Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-08-14

my return II month later foued. "a
my indispensable CONSERVATION. the
cane itself awaiting me, with
a piteous letter from poor darl-
ing Mari mean kitty--aeiliug
me that the very day l lett
their house her dear papa had been
seized with some fever OF Il kind they
did not understand, had rapidly sunk
under it and died, That happy, hos
pitable home! Il could not, pick up
my spirits after the news for ut least
three weeks.
Nothing should induce me to part
with the cane again. took it into
occasional use, for Mt least it had
never harmed me, except. indeed in
the case Of my uncle's unsigned will.
and the next event inconnection with
it happened at Bucnos Ayres. 1t is
the custom there for business men to
take their meals ut cafes. and was
breakfasting in one OF these places
with q shore friend when it dtsap-
peared, or, as had reason to know,
was annexed by one of a
noisy party at the next table.
These men were mostly in uniform,
and made great row, disturbing
our quiet comfort with their loud,
excited talk. My come and this party
went away simultaneously, and my
friend declared that he not only sus-
pected them generally but was pretty
sure which one of them had taken q
fancy to the stick; he had caught the
eye of one of the men in uniform fixed
very longingly upon it. He promised
to DO his best to get it back for me-
as | was leaving directly for the West
Indies.
As is not unusual in these parts, af-
fairs were in u most unsettled state;
i'll short, a revolution was brewing.
Some time atterward heard from
my friend, whose name, by the way,
was Darby Fielding, that the stick
had fallen into his hands in an odd
sort of way. The man who had made
off with it 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 effects.
He promised to take care of it and
send it to me at the first opportun-
ity, "as," he wrote, II fancy you
value it for some reason or other" l
own did; in spite of melancholy as
sociations, it ALWAYS reminded me of
Mari mean Kitt-no, l mean Mar
ion. Of course!
Time passed by, and l met man
who had just come from theee parts.
| asked after Darby Fielding ut once,
hoped he was all right and generally
flourishing.
ooh, didn't you hear?' he replied.
"Poor fellow, he died rather sudden
ly some months ago?"
"This was a blow! That fatal
stick again. On my return home
landed at Plymouth, and made
straight-as soon as the ship was
paid off-to the dingy shop of the
rascal who had sold me the unlucky
article.
meant to have a talk with him
about it, for this time had come to q
sort of belief in it's owning magic pro-
perties, such as those wicked old
hays, the Obi witches seem to have
the power IF putting into things
which nature intended to be harmless.
When the old spider caught sight
of me and my cane, l never saw any
thing like deadly fear and amaze
ment the sight caused in him. His skin
ny hands went up, his jaw dropped
his deep, yellow face seemed to shriv-
velintO duller parchment texture,
but not a word did he utter until l
spoke, and then a hodge podge of
strange onths in all tongues dropped
slowly out under his breath. "What?
It's come, tfenF' he whispered.
II haye come to hear the story of
this stick" l said. There is some
thing queer about it,"
All his emotion had vanished. an
Oriental apathy took possession
of him and did not leave him again.
l felt sure as | watched his features
and took note of his small, 1.-the
hands, that he was an Oriental by
birth, Hindu or Parsee, or of some
kindred race.
Fate" he muttered. "Siva. It's
over. Come thou tonight"
left him clearing the multifarious
goods out of the window. and l re-
turned at 10 O'Clock in the evening,
carrying the cane with me.
l found my friend in small, dark
kitchen, his sitting room, behind the
shop, and to my surprise the floor
was covered. VS. well us the walls,
with the strange variety of objects
in which he dealt. The Pickering
light from the fire and two candles
lit up strange barbaric scene. An
Eastern baznr, with odds and ends
of English uniform intermixcd, SEEM
ed to be turned out in utter disorder.
He seemed to have piled all his pos
sessions into this squalid room with
its blackened ceiling
He motiOned me toward Il chair,
from which ! dislodgcd a cav alry sad.
die and a roll of bunting.
Twas in no incousiderable state of