El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-12-08

49,
I'm the Stiffness He could almost imag-
Inc an unseen hand clasping the thin
cylinder OF the glass and throttling it,
He shook the bygone time measurer
and breathed again more steadily when
the sand resumed it's motion. Present
ly he took the glass from the table and
examined it with some attention. He
thought at first its frame was ebony,
but further inspection convinced him 1t
was oak, blackened with age. On one
round end was carved rudely two
hearts overlapping and tw;ined about
them q pair of serpents.
.'Now, l wonder what that's forT
murmured Eastford TO himself "An
attempt at q coat Of arms perhaps"
There was no clew to the meaning or
the hieroglyphics, and Eastford. With
the glass balanced on his knee, watch
ed the sand still running, the crimson
threads sparkling in the lamplight. he
fancied he saw distorted reflections Of
faces in the convex glass, although his
reason told him they were but carica-
lures of his own. The great bell in the
tower near by with slow solemnity toll
ed II. He counted it's measured strokes
one by one. and then was startled by a
decisive knock at his door.
Come in,''
The door opened, and the discussion
in his mind ceased to consider the I'M
timeliness of the visit, for here in the
visitor himself stood another problem
He was young man in military COS
tune. his uniform being that of an Of
6cer. Eastford remembered seeing
rnft hi ,o 10 on f1ro M
knowing little of military affairs,
thought perhaps the costume of the
visitor before him indicated an officer
in the NapOleonic war.
Good evening" said the incomer.
"May I introduce myself? l am Lieu
tenant Sentore of the regular army"
.You are very welcome" returned
bis host. ''WiIl you he seated?''
THANK you, no. | have come for
my hourglass, if you will be good
enough to let me have it"
..Your hourglass:" circulated East
ford in surprise. Il think you labor
under misrepresentation. The glass
belongs to me. | bought it today at
the old curiosity shop in Finchmore
street"
Il admit that technically rightful
| but. taking you to be n gentleman,
venture to believe that mere state
mont of my priority of claim will ap-
peal to you even though it might have
| no effect on the minds of a jury of our
countrymeD.
You mean to say that the glass has
been stolen from you and has been
sold:"
4
| and over again. but never stolen. 50
far as have been able to trace its his
tory"
If. then. the glass has been honestly
purchased by its different owners,
fail TO see how you can possibly estab-
lish any claim tn il"
Il have already admitted that my
claim is moral rather than legal con-
tinued the visitor. ut is long story
Have your permission to tell itf'
81 shall be delighted TO listen.'' re
piled Eastford, but before doing SO I
beg TO renew my invitation and ask
you to occupy this easy chair before
the fire.
The officer bowed in silence. crossed
the room behind Eastford and sat
down in the armchair, placing his
sword across his knees The stranger
spread his hands before the fire and
seemed tn enjoy the comforting
warmth. He remained for few mo-
ments buried in deep reflection, quite
ignoring the presence of his host. who,
CHANGING upon the hourglaSS In dispute
upon his knees seeing that the sands
had all run out. silently reversed it and
set them running again. This action
caught the corner of the stranger eye
and brought him to Il realization of
why he was there. Drawing a heavy
sigh. he began his story:
In the year I7O6 l held the post of
lieutenant i'm that part OF the British
army commanded by General Trelaw-
ny. the supreme command being of
course in the hands of the great MARI
borough
F.aStford listened to this announce
ment with the idea that there was
something absurd about the statement.
The man sitting there WAS calmly talk
ing of time i92 years past, and yet he
himself could not he a day more than
81 years old. Somewhere rntangled in
this were the elements of abSurdity.
EaStford found himself unable to IN
rayci them. hut the more he thought of
the matter the more reasonable 1t be-
gan to appear.
That was during the war of the
Spanish SucceSSion:"
YES; the war had then been in prog
ross fonr years. and many brilliant vic
tories had been won. the grea test of
which WAS probably the battle of Blen-
helm
Quite So" mUrmurcd EaStford.
1t the English, Casper cried.
That pat thc French to rout,
But what they killed each other for