The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-11
The CROSS AND The COIN.


fiint, no steel nor anything else for tina;
matter, could strike fire from the profes
sor- With him religion was a sheer. The
only things he loved were the coins II
bis collection case, and his work in the
C'ldberry library. where he translated an
Gent manuscripts for a livelihood.
IL was the first bright afternoon q
spring. The southern sun came warm
| through the plate glass window of the liz
tie library room where Professor Flint
sat all alone at his work of translation.
he had gone through some Syrian nate
rial thoroughly. but with listle interest.
The air was close: ne felt drowsy. and
twice he nodded. Suddenly he saw lying
OF the table beyond the little wicker
PAPER basket a cylinder Of copper with
the end open. He took It up and foud q
roll of parchment protruding. The pro-
lessor was surprised. The librarian had
not told him of this addition to the af-
teTnoon's work. He unrolled the parch-
! ment and saw in an instant that the
characters were Aramaic. He read a feT
lines and a look of auazement came into
his face. He finished the reading and
! trembled
The coin Of the Christ" he said. AMI
the words came in gasps. Il shall oe
the king of the worlds collectors"
He spread out the manuscript once more
and carefully studied some lines which
were drawn in corner. 1.-The directions
/ are simple" muttered the scholar This
tube was found near the ruins OF Jerusa-
lem and bought by the library unopened.
They broke the seal that I might trans
late 1t, and there is no man IN the
west except me who can do it. The Sc
! cret is safe"
jasper Flint left the library building.
/ Three weeks later he stood ten miles from
Jerusalem, where Kedrons brook meets
the vale OF 1innom. With him were two
! laborers. who. under his direction, were
| chiseliing into q great rock known for
centuries as the Face of the Prophet
! Suddenly the professor stopped the man S
/ work and ran his hands over the rock
/ Drill long these lines" he said in a
sharp tone.
! The men obeyed. They found that a
stone had been cemented into what had
! been an opening in the rock. In an hour
the inserted bit of masonry was free. The
| men removed il and looked at their en-
! ployer. The Professors face was as
gray as the Clipped rock at his feet but
his eyes were blazing; there was fire in
this man, at last.
Jasper Flint put hs hand into the
opening In the rock. When he withdrew
| il, it held cssket. There was great JOY
| IT. his face. A blow with hammer and
chsel and the casket was open. The
scholar lifted a small object from within
and held ii up, something of awe coming
| into his face as he did so. The small coin
! across which at right angles ran two
lines which were as the very sun for
Brightness. They looked again at their
employer. The light radiating from the
coin was upon his face. which now seem
Ell to hold the peace of a perfect con-
tentment.
Professor Jasper Flint was back in Chi
cago. He had in his possession the coin
OF great price, the coin which alone was
worth the combined holdings of all the
collectors of the universe. All his life
Jasper Flint had known the sting OF
poverty. Perhaps it was that which had
made him hard and unbelieviing. In the
sale Of his treasure from the vale Of
Hinnom there were riches untold. He
took the coin from its resting place.
Though the room was dark, the two lines
across its face glittered like MONDAY.
The light seemed to reach the scholars
heart and gave him a peace that in his
whole hard life he had never known be
fore. He turned the coin. There on the
diverse side were the image of Caesar
and his superscription. He replaced the
bit OF silver in the casl1et and locked il
in his safe. He closed the door almost
savagely upon the copper box and its
contents. Possessing you there is con-
tentment, but in parting with you there
IS wealth. and will sell ytu. though what
fools would cali my soul goes with your
The next outgoing French steamer from
New York carried affidavits from Profess
sOr Jasper Flint of Chicago and a copy
OF the Aramaic manuscript with a French
translation. Ten days later a cablegram
was received by the Chicago savant II
read: "Of SURPRISING interest; agent will
leave at once with offer of purchase We
beg preference over Vatican and British
museum
The dispatch WAS from the authorities
Of the Louvre, and in two weeks time
their representative was in Chicago . lie
sought out Professor Jasper Flint. II
have come, he said, ito make you an
offer Of purchase. have seen the library
authorities, and the original manuscript.
I know you have what you claim.
They went into the study. The profess
sor unlocked the safe and took out the
cssket He raised the cover and lifted
the coin. It was night He lowered the
gas. The same glorihed light came from
the cross on the coin that had carried
sor Flint replaced the coin and closed
the lid Of the casket
Monsieur Flint" said the visitor, as
he touched the caSket, we live IN a ma
teriallstlc age, but this and its story are
sufficient 70 make the world believe The
Louvre directors authorized me 10 pay
you 6,000 600 francs for this treasure.
Five million francs The professors /
eyes glistened Then a picture came be-
fore him. It was the picture Of the scene
OF which he had read in the Aramaic
manuscript. He saw a mob pressing upon
a man with dispassionate face, and
whose whole bearing was that of gentle
dignity. lie heard the words TELL US. [
therefore, is IL lawful 20 render this trib-
ute, or no. He saw the malice of the
ouestioners, ana he saw the righteous in +
dienatiou come into the eyes of Him upon I
whom the crowd was pressing. he heard !
Him say: Would ye dig a pit for me- /
Show me the tribute money Then he 1
heard the question as 20 the image and T
the superscripuon and he heard the roar I
ing answer. Caesar He saw the 4
lofty pity in the face Of Him whom they I
would have entrapped, and he heard the 4
words that sent the hooking mob sink /
ing away, Render therefore unto Caesar I
the things which are Caesars. ana unto 1
God the things which are Gods
Cod the things which are God s."
81 his mind Jasper Flint saw that when 4
the crowd OF ternpters left one man re-
usined. 1t was one IN whose eyes shone 1
the lieht OF belief. he who had CON
fused the mob turned 20 him who re-
mained and placed the penny OF Caesar IN
his palm. Thou believest. my son. De
said. Receive this penny, and may IL
be 70 thee z coin OF c0ntentment
As Jasper Flat carried the thread o.
the writing IN his memory he knew that
the coin now had on Il s giittering cross
He remem bered that the writing tod ~
the hiding q the coin in the Face * the
Prophet, that u might not fall into the
hands OK those who sought the writer
life. that writer Of nineteen centuries
ago
The scholar opened the casket again
The Light from the cross on the coin glori-
fed the room once more and gave a great
peace-grester than before. 20 the sehoI-