The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-08-29
BY HOWARD
~ FIELDING
cOpsrt0ht. mas. bB cAnTses " Hooae



little as it meant 70 the plano. suddenly.
at the close of one OF the songs. he turn
ed away and dropped heavily into e
Were not IN good spirits tonight
said Mr.. Greer Something's the matter
with us. tell you what's fact. We
Jessie ygass his elder sister. 1ovial
creature like himself. InflrmitieB had
forced her 10 resign the active duties
which she had SO long discharged in his
house and of late she had rarely left her
room.
Aunt Jessie is n good spirits e we're
not said GIadys. ssVhoever needs cheer
ing up should go to see her"
She glanced at Ormond, who did not
meet her eyes. I doubt whether he heard
a word that was snid or saw anything in
.sft.s' time TO go to bed said Mr.. Greer.
shutting the case of his big watch with g
loud snap. Ring the bell. Ormond, like
a good fellow. You can reach II
Ormond seemed To awake with q start,
as from bad dream. He touched the
bell and then resumed his seat Since en-
tering the room he had not spoken ten
words nor did he speak throughout the
absurd, familiar scene that followed. but
he was no longer in dream. He was
watching Mr.. Greer with eyes like two
A servant entered with a small tray
upon which were four very beautiful
Goblets and n silver pitcher containing
pure water. When these things had been
set before him Mr.. Greer took from his
he pressed the spring.
''wI you join me tonight. Ormond?''
my dear. allow me to persuade your
Really, you children don't know whats
good. I have plenty" he continued with
u laugh. .'I hIled the box today. To-
nights nfghtcap and nineteen more are
here 1t has no more medicinal quality
than Adams ale. as anybody can see by
reading our circular. and yet don't be-
iieve that could sleep without it,
He filled one of the goblets with water
and dropped into It bronze hued tablet
about the size of five cent piece, which
he took from the box. 1t dissolved with
amazing audiences, filling the water
with bubbles and impartng to 1t the
color Of pale amber. In fact, keen eye
would have been needed to distinguish
this. fraudulent liquor from champagne.
and am assured that there are palates
which detect a close similarity.
IT have given to the world true tenn
perance drink said Mr.. Greer. Assists
me stomach: doesn't harm the brain.
This is NV luck he continued. raising
the delicate crystal in which the myriad
bubbles rose with faint tnkling, and
lets stronger drink alone 1t has made
one man rich; It will make no man poor.
Glndys, my dear, your health!'
He drained the glass, not at dra1t,
but with prolonged enjoyment and set II
down The servant removed the tray
with one moist goblet and three dry. as
always for It was an unHarying joke TO
offer "Greer's nectar to us.
These ridiculous tablets are the founda-
ton of uncle's great fortune. He was n
poor man when he invented them. Ihey
have had an enormous sale in many
lands and several factories are always
busy with the making of them Mr..
Greer, who could I'LL his cellars with the
choicest product of the vine, limits his
drinking to this chemical irnposture. 1
am convinced that he really likes 1t,
though he never overindulges One glass
before retiring is his very moderate al
lovvance and the linking of It has long
been attended with such mock solennity
n I have lust described,
The gold box for the tablets was a
fancy OF Gladys. She gave 1t to him as