Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1903-03-12

Vegetable syrups mostly" was my
unblushing reply.
Vegetables" she exclaimed in
wonder. "Why, the circular says they
are made from rocks that are found
over in Australy."
/ saw | had made a mistake She
was not quite as daft as she looked,
"Well, really, don't know but Eliot's
bitters are made of rocks; was
thinking of some other kind. Any,
how, they are marvellous" | rambled
on. "If a person takes them regular
ly, after a time the hands and eyes
will give out bright electric light
when the taker n in a dark room"
'Ya-as, | suppose it kinder burns
out the bad parts of the body and
makes it new again."
Precisely, ma'am, precisely"
Pm a great believer in burnin' my
self l think the body needs purifyin'
/ by fire. Don't you know that the Bible
speaks of it in lots o places? Plenty
o. purifyin' will make us perfect.
Leastwise, it's my belief"
"Shall / order some Of the bitters
for you, Mrs. Higgs?"
Il don't care if you do. How does
il Gomez"
1.-TWO dollars per bottle or six for
ten dollars" | replied.
''All right, get 'em here as soon as
you can, and Higgs having driven
up, she left the store and went with
him homeward.
In less than two weeks we (Higgs
and u had everything in readiness
for our huge joke on the Medicine
Eater" as the soon-to-be-victim was
called throughout the neighborhood.
dozen bottles of rain water,
made bitter with the acids from the
soda water fountain, a lump of phos-
phorus, a dark room in the rear of
the building well provided with peep
holes ffor Higgs had allowed me to
ask in a dozen or so observers, think |
ing the lesson would be more impress
siye upon his wife) were the con
comitants of our experiment.
Mrs. Riggs was informed in very |
polite note from myself that on a
certain day Ga day when Mr.. Blake,
my employer, would rs absenD the
bitters would be in from New York,
and that as they were dangerous for
an ordinary person to handle,
would be obliged if she would come
to the store that afternoon and al
low me to give her the first dose of
the great Electric
She came.
The guests Of so they may be
termed, invited by Higgs and !, were
in their places soon after she alight-
ed from the farm wagon in front OF
the store. Somewhat TO my surprise,
she did not show any nervousness,
while l was a little flurried.
"The stuff is here, is it?" she asked,
as she came in.
Yes; it came this morning. 1t is
in this case" and / motioned toward
a box beneath the counter. THE
medicine is very powerful, and it is
unsafe to unpack it all at once. /
have only taken out one bottle. You 1
viii please step this way" {
She looked at me a little quizzical- '
y, and then followed my lead, her I
husband bringing up in the rear. '
We went into the darkened room. s
made il still more gloomy, ITO Z
est" as l told her, "the power of I
he medicine, by pinning the curtains
lose TO the wall S
Then | administered to her a part i
# bottle of the rain water and
cid, at the same time furtively rub I.
ing the phosphorus on her hands
nd clothing. She was very quiet
cry reserved, and unhesitatingiy did
Xactly what / told her. 4
After awhile l gave her the re- n
nainder of the bottle, and then Z
ulled aside a curtain from a large, =
mirror that stood in the \
orner and led her before it, Il
Behold, madam" | said, in sepul-
hral tones, 1.-THE magic OF electric
~ Even now the power of the
TRANCE force is acting upon you. See
ow points of light appear upon 9
our person. 1t is the divine life
Inning through the outer shell of )
esh. How wonderful is sciencel"
| thought the thing had worked
,ell. Here and there were faint :
limmers of light, and her clothing
'as all sparkles and scintillations.
Iiggs thought it was good, too, and :,
o did the townsmen peeping through
racks and keyholes. ;,
waited anxiously to hear what
she would make.
Soon it came in the dryest and
host sarcastic tones Imaginable: :
young Teller, you're from the city.
ure enough, l guess, but you needn't !,
hink we westerners air complete :,
iieots. A little PHOSPHORUS and !,
ainwater don't always fool folks, :,
nd the next time you want to play \
game on anybody, don't take into
a man like Higgs there.
that talks in his sleep an gives the
ull thing away. Wa-al, Higgs. e,