The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-06-03


deformed street arab, whose nature
seemed 10 be compounded Of all that
vas worst in human beings. He lied
freely, he absented himself from the
shop when he had no business to do
so, he even stole little things when he
thought it was safe to run the fisk
with so vigilant a mistress; but, not
withstanding all these vices. Hagar
kept him as servant. Her reason was
that he possessed three redeeTping viT-
tues; he was an excellent watchdog, he
vas admirable at Clinching bargains,
and he was cunning enough not TO lose
his situation Clever servants have
been retained by mistrustful mistresses
for less reasonable qualities.
When Hagar went out of business
which she frequently did-BOlker
stayed to look after the shop and to
receive such customers as might pre-
sent themselves. To these he gave as
little as he possibly could on the arti-
Cles they wished to pawn: and when
Hagar returned he had usually some
tales TO tell of excellent business hav-
ing been transacted for the good of
the shop Then Hagar would reward
him with a little money and BOlker
would take unauthorized leave to mis-
conduct himself generally on the pro
Ceeds. The program mime never varied
One day HagaT returned late i'm the
evening. having been in the country on
an excursion connected with a copper
key. This adventure viii be related
another time for the present story
deals with the strange episode of the
silver cruCifiX- It was this article
which Bolker had ready 10 show Hagar
when she entered the pawnshop at 6
O'clock
See here, missus- said BoIker.
pointing 90 the wall at the back Of the
shop: there's fine thing I got for
yOU-cheap,"
II may be here remarked that BoIker
had been To school, and having re-
maTkabiy clever brain as a set-off
against his deformed body. he had sue
Ceeded in gaining certain amount OF
learning. and also a mode of speakine
- regards both .diction and accent.
much above the ordinary converse ton
Of his class Proud OF this superiority.
the clever imp spoke always slowly and
10 the point. 50 that ne might preserve
his refined speech
Dirt cheap. missUs.- added BoIker.
who used vulgar words when excited.
and he was so now Ten pOuHds I lent
ON it, the silver itself is worth more
than that
oh. ] can always trust your iudg-
meut i'm these matters" laughed Hacar.
and took down the crucifix to examine
II more particularly.
II Was over foot long. made Of re
fined silver. now somewhat furnished
from neglect and exposure 10 the air.
and the workmanship was peculiarly
fine and delicate The figure Of the
Christ crowned with thorn wreath
was exquisite and the arms Of the cross
Itself. culdsed with ara beSQue patterus
were beyond all praise from am artistic
point Of view Altogether. this silver
CrucifiN- obtained by the crafty BOII5er
for ten pou1ds-a sum greatly below
us real Ealue-Was remarkable fine
sample of renaissance workmanship i'm
the style of Ceilini. Learned i'm such
jEju2s. HaSar, even i'm the yellow glow
NJ the badly lighted lamp. saw its mag
HlHceHCe and worth at 2 glance She
n7ued Boxers red head Of hair with
approval.
Good little man" she said in \
nIeaSed tone You always do well
Then / am out Of the shop There is
nan 2 crown Go and enjoy Yourself
nut don't mako yourself sick with
smoking nine as YOU did last time.
my boy But one moment" she added
who pawned thfs2"
Gemms BaTdi, 49,. Saffron Hill"
An Italian woman Like enough. as
me eTucifiE is Of the renaissance . said
Hagar. musiHsly- What was she like
Bolker2-' -'1 ''h9'
oh. fine. handsome girl" replfad
5''.Nff- Ie-rITE I'm man about town
susie black hair and eyes the same
JUS. IKE yours. missUS. only [ guess
lou re the finer woman. Harc-dourt
you box my ears" shouted The INN
WriEElinE out Of HaEar's cr-r. or
Shant tell YOU what I found ora"
ABOUT this CrurifN7" asked Hagar
croDpins her hands
Yes. faint a crucifx. its a dag
ger"
you talking"
Sense. niEsUz-ss ALWAYS 90. Look
Eerc. if you don't believe me-
6olkcr took The presumed cruci7x I'm
his lean small hands. and with deft
fingers n touched a concealed sprir,
set where the four arms of the cross
Joined. At once the lower and longer
arms. with the silver Christ attached
thereto. sid down. and 10. the cross
was changed into 2 slender aud sharp
PORTED pCEiaTd. the hardIo # which
WCs formed by the upper arms and the
so to speak. haft Of the cross The sym
DOL OF Christ. of peace. of faith had he
come a deadly and dangerous weapon
or blOodshCd- Hagar was So startled
that Bolker, the discOveIer. Erinned
It's fine amt it2' he said. glOatin-
over the shining blade 1T would stick
q man Ike fun, 7 dare say its been
through lots. Ny eve. what IarkS,-'
The JOY of the boy was 50 grim and
unnatural that HaEar SUatched the
CTuCifX-or rather the p0uiard. as fl
was row-frOm his grasp. and pushed
him out Of the shop with the sharp
command that he was 10 put I'D the
shutters When ne had done so and
all was safe for the night he went
away 10 enjoy himself with his half
crown while Hag7r carried the newly
paWued article into the back paTIOT 10
examine it anew as she ate her frugal
supper. The crucifix. which was at once
a symbol of peace and war, attracted
her strangely.
why did il possess these dual char
acteristics2 To what end had its MAX
er placed i'm the hands of priests IT,
deadly and concealed weapon? The
hands OF the Christ were not attached
10 the cross bars. and the shcath-as il
might be-of the Toniard slipped easily
of the blade. figure and all. Haga1
wondered in her imaginative fashion il
b1 cyTfv44 N 1vnI q gym 7n1 of Chris