The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1913-04-10
In League With
the Devil
By F. A. Mitchell

branch ana f0ferunner OF tue Science
we now call chemistry. While bend
ing over a crucible containing COM
pound it exploded and, striking him
in the left eye, burned 1t so badly that
he was obliged to have it removed.
His face and his other eye were saved
from injury, being protected by an iron
mask, for he was working upon mix
ture to produce gunpowder and pro-
tected himself against an explosion all
except one eye.
The name of this young man was
Berthold Schwartz. The loss of his
eye was the greater misfortune to him
because he was In love with Gretchen
Becker, whose father, already preju-
diced against him, had now the more
cause to refuse him his daughter.
That was an age before glass eyes
were made, so Berthold Schwartz In
selecting a substance for an artificial
eye chose gold. Gretchen did not de-
sert him on this account. Indeed, she
was all the more drawn to him on &C.
count of his misfortune. But she said
nothing about the loss of his eye to
her father, shrinking from giving him
this additional lever against her lover.
One day old Becker met Schwartz on
the street and noticed his golden eye.
what means this, Berthold2" he
said, astonished. Are you turning to
gold? have been aware Of your ex-
periments in alchemy and fancied that
you, like the rest Of your craft. were
hunting for a process for producing the
precious metals, but did not suppose
you would work upon your own per-
SON."
"That was accidental" replied
Schwartz.
Accidental! Have you really discov-
cred process by which you can turn
flesh into goldT"
my inventions are a secret" an
swered the chemist, wishing to evade
a direct reply, and to avoid being fur
ther questioned he passed on.
When Becker went home he said ex-
citedly to his wife and daughter: "Gott
In himmel, Berthold Schwartz has dis
covered the secret of turning objects
into the precious metals. But he has
been unlucky, for accidentally he turn
ed one Of his eyes into gold"
GLOW was that7" asked his wife.
throwing up her hands In astonish-
ment.
IT don't know. I suppose that any
object exposed to his process is turned
to gold, and l don't understand it."
That evening Gretchen heard her
father and mother discussing whether,
since Berthold had discovered this Sc
cret that so many at that period were
hunting for, they had not better give
him their daughter after all. The re-
suit Of their conference was that they
would wait and see If he really had
made such a discovery. The next day
the girl went to her lover and reported
what had occurred. Berthold laughed,
but, clasping Gretchen In his arms,
said to her:
"You may 60 back and tell your par
| ents, and that with truth, that I have
discovered a method by which l can
turn base materials into gold, for can
| produce a mixture that will explode
with great force and am experimenting
how to use it"
Gretchen told her mother that 1t was
indeed true that Berthold had discover
ed the art Of turning objects into gold.
and there was another conference be-
tween Becker and his wife, after
which Gretchen was told that IL Ber-
thold would turn some ordinary object
into gold before them they would give
her to him to wife. When Gretchen
bore the message to her lover he babe
her say that his secret was his own
and he would not give it to any one
else. But he suggested that she say
to her parents that If he chose he could
turn their eyes into gold as he had
done his own.
When Gretchen spoke OF this to her
parents they turned pale. Suppose
Schwartz should turn the eyes Of Ell
Their one or both Of them into gold;
they would be stone blind. They did
not believe that any one could do so
wonderful a thing without the aid of
the devil, and they shrank from giving
their daughter to such a person. So
they concluded to charge Berthold wath
| witchcraft.
Unfortunately for this plan, Gretchen
| overheard it and went at once with 1t
to Berthold, who told her that he had
conceived the idea Of putting his nix-
ture into an iron tube closed at enc
end and a lump Of metal against the
mixture. BY heating the closed end he
| could send the lump with such force as
to kill a man. The inventor was 60
ing to show this implement to the king
and asked Gretchen to marry him and
| 60 with him. She consented, and the
two departed without q goOdby to old
Becker and his wife.
A year later the couple returned to
Gretchen's home clad in rich garments
and with every appearance of wealth.
Zach! Is it then true that you can
make gold" asked Frau Becker.
Eyes, but not as you suppose" re-
piled Schwartz. II have invented a
compound which will send a ball
through man and kill him"
'Then you are In league with the
devil"
I'm one way. yes: In another. no.
The king has given me orders for all ]
can make Of my compound and pays
me literally"