The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-14

AN AAhitf Huyb H EHollAIuuhTy CBDUpl
satisfactory. But, kay vooly, voo2 WhaI
good Is the art junk to us2 And the oil2'
Now, that man. says Andy. sitting
thoughtfully on the bed, amt what You
would call an ordinary scutt. When he
was showing me his cabinet OF art curios
his face lighted up like the door Of a coke
oven. He says IL some Of his big deaI
&c through he'll make j. p. Morgan's collec.
ton OF sweatshop tapestry and Augusta
Me-, beadwork look like the contents OF
an ostrioh's oraw thrown on a screen by
q magic lantern.
And then he showed me a little carving,
went on Andy, that anybody could see
was a wonderful thing. II was some
thing like 1000 Years old, he said. 1t was
n lotus flower with a woman's face in IL
carved out Of a solid piece of ivory.
"'Scudder looks 1t up in a catalogue and
describes IL. An Egyptian carver named
Khafra made two Of EN- for King Rameses
III. about the year B. c. The other one
a be found. The junkshops and antique
bugs nave rubbered all Europe for IL, but
1t seems to be out OF stock. Scudder paid
$4,000 for the one he has
-'Oh, WE'LL says /, this sounds like
the purling Of a rill to me. I thought we
came here to teach the m~illionaires business,
instead OF learning art from emp
B patient says Andy, kindly. Maybe
we will see a rift in the smoke ere long
"All the next morning Andy was out.
l didr't see him till about He came
to the hotel and called me into his room
across the hall. He pulled a roundish
bundle about as big as a goose egg out OF
his pocket and ~unwrapped il. II was an
ivory carving just as he had described
the millionaire's to me.
~ went in an old second hand store
and p~awnshop a while ago. says Andy,
and 1 zee this half hidden under a lot of
old daggers and truck. The p~awnbroker
said he'd had it several years and thinks
IL was soaked by some Arabs or Turks
or some foreign dubs that used to live
down by the river.
81 offered him 81 for it. and I must have
looked like l wanted it, for he said IL would
be taking the pumpernickle out Of his
children's mouths to hold any CONVERSE
ton that did not lead up to a price Of SIS.
1 finally got it for SIS.
JEFF goes on Andy. this is the exact
counterpart Of Scudder's carving. It's
absolutely a dead ringer for 1t. He'll pay
81 200 for it as quick as he'd tuck a napkin
under his chin. And why shouldn't it be
the genuine other one. anyhow. that the
gypsy whitfield outH'
why not. indeed?' says 7. And how
shall we 60 about compelling -, TO make
a voluntary purchase OF itF
Andy had his plan all ready, and I'll
tell you how we carried IL out.
Il got a pair Of blue s~pectacles, put on
my black frock coat. rumpled my hair I'D
and became Prof. Policeman. I went TO |
another hotel. registered. and sent a tele-
gram to Scudder to come to see me at once
important art business. The elevator
dumped him on me in lees thar an hour. |
He was a foggy man with a clarion voice,
smelling Of Connecticut wrappers and
naphtha-
-'Hello. Profsss.' he shouts. .How's
your oonductF
Il rumpled my hair some more and gave
him a blue glass stare.
-'Sir.' says l. Are you Cornelius T.
5cudder' OF Pittsburg, Pennsyivaniar
at am says he. Come out and lave a
drink
1T have neither the time nor the DESIRE
says /, for such harmful and deleterious
Amusements. Ihave come from Now York.
,ays I. on a matter Of busi-on a matter OF
art.
81 learned there that you are the owner
,f an Egyptian ivory carving Of the time OF
Rameses H.. representing the head Of
Queen Isis In a lotus flower. There were
only two of such carvings made. One has
been lost for many years. I recently dis
and purchased the other in a DAWN
n an obscure museum In Vienna.
81 wish to purchase yours. Name your
well. the great ice jams. Professl' says
Have you found the other one?
Ne sell2 No. l don't guess Cornelius
,oudder needs to soil anything that he ~aa:s
o keep. Have you got the carving with
vou. Profess?'
Il shows it TO Scudder. He examines IL
all over.
Its the article says he. It's a dupli-
Of mine. every line and curve OF it. Tell
'ou what I'll do he says. Iwon't sell, but
II buy. Give you s.. 500 for yours
-'Sinoe you won't sell, l will says I.
Large bills, please. I'm a man Of few
words. / must return TO New York to-
light. I lecture tomorrow at the aqua
oCuuuer Senub u cneCk uOWnd ana the MOTEL
ashes 1t. He goes of with his piece OF an
guilty and I hurry back to Andy's hotel.
ccording to arrangement.
Andy is walking up and down the room
at his watch.
well? he says.
Twenty-Five hundred says I. Cash
We've got just eleven minutes says
.ndy. to catch the b. d o. westbound.
rab your baggage ,
whats the hurryr' says /. 1t was a
quare sale. And even IL IL was only an
Of the original carving it'll take
Inn some time to find II out. He seemed to
Q sure IL was the genuine article
at was says Andy. 1t was his own.
hen I was looking at his ourios yesterday
9 stepped out OF the room for a moment
nd | pocketed It.. Now. will you pick up
our suit case and hurry
Then says l, why was that story about !
ndlng another n In the wn-
-Oh.' says Andy, out Of respect for that
onscieDce OF yours. Come on" .