Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-15
THE RING OF THOTH.

JOlQ anSlIIdIt omlln, L n. o., VI In
Cover street, was man whose energy Of
purpose and clearness of thought might
have placed him in the very first rank of
scientific observers. He was the victim,
however, of a universal ambition which
prompted him to aim at distinction in
many subjects rather than pre-eminence
in one. In his early days he had shown
an aptitude for zoology and for botany.
which caused his friends to look upon him
as a second Darwin, but when professor
ship was almost within his reach he had
suddenly discontinued his studies and
turned his attention to chemistry. Here
his researches upon the spectra of the
metals had won him his fellowship in the
Royal Society, but again he played the
coquet with his subject, and after years
absence from the laboratory he Joined the
Oriental Society and delivered paper on
the Hieroglyphic and Denote inscrip-
tions of FL Kab, thus giving a browning
example of both the versatility and of the
Inconsistency of his talents.
The most tickle of wooers, however. is
apt to be caught at last, and so it was with
John Vsnsittart Smith The more he
burrowed his way into Egyptology the
more impressed he became by the vast
field which it opened to the inquirer, and
by the extreme importance of the subject
which promised to throw light upon the
first germs of human civilization and the
origin Of the greater part of our arts and
sciences. So struck was Mr. Smith that
he straightway married an Egyptolog-
leal young lady who had written upon
the sixth dynasty, and, having thus Sc
cured a sound base of operations, he set
himself to collect materials for a work
which should unite the research of Lepsius
and the ingenuity of Champollion. The
preparation Of this magRum opus entailed
many hurried visits to the magnificent
Egyptian collections of the Louvre, upon
the last Of which, no longer ago than the
middle of last October, he became involved
in a most strange and noteworthy adyen-
ture.
The trains had been slow and the chan
mel had been rough, so that the student
arrived in Paris in a somewhat befogged
and feverish condition. On reaching the
Hotel de France, in the rue LATTE, he
had thrown himself upon a sofa for a
couple of hours, but finding that he was
unable to sleep he determined, in spite of
his fatigue, to make his way to the Louvre,
settle the point which he had come to de-
eide, and take the evening train back to
Dieppe. Having come to this conclusion,
he donned his greatcoat, for it was a raw,
rainy day, and made his way across the
boulevard des Italiens and down the
avenue de POpera. Once in the Louvre
he was on familiar ground, and he speed
lily made his way to the collection of
papyri which it was his intention to con-
suit.
The warmest admirers of John Vansit-
tart Smith could hardly claim for him that
he was handsome man. His high-beaked
nose and prominent chin had something
of the same acute and incisive character
which distinguished his intellect. He
held his head in a birdlike fashion, and
birdlike, too, was the pecking motion with
which, in conversation, he threw out his
objections and retorts. As he stood, with
the high collar of his great coat raised to
his ears, he might have seen from the re-
Election in the glass before him his appear.
ance was a singular one. Yet it came upon
him as a sudden jar when an English voice
behind him exclaimed in very audible
tones, "What queer-looking mortalp
The student had large amount Of petty
vanity in bis composition which manifested
itself by an ostentatious and oyerdone dis
regard of all personal considerations. He
Strengthened his lips and looked rigidly at
the roll of papyrus, while his heart filed
with bitterness against the whole race of
travelling Britons.
EYES," said another voice, che really is
an extraordinary fellow"
'Do you know" said the first speaker,
zone could almost believe that by the con-
tinual contemplation of mummies the chap
has become half mummy HIMSELF"
ale has certainly an Egyptian cast Of
countenance," said the other.
John Vansittart Smith spun round
upon his heel with the intention of sham
ing his countrymen by corrosive remark
or two. To his surprise and relief the two
young fellows who had been conyersing
had their shoulders turned toward him,
and were gazing at one of the Louvre at
tendants, who was polishing some brass
work at the other side of the room.
Garter will be waiting for us at the
Palais Royal" said one tourist to the
other. glancing at his watch, and they
clattered away, leaving the student to his
Iabors
81 wonder what these chatterers call an
Egyptian cast of countenance," thought
John Vansittart Smith, and he moved his
position slightly in order to catch
glimpse of the mans face. He started as
his eyes fell upon it. 1t was indeed the
yery face with which his studies had
made him familiar. The regular statesque
features, broad brow, well-rounded chin
and dusky complexion were the exact
counterpart of the innumerable statues,
mummy cases and pictures which adorned
the walls of the apartment. The thing
was beyond all coincidence. The man
must be an Egyptian. The national angu-
larity of the shoulders and narrowness Of
the hips were alone sufficient to identity
him.
John Vansittart Smith shuffled toward
the attendant with some intention of adj
dressing him. He was not light of touch
in conversation, and found it difficult to
strike the happy mean between the
brusoueness of the superior and the gent
ality of the equal. As he came nearer the
man presented his side face to him, but
kent his gaze still bent upon his work.
Yansittart Smith, fixing his eyes upon the
fellows skin, was conscious of a sudden
impression that there was something in
human and preternatural about Its appear
ance. Over the temple and cheek-bone it
was as glazed and as shiny as vanished
parchment There was no suggestion OF
pores. One could not fancy drop OF
moisture upon that arid surface. From
brow to chin, however, 1t was cross
Matched by million delicate wrinkles
which shot and interlaeed as though nature
in some Maori mood had tried how wild
and intricate pattern she could devise
Z Man, rAllIs -