Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-10-27

In the course OF two years | shipped
SO mummies safely out of Cairo and
landed them in London, and | am
frank to say that my dividends were
considerably larger than those paid
last year by the Standard Oil compa-
ny or the Carnegie Iron works. The
mummy business was booming, and l
was filling orders for anything up to
10000 years old on demand when a
government official gave me a hint that
my business had been tumbled to. He
exchanged his information for my 500
goldpece and went his way, and it
was my business to put up job on the
khedive and square myself | don't
know that any one had given me away
directly, but suspicion had somehow
become aroused. and | was to be put
under surveillance and caught red
handed My shipments suddenly ceas-
ed. and the mummy market became
Gull. After couple of weeks my as
sistant villain went up the Nile toward
the ruins of Memphis to look for a
man. 1t was a live man and particu-
lar sort of man he wanted, and when
he found him The sum of $50 changed
hands. Then the man died. At least
he was swathed in bandages which
had come from the looms 1000 years
before. scented and spiced in AL
style and then put in coffin which
gave him away as having been dead al
most 20 centuries. The hieroglyphics
on that coffin and on a manuscript in
closed revealed the fact that the dead
man was the celebrated fakir Sonadi
Hassassan and that when he had slept
his sleep he would awaken and begin
another pilgrimage on earth.
The mummy reached my warehouse
one afternoon. and within an hour q
government official backed by file
of soldiers had arrived to make q
search. There had been no conceal
ment. The mummy occupied con-
spicuous position. They had caught
me red handed in way, and yet they
could not understand why had been
so open about it.
"My dear sir" ! said to :he official. II
know the laws of Egypt. | am not
dealing in mummies. The law does
not say | may not restore dead man
to life. At this present hour that thing
there is Il mummy. Tonight at 8 o'clock
it will be living man."
"What nonsense is thiS?' exclaimed
the man as he struck the coffin with
his cane. do you think | am a child
to believe such talesY
81 think you are a very smart man."
l replied. but there is yet something
10 learn. Read of Sonadi Hassassan.
He was the greatest magician the
world ever knew. He it was who made
the Nile flow backward for a day.
When he had lived for 1000 years, he
became weary for the want of sleep.
He fell into trance which was not to
be broken for 1000 years. The time is
up at o'clock tonight"
'And he will come back to life"
queried the man, with an incredulous
smile.
"He will. You and your friends will
be here to see. had read of him, and
l was anxious to get his body. paid q
large price for it that | may see it re-
stOItu W ne Win my OWN cS eS.
The Egyptians natural superstition
and my earneStness staggered the man,
and when | saw it | clinched the mat
ter by saying:
at Is only few hours to wait. You
shall dine with me at s o'clock. At .
my assistant shall unwrap Hassassan
and bring him to life. Let two of your
soldiers watch the coffin meanwhile. If
things don't turn out as say, you shall
carry me off prisoner and have 500 in
gold as present"
80 be It," he said after long look
at me. 'but do not attempt to trick me.
l am no fool"
Two soldiers were left to watch the
coffin. and in my hearing he warned
them that any remissness on their part
would be followed by swift punish
ment. My living rooms were over the
warerooms. When the dinner hour ar
rived. had the official and two of his
friends TO sit down with me. All three
OF the men had made up their minds
that ! was playing n game of bluff.
and they had curiosity to know how