The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1897-07-18
THE CURSE OF THE NOOR'S HEAD

@SNSf'Ts''SSNfN T'VT N''T'f's'N'fT
Courses are nonScslcal a, all times,
rhorndyke, aud to tax OF them descend.
ng from generation TO gcneraIon--bah,o
And the speaker dipped the ashes from
his cigar and eurled his lip scornfullS
The younger man changed his positloh
and smiled
"ot course" he said except In this
single case. Hut hccausc tt Is In my own
single family aud bedause have the
written record OF lt-no, relying upon
old woman tales as you express lt, I'm
afraid do rather put mlth In that
wrctchcd urse, mu1n as I would like
not To-"
"Then say YOU arr an ass, Any man
would be an ASS to believe such a lot ot
9ure"-4
Tommy rot" suggested Thcrudykt
THAT is what YOU would like to say II
YOU were NO, 50 elegant, know SO rN
say II Tor you. Nes, {, looks very muvN
like that know bu, there's no hvA
for It'll do believe In this particular
curse. as S,d~gnd no amount OF
rldlculc can change g. I've tried to
change my mind hut--wcll, perhaps 4
havcn't such small changr with me.
And he smiled again at the little pleas,
antry,
Curwin picked up the sword which lay
upon tho table, and which had broush'
up the whole subject and looked AZ n
curiously. Il was heavy old weapoh
with jrwclcd handle iad guard, ad,
though the blade was rusty and niekea
now. one could zee that it had been useo
In NOR, than one deadly conflict and haa
seen hard service and years OF Use 10 the
dim past II had belonged 20 a v6rl
ancient ancestor OF Thorndyke and had
been handel down 20 him with the few
other family relics tha, his father haa
been able to collect tho las, time he haa
been abroad Beside the sword lay
yellow old paper from which Thorndyks
bad been reading whra carwin, his b"si
friend. dropped In for the evening
Then what gather from your narra.
tive" said the latter after turning the
weapon about IN his haad- Few
moments. is that this 10 the very swora
that did he deed. Am / riEht1'
you are"
ssNp1 ,h. a,Nr, 4. th.t ay.aV hneh d.
the dark ages. before people found ,ha,
killing every man who crossed you was
not the shOrtest way to heaven. one 81
your respected forcfathcrw" -nodding TO
the row OF dim old portraits which ran
around Ihc cozy room above the book.
shcives-"owntd this swcrd and was
knight, When the crusadcs got 10 bc the
fashion. hc was sctEed with deslrc TO
wear cross upon his shoulder, ana also
to cross his feet when be was buried. ana
Rirding this relf-same weapon about him
he got himsela unto the wars. and whoop-
Ing Il up. ~ It were. raced on like the
rest ot humanity 10 hsht with the Sara.
Gems and have good time generally,
And a. he had a daughter young and
pretty dapghter-whom he could not take
along with the rest Of his tmpedlmentr,
he left her az home. How 10 come on7'
Finely Proceed said Thorndyke.
twirllns his sword about his head ana
showing himself no mean tencer as he
did so
Before leaving this chormlnRly dun
witted indlvidual-pardon me for cnlllns
hlm names, Thorndykc. but he was
chump-callcd al the servants up ana
made them speech, In which he told
them OF the great things be intended to
do while away and instructed them 10
be good boys and girls and mind their
mistress slightest wish or prepare 20
hunt for other places when he returned
from his little Jamt. Then he turncd
the keys over 10 her and left
When ne got to the wars he did some
big fighting and distinguished himself. as
you, Thorndykc. have faculty for doing.
and though he did not write home every
week. AZ you do. he picked up a young
Moor and shipped him back with letters
and household expenses for the castle.
The Moor was slave. Of course, but
handsome feIlow-qulet. grave and intel
ligcnt-nnd he made a great impression
on every one connected with the castle.
the mistress included. He got there
about Christmas time md settled down
as II he had intended coming all his