
sfsrE TIE room overl7id with
s-s- a. g was seemed to belong to
- pa<s and not 20 the busy pres
80. and be- this old German doctor
= Metaphysics. its sole occupant.
-1s = harmony with his surround
-rx
F-Shf1g aside the moth-eaten
&z-aa<k curtain which hung over the
-zn before hfn- he pressed his
Sz<~rs upon the carved head of an
A-s13se that formed part of the
-1i-srutfnx- In answer to his light
tzzra a panel Of the wall slid aside
a-aviz< a large aperture in its place
e pa<<e,i through. AMI closing the
s-rres Dor hekTnd him. entered the
-poz ~.h5ch tsy beyond
+ ~zs Indeed 4 strange place and
=szsa1-v-- The room was octzgou-
u !. <AzP- and winioviess. while
tA~ walAs were carved in panels
whhrA extended from aoor to ceiling.
-fsA narrow gratinys at the top to
n1=is the air The hum Of the busy
~s-f wfshs1. those quiet walls
saznasst zE7=S and far-away- And
~ rsi<e Of the heavy wagons
rzstEsy over the rough eobble stones
< TIE ED German city did not dis
t1r@ the rexerie of the man who had
iz<s catered that silent room It
~ss E<hted by a xiobelike lamp of
r-s=sssa Bohemian glass which
swEzg BY slender chains from the
e-zr-r sf the ceiling. and directly un-
@-- e stood the object upon which
ne cd zaa'x gaze was riveted-
"a for<. low couch like a bier.
@-zps1 AL n ruby velvet. which hung
= set fssss TO the dark polished oak
s.asr- stood an ivory ea<kes- the only
tr~-E~zre the room contained The
eer-sr approached IL softly. as If
s-a-Tzg TO disturb the woman who
AZ wirhia it- Like sone rare statue
- Ex< the far-faned sleeping prin-
o~ss e the fairy tales she Law there
N5sh esosed eyes and fzst-shus lips
A>~ hsr< ez-iizg lashes casting q
saasnw On the whiseness of her
rAr~&s. seeming as II IN gentle
sEznA-<. theuxh her sleep was that
waa~h kno-s no waking Her white
s2k rss< l<fr the round white throat
rx-sssss "a either side from her per
s-rs faue and rippied IN shining
sazss<s 70 her feet The lamp above
se~ ezsr n flint glow On her fair
axe <s~fzg L almost a senhlance
20 Esr-
The dsxtor sank On his knees be-
xaa~ her and drew n strand Of her
<as-izg hair across his lips
"a my perfect one. ny sweet
aesrr he murmured- passionztely.
Aha would dream that you had
sasFr hk< this for % long years?
TAos~ er<1rlozz fcols Who saw you