The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-11
An
AntitOxin
II Kept a Girl Young Till
Middle Life
By ALAN HINSDALE

gentleman climbed an unfreQuenteC
path in the Catskill mountains. Sever
al times he lost his way, but, return
ing to starting point that he knew to
be on the right path, he began again
and finally reached ledge on which
was building.
What kind Of building 1t was Is
hard to make clear. 1t could not be
called a dwelling, and 1t was certainly
not q mandatory. 1t was used for a
laboratory. The conner knocked at the
door, and his summons was answered
by an elderly man In a pair of overalls
much spotted, evidently by chemicals.
'Dr. Dykeman% asked the visitor.
II am Dykeman," responded the
other.
II am Mr.. John Effingham. I have
heard Of you and your discov cries and
have come to ask your assistance In a
certain matter that concerns me and,
more especially, my daughter"
DR.. Dykeman hesltated, looked an
noyed as one interrupted In some i'm
portant work, then led the way to a
room where he slept and ate, which
was all he did except experiment.
There came from other parts of the
building a chatter of small animals,
such as rabbits, guinea pigs and mon
keys. DR.. DykemaR pointed to a well
worn chair, and Mr.. Efingham seated
himself in 1t. The doctor took another
and waited for his visitor to state his
requirements.
at is reported in scientific circles"
said Mr.. bingham, that you have dis
covered the elixir of life."
'That Is absurd" said Dykeman.
There Is no such thing as the elixir Of
life. What l have done I will endeav-
or to state to you In a few words. Set
a ball In motion and It will move for
ever at the same speed II It meets with
no resistance or no acceleration. Set
heart to beating and 1t will beat. for
ever II there is nothing to stop It. A
living body would live forever If there
We're no attacking microbes. Eliminate
the microbe and we have perpetual
youth. Do make myself clear2'
Perfectly. You have discovered an
antitoxin for decay"
There Is no such thing as decay.
l have discovered an antitoxin for the
microbe that undermines animal forces
BY killing the microbe l am able to
maintain living body In statu quo"
Mr.. Dillingham;, after several efforts
to rise from chair, the weakened
springs Of which had let him down
nearly to the floor, succeeded In getting
up and, going to the doctor, seized his
hand and wrung it.
Doctor, you're just the man I'm
looking for. | wish you to maintain
my daughter Rosaliud, who is now IF.
teen years of age, in her present physl.
cal condition. Can you do itp
There is great advantage in han
ding one. In youth. After thirty-flye,
when the building up of the human
body ceases, the destroying microbe
begins his work. Every year after
that the arrest of his undermining be-
comes more difficult. But why do you
wish perpetual youth for your daugh.
terT
Because at her present age she is
delightful cannot bear to think OF
that peachy cheek, those coral lips,
fading. She is full of sprightliness.
mischief; she sings, she dances-in
short, she is perpetual sunshine"
The doctor looked grave. 81 fear,
my dear sir" he said, that you fail
to grasp one disadvantage in keeping
this daughter of yours always youth.
full. While can kill the microbe that
undermines her bodily condition and
the mental growth which is dependent
on bodily condition, l cannot kill ex.
perience. While your daughter viii
remain youthful physically, she will be
affected by contact with the world"
There are disadvantages In every.
thing, doctor" replied the visitor 81
cannot expect to keep my daughter
young In all respects. What ask of
you is to keep her physically young.
Surely an experienced mind even In a
young body cannot be as bad as In q
toothless crone."
John bingham went home with the
antttoxin given him by the man who
had got away from bis fellow men to
study that powerful enemy, the di.
minutive microbe. Rosa received the
Preparation with pleasure. Young per.
sons thoroughly understand the unde-
STABILITY Of old age and are apt to
consider their elders, even those who
devote their lives to them, as continu.
ally In their way. Mr.. bingham ex.
planned to his daughter that So long
as she took the medicine, as he called
1t. be gave her she would remain
fifteen years old, and that was exactly
the age she would prefer to be all her
life.
There was no greater favorite among |
the boys and girls with whom she as. |
ISOLATED than Rosalind Efingham at
fifteen. They were all about her age,
though some of the boys were a couple |
OF years older. Rosa was the life of |
every party. Half a dozen boys and
rs many girls formed a social ''bunch."
There was some pairing of at times.
The boy that paired with Rosa was /
Roger Ashurst, a serious youngster of
seventeen, who was her exact oppo-