The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-04-29
A FORBIDDEN BOOK.

John Burlingame, gentleman, of Thirty
third street, New York, had read the fol-
lowing item:
"There are widespread traditions of the
existence of certain subterranean and i'm
meHse galleries in the neighborhood of 1sh-
monia, the 'petriffed city of Egypt, in
which are stored numberless manuscripts
and rolls of great antiquity and value For
no amount of money will the Arabs go
near it. At night, they say, from the crew
ices of the desolate ruins, sunk deep in the
unwatered sands of the desert, stream the
rays from lights carried to and fro in the
galleries by other than human hands. The
magic rolls of manuscript buried in this
dead city of the past composed the litera-
ture of the antediluvian ages, and for a ma
tive to disturb or touch the precious docu-
ments the punishment is death"
s'The very thing!" exclaimed Mr.. John
Brlrlingame, gentleman, as he clapped his
hand upon his knee and dropped his news
paper. He rang for his servant, donned
his greatcoat and hat and drove to the
apartments of the Algonquin club. Some
moments later he was conversing in a con-
fidential tone with Mr.. Walter Grouse and
Mr.. Alfred Barber. Burlingame and his
two friends were college graduates, well
versed in Greek and in Latin and possessed
of a smattering of Sanskrit and other
| languages of centuries long past. They
were gentlemen of leisure, with any
amount of time and money at their COM
mand.
Burlingame was tall and dignified, a
brunette, with twinkling black eyes and
hair and mustache of jet. He was just
turning 80. Grouse was short in stature,
rather stout, perfect blond and % years
of age Barber was a little, short individ-
ual, nervous and eXcitable, with a small
head, small eyes, a small mustache and
small goatee. He was two years younger
than his friend Grouse Burlingame en-
Unused them with idea, and after hur-
ried preparations the three young men
alighted at the wharf of the White star
line of steamers one morning in May, 1881.
In the following August the young men
found themselves in Egypt, and one night,
while encamped in native village in the
region of Ishmonia, Burlingame said to
his companions:
sAt last we are nearing the famous city
of DID, and if we succeed in bringing to
light the hidden manuscripts we will
| astound the world and return to America
famed as discoveries and scientists.
Burlingame had for some years devoted
time and study to the occult sciences and
had become deeply interested in the per
| formances of the native fal1irs in India and
Egypt. Upon this August evening as the
young men smoked their pipes in theil
humble quarters, there was ushered into
their presence native fakir. Burhngane
! had learned of his presence in the village
the day previous and had sent for him.
The fakir caused small braiser to be
| brought into the room, which he proceeded
! to feed with live Goals. Gradually cloud
| of incense rose. Little by little the cloud
| assumed form entirely human, and Bur
| lingame and his companions distinguished
| a specter-they could not call it otherwise
the specter of an old misunderstanding
| near the brasier. He bore upon his fore
| head the signs of Vishnu and around his
| body the triple cord, sign of the initiates
| of the priestly caste. He joined his hands
| above his head as his lips moved, as if they
| We're reciting prayers. At a given moment
| he took u pinch of perfumed powder and
| threw it upon the Goals. 1t must have been
| a strong compound, for thick smoke
| arose upon the instant and filled the room.
AS the smoke settled Burlingame per-
| ceiyed the specter, two steps from him, ex-
| tending its fieshless hand. The young man
| took the hand in his and was astonished
| to find it, although bony and hard, warm
and living.
cart thou indeed said Burlingame,
IAN ancient inhabitant of the earth?''
He had scarcely finished speaking when
| the word Yes appeared and then disap-
| peared in letters of fire on the breast of the
1
| that which the word would produce if writ
| ten in the dark with stick of phosphorus.
"Win you leave us nothing in token of
your visit?'' continued Burlingame.
The specter broke the triple cord, COM
J posed of three strands of cotton, which be-
J grit his loins and gave to the young man
| three pieces for himself and companions.
| Then his eyes closed, and, sinking down
upon the mating, the specter gradually
| vanished.
| With the fragments of cord in their hands
| the three young men babe each other good
| night and retired to their chambers. An
! hour later Burlingame became possessed of
| desire to visit the petrified city of Ish-
| monia alone and in advance of his COM
/ panions. Later Grouse experienced like
desire, and still later Barber felt similar
| ambition. So at midnight three forms,
each independent of the other, were plod-
| ding over the sands of the desert to the
| sunken city, the ruins of which could be
| seen in the distance in the bright light OF
the Egyptian moon.
One after another the three Americans
| entered the sacred city of old, and each of
| them found with little difficulty the stone
/ chest, containing the rare manuscripts and
| the scrolls of parchment of the almost for
| gotten ages. On the cover of the stone box
| they each discovered inscription in
| Sanskrit, which cad follows: