Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-23
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.

| A gentleman wearing an Egyptian scarab
| on his watch chain for a charm inspired
| Mr.. Theodore Roessle. proprietor OF the
| Arlington, to "reminiscences in the hotel lob
| by last night
| II have some very good scarabs," he re-
marked, and l came about them IN rather
an exciting way. Marriott Bey gave them
to me in appreciation of little act Of mine
| In saving him from assault by number Of
| Arabs. While prosecuting his excavations
! in the desert, Marriott Bey had occasion to
hand an Arab, whom he had found lOoting
| the tombs, over to a village magistrate for
punishment, and the latter promptly had
| the offender strung up. The mans COM
| panions were incensed at his fate and billed
their time for revenge. At last they sue
ceeded in getting Marriott Bey in a secluded
place and were undoubtedly about to kill
him when I accidentally rode up, and, see
ing the aspect of affairs, discharged my re-
volver. This brought the other members of
| my party. who were behind me- quickly
forward. and they also shot off their pistols
soaring the Arabs. that they fed. Mar
rfott Bey was. of course, very grateful for
our unlocked for assistance and in the
course of the acquaintance that sprung up
he gave me a number of scarabs.
"On one occasion he sent word to me at
LUXOR, continued Mr.. Roessle that he
was about TO open a newly discovered tomb
and invited our party out to witness the
ceremony. When broken into it was found
that the tomb contained the bodies of twelve
ancient Egyptian queens. and we amused
ourselves unwrapping them. Around the
neck OF one were two necklaces composed
or scarabs and, taking them off, Marriott
Bey presented one of them to me. From the
finger Of another / took off a ring myself
that l still possess, which ! know was on
the mummy's finger for several thousand
years, anyhow"
Mr.. Roessle proceeded in a most interest
Ing way to tell of other valuable antiquities
he had run across while abroad and after
relating how he bought in Italy from some
workmen who had just excavated them q
number Of intaglios for twenty lire or ST.
out Of which he afterward sold upward of
siooo worth, he went on to recite the story
of ring
When I was in Paris on that trim" he
remarked Il frequently played billiards in
the billiard room Of the Grand Hotel with
young man whom / did not know. but who
wore a remarkable cameo. 1t was perfect
In Its cutting and was set in the ANTIQUE
style surrounded by diamonds with fat
fasces and all the color the stones affect 1
saw saw MN around at receptions and lunches
where went, and one day asked of a
| friend who he was. / was told he was
| Prince Henry of Bourbon
he Is very poor said my friend; in
deed. he is absolutely penniless and lives in
| most part by the dinners and lunches n. Is
in pity invited to-
! Il thought 1t singular that one 50 moor
snouid wear such splendid ring. and made
up my mind to buy it, If he was agreeable.
When L preached the subject to him. how
| ever. ne would give no assent. One day.
when 1 got to know him better, 1 asked him
why he kept such a ring if he was 80 moor
1t is all l have left he exclaimed and
! Will never part with 1t until the direst
necessity FORCES me to- Then he promised
to let me have the ring If he ever concluded
| to sell 1t. / left Paris shortly afterwa nd
and went to Vienna, where I met a friend
! TO whom / told the story begging him 10
keep an eye on Prince Henry of Bourbon
portunity ever offered. One day a wear ~
so afterward, my friend walked in here and
handed me the ring. saying he was xlad 10
get rid of its possession.
| Every jeweler in Europe knows If, n.
| account OF it, va
With the ring came its history" con.
] tinued Mr.. Roessle. There are TWO OH,
canoes like 1t in existence. and thew re IN
the Naples Museum. The three were orIef.
nally worn in the helmet OF a Roman Gel.
aier: Inc one | have was set in a ring and
worn by Godfrey de Boullon in the cr,.
sades and had been in possession OF the
Bourbon family for a thousand years until
Prince Henry disposed of it"
Talking about the devil Of nauesn
marked a well-known young newspaner
man at the Riggs House this morning. re
minds me OF very amusing experience I
hao year or two ago, when returning
from Europe. We had a small party on
the Bretagne and We were coneenial
to one another We didn't make any ac-
quaintances among the other passengers
When about half way over, the water be-
came very rough ana one morning orJy
three members of our party and a gentle
man l had frequently noticed, but did not
know, were in the cabin. A sudden lurch
or the boat threw the stranger against
| one or the ladies with me and his profuse
apologies led to general conversation,
He remarked in the course of It that we
| should organize press club On board, as
| there were several newspaper men among
| the passengers besides him and me- l didn't
know who he was. but soon learned he was
| the business manager Of the Chicago Her
aid. know 1t was sublime ignorance on
my part not to know the name of a man
holding such an important place in my
profession, but l didn't, AMI as he DID not
| introduce himself / began to have curl
osity about 1t. This sentiment extended
| to the other members Of my party and
one day he pulled out coin containing q
| picture Of lady and said 1t was Mrs c.
| The man was aggravating, so we thought
| and we looked over the passenger list
There was but one American name on the