for to my sorrow must I acknowledge
that much of the enmity felt towards our family, and the disrepute into
which our good old name fell, was caused by the elixir. The majority of
Ueberhells were accused of presumption and arrogance, of opiniativeness
and pugnacity. Many had made themselves disagreeable to their neighbours
by their caustic criticisms and ill-natured complaints, at the same
time bringing misfortune upon themselves by a most curious exhibition of
their own faults.

The whole race degenerated so rapidly through their unbridled license
and lack of consideration for others, that they ceased to be received
by the members of the better circles, and there came to be an offensive
saying that in Leipsic there were men, women, and Ueberhells.

This dislike and animosity were visited upon one generation after
another until finally it affected the worldly prosperity of the family.
Even The Three Kings in the Katharinenstrasse which, by the way, had
long ceased to be known by that name, was lost to us, and so remained
for many years until my sainted father recovered it again, and that the
Ueberhells did not fall into even greater distress was due largely to
the timidity, nay absolute terror, with which they inspired many people.

From several of my relatives--and they without exception made use of
the elixir when they received it on their twenty fifth birthday--I have
heard many particulars concerning the experience, but there was only one
who ever said that he had been happier and more contented because of it,
and that was my sainted father, the painter, Johannes Ueberhell.

He lost his father very early, and was brought up and educated in
poverty and distress by his good mother who remained a widow. It was she
who sold the last of the jewels and plate that had come down to her
from earlier and more prosperous days, in order to make it possible for
Johannes to go to Dresden and study under a good master.

He was a virtuous youth, with a simple heart, and a disposition so gay
that the unfortunate forgot their sorrow whenever he appeared.

Even as a child--so I have heard my grandmother say--he was so cheerful
and contented despite their bitter poverty, that he made up a little
prayer for himself in which he used to thank God for having created him.

This man, then, grew up to be truehearted and sincere without the
elixir, but he made use of it, none the less, when it came into his
possession, and it proved a gr