The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-02

into his hands in an odd sort Of way.
The man who had made of with 1t had
been murdered in his lodgings for some
political reason, and the cane had been
handed over to my friend by the chief OF
police, who had charge OF the fellows ct.
iects. He promised to take care Of 1t, and
send it to me at the first opportunity,
"as," he wrote, II fancy you value It Tor
some reason or other" own did; in
spite Of the melancholy associations, It al
ways reminded me OF Mari mean Kitty
no, l mean Marion. OF course!
Time passed by, and | met man who
| had Just come from those parts. asked
after Darby Fielding at once, hoped he
was all right and generally flourishing.
ooh. didn't YOU hear?" he replied.
'Poorfellow; he died rather suddenly some
months ago."
This was q blow! That fatal stick again,
| On my return home landed at Plymouth
and made straght-as soon as the ship
was paid off-to the dingy shop OF the ras-
cal who had sold me the unlucky article.
meant TO have talk with him about
| il, for by this time had come to sort OF
belief in its own magic properties, such as
those wicked old hays the Obi witches
seem to have the power OF putting into
things which nature intended to be harm
| less.
When the old spider caught sight Of me
and my cane | never saw anything like
the deadly fear and amazement that the
sight caused in him. His skinny hand
went up, his jaw dropped, his deep yellow
face seemed to shriyel into duller parch-
ment texture, but not word did he ut
ter until | spoke, and then hodge podge
of strange oaths in all tongues dropped
out under his breath. "What? It's come,
them" he whispered.
81 have come TO hear the story OF this
stick" said. ''There is something queer
about it.
All his emotions had vanished, an ORR
entail apathy had taken possession OF him
and did not leave him again. l felt sure
MS | watched his features and took note OF
his small 1.-the hands that he was an ORR
entail by birth, Hindu or Parsee or some
kindred race.
Fate" he muttered. "Siva. It's over.
Come thou tonight"
/ left him clearing the multifarious goods
out OF the window and | returned at 10
o'clock in the evening; carrying the cane
with me.
| found my friend in small dark
kitchen, his sitting room, behind the shop,
and to my surprise the floor was covered.
as well as the walls, with the strange va
riety of objects in which he dealt. The
lickering fight from the fire and two can
dies lit up strange, barbaric scene. An
eastern bazaar, with odds and ends OF En-
glish uniform intermixed, seemed 10 be
turned out in utter disorder. He seemed
| TO have piled all his possessions into this
sdualid room with IFS blackened ceiling.
) He motioned me toward chair, from
which disloged a cavalry saddle and a
! role Of bunting.
7 was in no inconsiderable state OF cx-
element. Was II possible that some pro-
found secret, hitherto unknown 10 any
European, was 10 be revealed to mcY
remarked at venture that he had not
expected TO see me back alive. and sug'
: gested ms my only affair with him was to
, do him n slight good turn, ! could not
avoid wondering why he had apparently
! sought with glee to compass my death.
; This said, taking the magic properties OF
p the cane for granted.
/ "who knows" he replied in a hollow
, voice that spoke OF long lasting, that death
, might not have been your EXTREMIST
good2 But your time had not come.
: Naught is all-poNerful, not even"
) even what2 You have learned the
4 devils arts In the West Indies or BurmahY
D eh?"
, "You will leave this cane with me" he
; said, regardless Of my question. o.
1 III mean 10 burn u.
I leave that to me. You will repent II
you do not"
! The scene, the voice, the aspect OF the
singular being had, confess, unncrved
/ me by this time. The grotesquc surround
ings alone would have gone for nothing.
but sense Of an underlying mystery and
purpose was there; moreover, | was aware
| OF curious pervading scent, which M
I doubt emanated from the masses Of stulls
9 around, mixture Of eastern perfumes and
eastern dirt, peculiar and penetrating II
Y affected my head.
| Tell me-" he asked earnestly. chow
b many3'
B. knew he meant deaths, aud briefly told
the story"
/ An expression Of intense Joy liz UP his
= withercd visage 10 an incredible degree.
I lie began counting ON his fingers, and
D could hear him counting In Persian nu-
: merals
"You seem 10 owe the world grudge,
) | said, angrily. Your fiendish arts have
4 destroyed these innocent persons. i wish
p | could hand you over TO the law TO an.
i swer for their lives"
: lie looked with cynical contempt ct me.
; 1--WE are all alike; we get what we want
y out Of the world as we can, he answered.
Q Some are wiser than Others"
Then he went on counting. lone
. morew With this he turned his glitter
Q ing viper-like eyes with 4 darling glance
1 upon me.
|. | had an oddly confused feeling In my
head, and the gorgeous, squalid contents
] OF the room swan before my eyes. "One
; more" he repeated, ''and the goal i
] won" Silently he crcpt 10 the rusty
Crate, stirred up the fire with n bit o.
: charred wood, then with the burning end
! OF the latter deliberately set light 10 q
heap Of spangled muslin Of very Tine text.
4 ure.
I "what are you about, madman7'' I er-
0 claimed, but when tried 10 rise from my
Q seat | found my limbs like lead. lie
I glided from corner 10 corner Of the little
D room with bit Of flaming stuff in his
Q hand; here he applied Il 10 an open news
Q paper, there 10 linen sheet, again 10 q
!, length OF colored calico. The smell,
) sound and sight Of burning filed and
choked the aimosphcre-and remained
= like a logl
: Like a phantom In wild dream, saw
{ the weird figure Of the Oriental waving
4 the Malacca cane about his head, Ia
Z rhythmic movements.
: zone morel' he cried exultantly. The
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