The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-03-30
Perfect Love
BY Charles Wilshin

What is that perfect love that some
times unites two people and continues
undimmed through old agef
FOR 40 years Nine. Versale and her
husband had remained in this state.
Their children had departed and many
Old friends had dropped away. But the
victssitudes Of life had left their de.
votion unsullied. and they still sat in
their little garden with its high walls
and. screened from the inquisitive
world. held hands in that sweet COM
panlonship that comes alone to two
hearts In perfect accord.
Yet Nine. Versale. 1t must be con-
fessed. carried within her true WON.
ans soul disturbing thought that
grew with contemplation and brood
ing. There were times when she
would look in her mirror and sigh.
and then she would say to her hus-
band:
Il am not SO good looking a. l
was"
And he would invariably reply:
Tut. Tut! You are always the same.
How can you be anything else than
beautifully"
Il know that you say that to make
me feel better"
They had many friends and some Of
these were new ones and young in
their ways. When a particularly
handsome young woman would visit
them. Nine. Versale fancied that her
husbands face would brighten.
The thought of this made her sad.
1T Is always the same with men,"
she would say to herself. Freshness.
youth - these are what they de.
mand."
Then her mind would revert to her
own youth. when she was so beautiful
and when around ner always there
was a circle of admirers. And how
beautiful she was then! Even now
the memory of it had not died away.
She conceived the Idea that her hus.
band only paid her compliments out
OF the goodness OF his heart. She
thought that his alteration was much
Of 1t assumed. and that out of gal
lantry he still paid his court Some.
times she would say to him briskly:
you know you don't mean that"
His protestations were of no avail. A
thought like this. in the heart of
woman. will often grow to an absurd
ity; to protest against it only seems to
strengthen it.
Young DR.. Van Kale, physician
who attended them and occasionally
dropped in to pay them a VISITOR
they interested him supremely - had
already achieved a worldwide reputa-
ton by virtue Of some of his discov.
cries in applied science His labora>
tory was the center of much that was
speculative and much that was revo-
ttonary: but his opinion always COM
manded respect. He had already done
; things.
One morning he called upon Nine.
Versale, whose husband, having read
his paper, was nodding on a bench in
corner of the garden.
you look tired" she said. her keen
eye accustomed to notice changes in
physiognomy.
DR.. Van Kale's face lighted up.
II am tired-but have done what
/ conceive to be wonderful expert
ment it turns out as l hope. 1
have not slept for 80 hours. 1T is
the crisis Of long toll"
Something intricate-that l can.
not understand"
mot at all. In plain. untechnical
language, it involves a change in the
human tissue. can restore lost
youth"
Nine. Versale started.
"Impossible!"
Nothing is impossible to modern
science. After all, the difficulty I had
to surmount Is actually less than any
one might suppose. What are we? A
combination Of molecules which. ar
ranged in certain manner, produce
an individual. Disintegration is con.
stantly going on. produced by dynam-
ic changes. The problem has been to
counterbalance ito make 1t work
backward, so to speak For years
many Of US have been on the verge of
this great discovery. A certain solu.
ton OF salts came near It. It has real
ly been question Of mathematics. At
last have discovered the combina.
ton, and by means of my transform
er can make one young again"
Nine Versale looked at him with
intensity. Such startling statement
related 80 quietly. filled her with COM
plete establishment. Yet, as the doctor
had said, Why not?
Are you sure?"
quite sure"
"Have you tried it,"
I'm the laboratory. but not so fully
as | would like
us 1t harmless7"
absolutely"
How long does it take7"
"A week"
Twill you try it on met"
THAT is what I desire-supremely.
You have made It easy for me: you