In truth , they had . The Water of Youth possessed merely a virtue more transient than that of wine ; the delirium which it created had effervesced away . Yes , they were old again . With a shuddering impulse that showed her a woman still , the widow clasped her skinny hands before her face and wished that the coffin-lid were over it , since it could be no longer beautiful . `` Yes , friends , ye are old again , '' said Dr. Heidegger , `` and , lo ! the Water of Youth is all lavished on the ground . Well , I bemoan it not ; for if the fountain gushed at my very doorstep , I would not stoop to bathe my lips in it -- no , though its delirium were for years instead of moments . Such is the lesson ye have taught me . '' But the doctor 's four friends had taught no such lesson to themselves . They resolved forthwith to make a pilgrimage to Florida and quaff at morning , noon and night from the Fountain of Youth . LEGENDS OF THE PROVINCE-HOUSE . I. -- HOWE 'S MASQUERADE . II . -- EDWARD RANDOLPH 'S PORTRAIT . III . -- LADY ELEANORE 'S MANTLE . IV . -- OLD ESTHER DUDLEY . I. HOWE 'S MASQUERADE . One afternoon last summer , while walking along Washington street , my eye was attracted by a sign-board protruding over a narrow archway nearly opposite the Old South Church .
The sign represented the front XXXXX a stately edifice which was designated as the `` OLD PROVINCE HOUSE , kept by Thomas Waite . ''
In With before of on over since than that to