Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-18
The Chemist of the Refinery
By s. REEETT ROMAN

E fluid boiling in glass tube over a spirit lamp, as it turned to deep purple, then violet, then settled to pure white, and the test being over, poured out the liquid, carefully ex- tinguished his light, washed the thin crystal receptacle, placed 1I method ically in a rack, where others of curi- ous forms were ranged upside down, and walking over to desk began ciphering out the analysis of sucrose and glucose in the cane juice, being converted into various grades of sugars in the Central refinery.
 And all the while an undercllrrent of thought took him to other times and other scenes and turned back the calendar of years which represented early ambitions and hopes. and was glorified by romance, and the all but possession of youths dearest attain ments
 The chemist sighed unconscious1y while his eye ran over the figures, and his brain made it's rapid ca1cula- tions, and he gave orders to lad go into the house for other samples of juice.
 The laboratory stood short dis tance from the refinery.
 It was small room filled with chemical apparatus, wooden chair and desk, and the chemist slept in an adjoining one, which was neat and clean and bare.
 The chemist was a young man and handsome. He was clean-shaven and erninently aristocratic in face and bearing. He had firm set mouth and large brown eyes, profoundly melancholy, just then, but with red light in them which indicated dan ger signal to be cautious, a warning to the wise not to get into his way.
 Quiet and talking very little to the other men, yet always courteous, the chemist had managed to impress the conviction on the superintendent, the manager and the lesser lights in the Be1leona refinery that he knew his own business thoroughly, would in terfere with no one, nor would put up with any intermeddling with his affairs. .e- + -s~s7 .~@
 To his directions, given in quiet tones, to ''ime" or not to lime, to add or reduce the sulphur and others necessary to convert the ugly, gray fluid pouring from the rollers into clarified cane juice sugar, whitened in whirling turbines. then packed in- to long rows of barrels in the finish ing room. were listened to and obeye1 with promptitude which elicited much approval from Will Hams, the superinter= >nt. ''
 The whistle of the refinery told that it was 12 o'clock and time for change of watch.
 The lad, Jean Batiste, yawned audi bly, and with an air of relief depos- ited his last row of samples to be given that night on the table, and went out. z-.@rs '.- H-
 The monotonous rumble of the ma chinery, the heavy role and rattle of the cane, as it was let down noisily on the carrier, an occasional order shouted out under the shed, and the monotonous singing, in the melan- choly minor tones, of some of the hands, as they worked at the cane. spreading it out so as to facilitate 
 the mill were the sounds which came to the chemist as he made his tests, and the slow hours passed.
 There was no curtain; over the wide window of the laboratory, look ing eastward, and the scene outside, bathed by the light of a November moon, was calmly seductive.
 The dull rumble of the machinery was monotonous, and there were no more samples to test just then.
 The chemist sat down. .-..
 There was sound of quickly twot- ting horses, of gay voices. a shout and a call, rolling of wheels, and an animated hustle before the refin- cry door. .
 ''We've come to see you Do say you are glad,'' rich mellow voice called to the chemist, laughing1y.
 Of course, it was Aurore. Nobody but Aurore ever had that wonderful vibrant voice. How cleverIy she had. wheeled the bays and pulled them up short at the step, while Fannie El1erton screamed and the men ap- plauded.
 MISS AuIOEes says you LOuISiandl sugar people always brew a punch when callers come to see you while you are grinding.
 It Eas John Hartley who spoke. Hartley, of Philadelphia. Dear cd Hartleyi How well the chemist re- membered him! Hadn't something happened to John Hartley?
 They had mandolins and guitars.
 They wandered through the rein cry, then passed out and all sat down on a log of wood uncer the cane shed and sang choruses, Annie Laurie" and Way Down Upon the Suwanee River, Aurore leading.
 Then some one said she must sing them a serenade, because the night was so glorious. So Aurore sang. { How very beautiful it was! He sat near her. It was growing cold. He drew her fur-lined coat around her throat, and fastened it and was clumsy and slow about it, because some of her perfumed laces got caught, and she laughed, and began to button it herself.
 Why yes, he held her hands, of course And tke music and the de-