The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-10-16
THE MAGIC BREASTPIN.
By L. e. Van Nooman.

began to glaxe his eyes. Allah Ak
BARI he murmured family, and the
spark went out. /
"He had taken from his breast that
Jewel; the parchment around it said:
James Thursby, Singleton Cross,
London, England and I must de-
liver it to James Thursby." The old
man paused.
"My wife's father was James Thurs
byp I exclaimed, excitedly. HE
has been dead these ten years, and
Singleton Cross is our home"
'Then if thou art really his reia-
tive thou hast been blest OF fortune.
Mine eyes would rejoice to behold thy |
wife"
The next day I brought my wife with
me to see the venerable Hebrew.
Daughter" said he, after we had
presented indisputable proof OF our
connection to James Thursby, and
given documentary evidence Of my
wife's genealogy-for the old man,
friendly as he had been, was cautious
about giving up his trust, and in that
he was, of course, justi6able-"and
SO, my daughter, thy sire was James
Thursby. Then I have fulfilled my
trust" AID he handed her the beauti-
full jewel.
Once ct home we were all burning
with eegerness to examine 1t more
closely. I held 1t up to the light. AS
| I did so the handle of the simitar
pressed against my hand, and click
the swords increased. They had been
set at angle of about twenty degrees,
and now they were at right angles. !
was astonished, perplexed. l tried to
get them back to their original posi-
ton, but they were firm. What did
1t mean? I turned the pin around In
every conceivable way, pressed every
: part for secret springs, but no solution
! of the puzzle offered itself. Much dis
| appointed laid it down, and my wife
took it and began to examine it.
In picking it up the point OF the
D claymore pressed against the table
y and her finger rested on the hiit o.
4 the similar. Immediately there was
Q a click as before, but-mirabile dlctu
d the Jewel did not assume its origina
8 form, but the similar opened like
G box split lengthwise. That is, Their
d were now two scimetars precisel,
y alike. each one half as thick as tn
}, first one, joined by most perfect bu
entirely invisible hinge, and insld
p was a tiny piece of very, very TN
ID parchment.
* Trembling with eagerness I opene
10 the parchment. Ha!-somethlng wri
ID ten but in Arabic. What shame
IL But no: I would show it to my frien
ID the Jew. He would interpret 1t Il
IN me.
d. Hooked longingly OF the claymo'
go and tried to open it. I set its pol
OF on the table and pressed its hllt. \
he result! Then remembered that wht
lie the similar opened the point OF Il
n. sword touched the table aud my WI
a pressed the hilt of the former weapo
Is / believed I had found the secre
an Setting the points of the Sarac.
'ly weapon on the table I touched &
ne basket hilt Of the tiny claymor
he Magic! Open few the sword. In
was paper or parchment like {
S. other. but-triumph!-in Englis
er. And this is what it said II had to
me q magnifying glass to read it,:
"In the Name of God. Amer
cor Then followed the regular legal +
lch mula of an English will, bequeath1
ted to James Thursby or his heirs the 81
bic Of $4,000 sterling, to be found
posted in the Bank OF England.
t is was signed "Noureddin Aga"
will witnessed with long Turkish nam
Then followed the name OF PR
'ase ;nent London business house as ag
of Noureddin, and in whose name
deposit had been made.
was To say that was utterly dul
;, in founded is to put it very mildly
7isit deed. 1t read SO much like q II
IS, l tale that almost looked to see the
l by take wings and fly off. As for
'ked wife. she acted as though she was
was witched. We sat staring at
vent other in silence. She was the firs
ne speak.
&c. .Stephen," she said, II thinl
but here there came voice from
door ssWhere's Sue?" it said,
~, :, my wifo's elder half-brother appea
thou No sooner, however, had he gia1
per- at the table than he stopped snort
cried excitedly: "Where did you
that?"
eve are Just recovering from
' DO surprise it gave us" said l. iaug'
rust sLook at it.
u ,';s But he had it in his hand nef
ro n had spoken, saying as he picked
a, u saThis is worth fortune TO you.
ln looked at Sue in surprise;
anos ssWhat is it, Arthur sne
II tell eagerly. zen US ao =
ont Gas thought" he said, .
out IN, doonmant in English