The Delta independent., 1900-02-23
A WARa|M TURQUOISE
when TrsshDs Thpeaseaed 1ss
OWnsP, Il 1aFas1 PAl0.

sseWss'SssSssS<eS<sS S<sSwSHssHsSA SAss&SASF0
II 1t had not been that every other
bed in the hotel was occupied. Ger
tainly would not have consented to
share a double betided room with q
stranger. Az II was. found when we
reached a city-a considerable city In
Indiana. IL the readers curiosity
prompts hinI TO ask about it--that =
big political convention was going ON
there. and that wns how ! found my.
self with Mr.. John Spears for n room
rate.
Not that there was anything in John
to which I felt Inclined to take excep
iion: on the contrary. he struck ne ~
very neat. prosperous looking and
prrsentabic specimen OF tile American
commercial Traveller. NO much NO that
congratulated myself that chance and
politics had not thrown me witt, amy
one less pleasant.
Ry the time we both felt ready for
bed John and had lssOnse pretty
good friends. and I really Thought he
must have told me all the stories. good.
had and Indifferent. that he had to tell.
hut there wns mistaken.
He WAS making n somewhat elabO-
rate toilet before retiring. that bs'ing.,
as he told me. Indispensable to his get
ting good nights rest. aud In the
course Of his abiutions his arms were
left rn,ir ~ hare. Then Il was that ]
noticed his singular decoration.
Half way between the elbow and the
shoulder John wors. superb spscimen
ss-s.a I.ru a.
let. in fact. -xInisitely rhisSlsSi In Fer
sian characters. very massive and con-
taining n tursliioixs. which must havr
measured. ] SUPPOSE. two iDcl,es one
way and an Inch and half the other.
lie noticed my astOnishment and
laughed.
You never saw drummer wearing
n gold bracelet b~fore!' lie saisi. NO:
II was not given TO me by q baby. ~
were not ~ hate. I'D tell you all about
it,
There was no denying that the hous
was rather late to begin another u
his st0ries. no we went TO nls-ep sooD
after this. John sleeping with the tuve-
quOise and massive gold ntill ON his
arm. But next slny he told me the
story OF II.
THE person who gave me that
bracelet he xaid. was not lady.
hut very far from II. II was given me
n poor. broken down devil who had
or awn.sl everything else 10 buy
NIX. but would not part with this
while he lived.
Il needn't tell you his name. We
met ont west. nn,l ! had several easy
opportunities Of giving him n hsip!n:
hand. But he waS one Of those CASES
Wherc . helping hand cnn't help. The
man was utterly broken down by
drink.
when death caine-aftcr a magniH-
cent spree. ending In u light In which
n bullet intended for some one els.
clipped short the little span Of life that
drink had left hinl-he insisted on hav-
ing me with him. been use. he said. !
was the only human heing left who
cared whether he lived or died. Then
he siid that . must take the bracelet
and wear IL. just M h. mad don. ever
since he got jpos~cssion of II In Afghan.
istan In 1878.
He had been an officer of an Indian
cavalry regiment then and might have
risen high In the army II he could on
~ have let the brandy i,otties alone.
'One Of his native TROOPERS took the
turquoise bracelet from the arm Of an
Afghan warrior whom he had killed
In hand 10 hand night. You know. a
bracelet IN the arm In % common ornn-
ment for an Asiatic swell, to wear. And
then there Is q superstition Ia the east
THAT n turquoise with text Of til.
Koran cut into ". Ms this has. IL
charm aga inst all sorts of evil
But the eastern legend also says
that when you wear 4 turquoise ON
your left arm you can always trust the
stone To warn you Of suy evil that may
be threatening you.
1T was only when he was dying that
this poor fellow todd me how he i~iIev-
esl the turIuoiss. had served him well.
snd . think that hIs taking that view
sf " showed fhcrr must In. some good
stiil left In his nature.
when he went TO England on leave
Of absence after the Afghan war. he
said. he had nrndr = strong r~sosutiyo
never again tn touch Intoxicating spir-
its. Hc found himself among = num-
b~r of old friends whom he had known
Mt difcrvut timer. and they were al
= very ccnviviai crowd. -, he allowed
himself 20 Join in their csrvusinxs 20
rrriain ~xf'ui just to IN. -oriah,e. But
one DAY ~ he was dressing Ire Byticvvi
that the turquoise l"pks-i v~vy pale.
That. lie know. was the sign ~ danger
coming to hiu, tie shougi,f the wssuer
over AMI svu~iWl~d sbst Tho dsuers
which thrras~n~tI him was 0eishrp
more eor ters Than the 'cmpsatios os
drink. which bed slwsys i<es his 49,
hpar. snd -. without . VOID q warD-
isG q fsrew~sl 70 bic jpily frsssAs. -