The Delta independent., 1906-03-16
The Sword ytheC Crusader
tOriginal.l

(ehturies ago tnere llveU crusader,
BIZ Godfrey Burgess, who was noted
bon for his bravery and his piety. His
hatred OF the infidel Turk was some
thing terrible. From first to last he
carried the same sword, one Of those
Immense weapons that have long ago
passed out Of date. Every time Geof-
ffey Burgess killed Turk he filed
notch on the blade Of this sword just
beneath the hilt. At the conclusion Of
his campaigns there were notches suf-
0c1ent TO reach Oh both edges from the
hllt to the point.
BIZ Godfrey returned from the sew
enth crusade and was making prepa-
rations for the eighth when he was
taken with fever and died. He was
buried with great hOnors in the town
In which he had lived, and a fine
marble monument was placed by those
who revered him over his grave, sur
mounted by statue of him.
Two hundred years after Sir Geof-
freys death Mohammed H., the great
sultan Of the Ottomans, invested Con-
stnnfinople, and after a short siege the
Cross which since the time of Constan-
tine had surmounted the dome of st.
Sophla was replaced by the crescent.
On the very day of this change q
storm swept over Sir Geofrey's grave
and bolt Of lightning rent his statue
In three pieces. Singularly enough,
they remained on the pedestal. 1t was
not doubted that the lightning was an
expression Of the old knights anger at
the fall of the Christian city. and the
fact that his statue remained erect
was taken as evidence Of his inflexible
win.
/ Another century passed. The cru
sades if unsuccessful in freeing the
holy sepulcher brought about n COM
mercial intercourse between the west
and the east. There were Christian
mefchants in Asia and Asiatic mer-
chants in Europe, but never was a
TUX seen in the town where Sir Geof-
frey Burgess was buried. Some said
that the Moslcms knew Of his reputa-
ton and dared not profane it: others
that the shade Of the holy man guarded
the town and kept them away.
The knights sword was handed down
from father to son and at the close Of
The Fifteenth century, when Columbus
was trying to find a passage around
The globe TO India to facilitate the trad
ing In spices, hung in the hall Of John
Burgess, a plain citizen, the title hav-
Ing been lost sight of. One day John
Burgess was sitting in his house when
tie door opened and a man came hur-
riedly in from the street. He was
very soldierly looking man, wearing
a armor not at all like that in fashion.
The invention Of gunpowder was then
beglnning to put armor aside, and what
! was still used was plate, while the
| sexonger wore chain armor.
llr,' said the man In a dialect 30
different from that used that Burgess
could scarcely understand him, ''have
you q weapon handy" Burgess cast u
glance at the sword Of the crusader
and asked:
For what purpose!"
But the stranger without reply went
to the wall where hung the sword and
taking II down, drew the blade from
notches. thrust the steel back and with
both blade and scabbard started for
the door,. handling the heavy weapon
like plaything.
Now, Burgess had often lifted this
heirloom and had found considerable
difficulty In doing SO. When he had
hung It up on the wall he had been
| obliged to call In a neighbor to assist
him. When he saw the stranger take it
down with one hand and carry 1t like
a rapier he was astonished. Indeed he
was go startled by the sudden appear
ance with its strange armor and fea-
lures that for time he sat not know
ing what to do. Presently curiosity
moved him. and he ran out after the
man who had borrowed his weapon.
He was nowhere to be seen. Burgess
ran down the street and, turning a cor
ner, came upon the body Of man Of
swarthy countenance lying on his
back, and standing up from the body.
like shaft to mark 1t, was the sword
Of Sir Geoffrey Burgess.
A crowd soon gathered, including the
watch. Burgess, who had first come on
the ground. told his story Of the stran-
ger taking his sword, but he was not
believed. The watch took him into
custody. and he was thrown into pris-
on to await trial for murder.
The case was SO plain against him
that his counsel undertook 1t half
hcartedly. and when stranger came
into town who said he was an advo-
cate and offered to defend the accused
Burgess gave II into his hands. The
advocate called for the BODY Of the
murdered man to be brought into
court. and when this was done. plac.
ing his hand In the hair. which was
black and matted. he drew out paper
that had been concealed there. Open
ing 1t, he showed Arabic characters.
1.-THE man In n fliap1,isesi AJosler, /" an iS