The Detroit times., 1909-01-07

buy books, ana l VIII NHon o'"'s ""
my search for a signed copy OF tue
Rubaiyat. will send quite a NUMBER
OF boxes and packages oil DOCKS
think II would be better IN leave them.
as they come. until return. and then
can arrange them properly. You VIII
honor my drafts. | presume l VIII
render an expense and purchase ao-
count at the end Of each week IN M
That's all right. Send In your
statements ana | will honor them. |
will give you 500 to start with.
ON the second day following Mr.
Hurst left for New York When no
had been there week. he telegraphed
TO MIR. Hefferly as follows:
Jacob Hcnerly, Baldwin. Ohio;
+scnd sl.2475O fof books purchased
and 5000 for expenses. Have got trace
VI Signed copy of Omar Must go to
London, Eng.
Mr. Heherly sent the cash at once.
and few days later received dis
match announcing that Hurst had had
case and four packages OF books
shipped. and was To take the steamer
for London that same day.
Mr. Hursts purchases i'm London
must have been pretty heavy. for
when he had been there ten days he
cabled for s9O0.0S TO pay for books.
and 5000 more for personal expenses
lie wound up by saying see letter
about Omar
In his letter he said II have trace
OF signed copy OF Omar II has been
in the possession of London dealer
but he sold il. about year ago, to
collector in India for $4,000. | am go
Ing to Paris and Berlin. thence to IN
ola will write amounts needed from
each OF these places. | am shipping
case Of books by freight via Mon
treal"
"BusineSs-like. business-like. COM
mented Mr. Hofferly as he read
Hurst's letter He felt satisfied. Hc
knew that he was paying good price.
but he felt that he was receiving
sufficient return for the money. So ho
sent Mr.. Hurst exactly what he asked
for. as the succeeding cablegrama
came IN
Hurst bought good many books IN
Paris. and a few in Berlin, and from
each OF these cities he cablod a re-
quest for the necessary funds After
this he reported TO Mr.. Hefferly every
week, but IL was quite two months be-
fore the latter received any word OF
real importance. Then this message
came:
Am hot on the trail. Signed Omar
In possession of a Japanese merchant
in Toxic. Send $4,000 for books pur'
chased and expenses. Statement goes
forward by mall
Two weeks later Mr.. Hefferly re-
ceiyed a message from Hurst announc-
ing his arrival in Toxic. Hurst also
stated that he had seen the signed
copy OF Omar, that IL was in perfect
condition and that $4,000 would buy
IT, Hurst went on to say that II was
the only signed copy in existence, and
further that only the dire poverty or
its present owner, who had met heavy
reverse. enabled him to secure the
book az the price mentioned. Hurst
said that he had loaned the unfortun-
ate merchant 500 TO hold the book
pending Mr.. Hefferly's decision.
Hefferly made all haste TO send the
money, which was 10 make him the
possessor OF so rare a volume. the only
one OF the kind in the world Hurst
arrived dDOA l"p iuoHlHo io'N' Wv"
| the book
Take look at it, he said.
MIR. Heferly examined II with keen
interest.
What makes the writing look SO
funny" he asked Il can hardly make
1t out
why Omar was a Persian you
know"
"Oh. certainly" said Mr. Hefferly.
II forgot for the moment" That even.
ing Mr. Hefferly was showing friend
through the library. Here he said,
lis signed copy OF - and ne
handed the book TO his friend, in lieu
of attempting to pronounce the title.
Signed" said the visitor. as ne
looked at IL. why, Omar has been
dead a thousand years or more.
don't believe a book was bound like
that In his day. and certainly they
didn't use the English language
Mr.. Hurst was in the "vesubule.
Noiselessly he glided out.
Hurst" called Mr.. Hefferly. but
| Hurst was gone. to be seen no more
In Baldwin.
On the following day Mr.. Hefferly
took his signed copy of Omar To Mr.
Boggerly. the local book seller, as VIC
have seen.
We'll. Mr. Boggerly. what do
You think OF it," asked the erstwhile
| book lover.
IL am very much afraid. Mr.. Heffer
| ly. that the edition you have Is one
printed about five years ago. The title
rage has been cut out.
But the signature said Heferly.
The bookseller looked up Significant
Ily.
| Hurst" said he.