The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-21
Mummy Who Usurped.


money on useless rubbish. by which she
refers to my taste for curioS and my
happy knack of picking up good bargains
My wife will get over Il; and I wcu'dn't
have missed the experience for q thou
sand pounds
met them first In Miglow's salesroom.
/ have a habit OF wandering into Mig
lows salesroom every Thursday after
noon They were leaning gracefully
against the side wall with host Of 2d-
miring brokers and prospective bidders
surrounding them, and as I pressed my
way into the group I overheard some re-
marks. Nasty sort O. bIoke 10 meet in
the dark, BILL" growled beery-looking
individual In a check tie and nondescript
clothes to little sharp. perky man with
a shifty pair of eyes.
"Oh, he amt no claws. he amt" re-
piled the other. 1.-THE fat chaps the prop
er cove-he's bloomin' king"
1t was his majesty which caught my
eye first. He reposed in a gorgeous case
richly decorated with hieroglyphs and
symbols, and was protected from the out
er air by a glass cover let into the coffin.
Round his neck was label suspended
by a chain, which certified that he was
Ptolemy l.. some time king OF Egypt and
q mighty conqueror; certified to be gen
uine by Professor Sandblower and several
other eminent Egyptologists.
HIS neighbor was quite q different in
dividual Enclosed in q plain wooden cof-
fin, without glass or inscription, stood a
lean. upright figure, whose long arms with
clinched fists hung by his side. His with
cred body was without bandages. and
stripped to the cers cloth lank black hair
hung over his hollow cheeks, and the
keen hooked nose stood out over his firm,
thin lips like the sweeping curve Of a
bat1eax. The eye sockets were wide open
and staring.
There was no label I looked in some
surprise from this weird figure to the
fat Pharaoh. Just then the auctioneer
yelled out LOT 1884, and Pharaoh was re-
moved to the rostrum.
The aucuoneer began
He told us a lot of things about the
Ptolemies-things I am quite certain no
historian had ever heard before Then he
opened the bidding at &5. Nobody re-
| sponded.
He grew pathetic mot one flyer for
poor old Pharaoah?" he moaned.
There was a pause; then he AIDED as an
afterthought: 1--WE throw in the Plebelan,
you know, with the royalty"
The bidding was resumed at 81 was
the bidder. One or two brokers tried TO
brisk things up a bit. but with very
| little success. Enthusiasm was as dead
as the mummies. and eventually became
| the possessor Pharaoh and the Plebeian
| at the ridiculous sum of &2 lis. l admit
| was delighted.
Two minutes later I was safely in a
four wheeler with my weird purchases on
the roof. You will be particularly care
| full l remarked to the driver as l got
in, "of the gilded case"
We reached Glencairn Villa. however
without any actual damage. My wife met
me in the hall.
When she saw my purchase she nearly
| tainted. Then she remarked that bringing
dead bodies into the house would draw
down a judgment upon US. 1 said I trust
ed not and introduced her TO Pharaoh.
Poor thing" she said, che looks fright
ened."
1 was surprised at the remark but q
glance at the case showed me she was
right 1t was odd I had never noticed
that expression before. I put 1t down tc
the light.
Her attitude to the Plebeian. however
was less reassuring. She got very white
clutched me by the arms. and whispered
ANDREW. it's awful!' Certainly the Pie
belan did look very grim. There was a
| suggestion of defiance about him which
was distinctly unpleasant.
| "Tut-tut.' 7 answered, hes all right.
Mentally I resolved to give him to my
| neighbor, Smith, who has an inferior col
lection, mostly made up Of my castaways
"'Where shall we put him?"
This was rather a poser. My museum
was circumscribed as to space, and tbs
| only vacant spot could think of was the
| door of deep cupboard which was at the
far end of the room. I expected Smith In
that evening. and wanted to show my
prize. But the door wouldn't give room
| for both.
II have It," I said. Put the Plebeiar
inside the cupboard, and the Pharaoh car
lean against the outside" And, forget.
| ting I still had my hat on. 1 raised my
| head suddenly, smashing the hall lamI
to pieces land narrowly escaping a Gu.
| face.
I had just finished my dessert wher
Smith came in. MY dear fellow" I shout
| ed excitedly, come and see my latest bar
| gain" and. in spite of my wife's protest
1 dragged him off then and there to the
| little museum.
AS we went along the passage I coult
! have sworn I heard a curious shutting
and a subdued tremulous noise sugges
tive of somebody crying quietly in ex
treme terror. Smith heard it, too. what:
that?' he said sharply. Must have shu
a cat in" replied.
| The noises ceased as he spoke turned
the handle and entered the room.
| - zSoIv Afv,r