East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-04-11
The Judge And the Mummy.

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tiqusry returning from Grand Cairo,
brought mummy with him presumed to
be at lest three thousand six hundred
years old Our saraat, tired of the dill
gences in which he had beeen travelling
from Marsellles, took barge at Fontain-
bleau, which landed safe and sound at
Port st. Bernard.-Eager to see his fam
lily, he had his effects loaded on litter,
but left his precious mummy in the bot
tom Of the boat. The custom house Off
Ger on boarding it, discovered box of a
strange shape and aspect. Suspecting it
contained contraband goods, he had it
opened What spectacle! A woman,
swathed in linen bandsges from head TO
foot! No doubt this was wretched vic.
tim strangled by jealous lover or grasp
ing heir The commissary of poliece was
instantly sent for, and made his appear
ance, hanked by two surgeons as skilful as
himself in archaeology. The crime was
recognized, report made of it, and the
body transported to the Moryue, that the
friends might come and indentiiy it. 1t
is presumed that none of them made their
appearance. Our learned traveller, how
ever, in taking an inventory of his effects
the next day, bethought himself of his
great curiosity He flew to the boat,
when the learned commisssry and three
niinions Of the law seized him and took
him before magistrate.
"Ahal my fine fellow" cried the judge,
"we've got you"
"Will your honor favor me with the
reason of this extraordinary proceeding"
at remains for you, sir, to explain the
circumstances of the murder you have
committed"
"Murdern
"That is the word, SIR"
"The murder that have committed"
cried the sarant aghast.
"Or at least the crime in which you
were an accomplice." :"
"Good hcavensl your worshipis dream
ing"
"Ah I'm dreaming, am l? No sir
you'll find me wide awake, to your cost
The eye of justice never CLOSES. Did
not my vigilant officers discover the body
of your victim strangled and shut mp in a
box? Here's the report of the discovery,
duly sealed, signed and attested, sir"
as that all?" said the antiquary, with
hearty laugh.
"Hardened rufianl" cried the judge.
"Do you indulge in lcvity with the shad-
ow of crime so black hanging over your
head? Now, sir, look me in the face, and
answer the question | shall put. By
whom was that young girl placed in the
box in which she was discovered"
'By myself, SIR"
"Mr. Clerk, please take down his con-
fession," said the magistrate. "Who
swathed her with linen bandages from
head to foot?"
~ did, your honor"
"Write down, Mr.. Clerk, that he ad-
mits his horrid crime"
"The expression is rather strong sir. I"
"The deed is henious. How old was
this unfortunate girl"
"About nineteen years."
"Of what country?"
"Memphis, l think"
"Fancy importing girl such distance
to murder herl When did her death take
place."
"Thrce thousand six hundred years
ago"
"Prisoner! how dare you indulge in
this misplaced levity?"
81 am not joking sir. / assure you
the deceased lived in the reign of one of
the Pharaohs," insisted the antiquary.
"I'll put the handouts on you, rascal"
"Your honon," said the prisoner, stern
ly, "this pleasantly has been carried too
far. And let me say, sir that you are
the most marvellous ignorant man that
ever sat upon the judicial bench Where
were you brought up, that You havn't
even suspected that for two days you
have been holding an inquest on the pre-.
tended murder of an Egyptian mummy"
"A mummy"
"Of course, sir; and it, you had conduct
ed your examination properly, you would
know that you are addressing Count dc
D, member of the Academy of
Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres.
any lord" said the Judge, "I beg
thousand pardons. l hope your lordship
will forgot--"
81 will forget everything. Give me
my mummy, and try in future to obtain
experts who will come little nearer than
three or four thousand years in GUESSING
ing at the date of personss death"
The police magistrate, much mortified
at his blunder, gave up the mummy, but
he never heard the last Of the story.