The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-01-15
The Wonderful Elixir
By Elsie NJ. Haynar

1.-THE one bit or brightness my uuli
life had ever known. which should
make your young heart beat quickly
as Of yore. and send your blood dane
ing through your veins. And have
found Il this wonderful elixir OF
life and youth. for which the old
philosophers sought in vain, which
combines with its chemical proper
ties the intangible essence OF lie
found il at last after all these weary
years without you And tonight you
shall come back 10 me. my bride that
vas. my wife that is TO be, as young
and lovely as you were on that never
to-be-fOrgotten day
He rose TO his feet and stood be-
side her his tall figure seeming 10
have become more erect and the IRE
OF youth flashing again in his deep
set eyes Though apparently CAIN,
he was in reality strung up 20 the
highest pitch of excitement. Draw
Ing from his pocket a tiny measur-
ing vial. he poured into il with diff
fculty owing 10 the unsteadiness OF
his hand) a small quantity OF the
liquid from the flask he still held IN
his hand Then placing the precious
10 the quiet figure before him.
Gently. with little ivory instru-
ment he pressed the closed lips
apart and poured the contents or the
vial between them. then breathless-
~ with eyes riyeted TO her face, he
watched TO see the elixir take ei-
feet Gradually. 50 gradually that
any eye less keen and loving than
his would have failed 70 notice the
almost imperceptible change. tinge.
as faint as that OF a blush rose. stole
into her white cheeks. her lips parted
slightly. and her bosom began TO rise
aud fall regularly as the heart that
had lain so long dormant took up It's
work again.
"Ah. il was not for nothing
pored over those old black-letter
folios so faithfully he cried, exulting-
IT, AT last. my long years of labor
are crowned with great success.
Then leaning over her. he called
softly. Wanna"
The long lashes Quiyered on the
soft cheeks. and round her lips stole
a happy smile. as if she dreamed OF
him and found the dream passing
sweet
Wanna" he called more loudly, as
If 10 reach the ear dulled by so long
a slumber.
Then came the realization Of all
his dreams and desires. The long
lashes were lifted and the large dark
ewes smiled back gladly into his
waiting ones.
Heinrich" she murmured. cares
singly. and held her white arms out
lovingly toward him.
With a wild burst Of passion he
raised her in his arms and strained
her TO him. But even as ne held her
close. feeling her heart beating
against his own. and realizing the
contamination of all his hopes,
strange sensation passed through
him. The slender form he held
seemed to be growing lighter and
LIGHTER. and shrinking within his
eager embrace.
LAYING her gently down. he
watched with anguish the awful
change which was coming over the
beautiful face.
"Ah. Yanna. my little one, my love
What is It that has come to YOU What
fatal mistake have | made in the elixir
that it is bringing death. not life, to
you,"
Then he sprang desperately to his
feet and stood looking down at the
woman for whom he had toiled for
80 long years. Before his horror
stricken eyes the beautiful face and
supple form with its graceful curves
shrank ever smaller and smaller, TIL
nothing was left but yellow shriv-
eled skin and shrunken bones, like
some mummy Of old Egypt.
And then-Oh. We gods. that he
should have lived 70 behold such
horrors. As he watched her Win
brain on fire and breaking heart tor
try as he might he could not tear
his fascinated gaze away from herr
there came the last most awful
change Of all; and dissolution ltha'
great organic force that works So
much more rapidly than GROWTH re-
duced TO nothingness before his very
ewes that which had once been the
love OF his life.
with wild cry Of "Yanna. Yam
na,~ his breaking heart gave way. HI
staggered. and throwing up his arms
feU lifeless across the empty bier
while the paneled walls caught up th'
hollow sound. and echoed back II
. CHASTITY mimicry the old well-loyet
name: Wanna. Yanna." And acros
the floor like a stream OF blood, from
the broken flask. flowed the wonderful
elixir.-Sunny South, Atlanta.