The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-11-10
The Filigree
Bracelet
An Oriental Tale
BY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911,

-f-fi-i~s-t-f-i-t-f-i-i-f
On the third evening after the tour
list steamer Neptune left Constantine
pie the little group of people whom
congenial interests had drawn togeth-
or out of the hundreds of passengers
aboard the big ship gathered their
seven chairs in friendly proximity.
Professor Trayle laid his hand on
the soft white wrist of his daughter,
Madeline. II notice that my daughter
is wearing her flligree bracelet this
evening, and It reminds me that there
is a story connected with its purchase
In Constantinople."
"Goodr cried Mr.. Hanford, and his
wife echoed approval In her quiet
voice. I'VE have had the story of "A
Carpet From Mazandaran' and also
the alluring tale of The Crystal Bali
and what Miss Gray saw In It. Let
US have the bracelet story, and mind
you omit no details, Miss Traylc."
ITS really the plainest sort Of
story protested Miss Trayle. II had
planned. when my turn came. to relate
the wonderful adventure father had
with the bronze teapot
"Ah. my dear. that is my very own
story" laughed the professor. Il see
that Mr.. FELTON, has unrolled the car.
pet OF Mazandaran, on which no man
can sit and tell other than the truth,
so remember that the old legend APP
plies to both sexes"
They all laughed as Alexander FELTON,
spread the ancient bit OF carpet which
he had found In a remote interior
province and Madeline Trayle with a
single graceful movement sank to a
seat upon Its silken texture.
Father and spent n day among the
bazaars In Constantinople," she began,
"but we could not discover anything
that resembled the bracelet wanted.
A dear friend of mine In New York
possessed fillgree bracelet which
was considered perfect specimen of
Byzantine silver work. l may ms well
save words by saying now that this
bracelet Is its duplicate In every detail
MY friend said tho bracelet had
been purchased In the bazaar In Con
stantinople, and supposed It would
be an easy matter to duplicate 1t. The
day father and ! spent there revealed
that there was not another bracelet
like Emily brakes In all Constantine
pie unless II was worn by some fair
denizen Of the city Thus spoke the
shopkeepers In the bazaar
Father has friend who is inter
ested In the raisln industry and this
gentleman has villa on n vine clad
slope beyond the tip of the Golden
Horn. and It literally overhangs the
Bosporns sea. We drove out there
and spent Il day, and on our return to
Constantinople we met an itlncrant
peddler, who offered me this bracelet.
"0f course we did not bargain long
for 1t. II did not need his clever tale
of its having once belonged TO the sui
tan's favorite. who tired of the bauble
and gave II to n slave woman, who In
turn sold II to our peddler. He asked
ridiculous price, and father paid IL
without murmur.
eve had not proceeded more than
hundred yards before the pedder
was at our horses heels, begging for
another word with my father. or
course father had spoken 10 the man
In his own language, and now he un-
derstood the babel OF sounds that
poured from his lips. As the sounds
were accompanied by nm outstretehed
palm ] knew the man wanted money
for something and / saw father toss
the peddler twenty plaster piece and
listen with interest 10 long recital,
accompanied by much gesticulntlon.
Yes, indeed, father, you did appear
much interested in the story the man
told
when we were once more on our
way toward the city father related
the story the man had sold to him
for 20 piasters 1t was good story,
well worth 80 piasters, father. dear
l do believe you secured bargain
In that storyw Madeline smiled mis-
chievously up into her fathers rueful
countenance.
Remember, you're sitting on the
carpet of truth. my dear" he warned
laughingly.
at was good story" protested
Madeline.
"Ah, do tell itr' cried Mrs. Hanford
impatiently
please do" chlmed In the others.
The story went that the sultan
bought II from n fortune teller, who
predicted that whatever woman wore
II on her arm might marry the richest
man In the world. One can well i'm
agine the supcrCiious incredullty OF
the sultan and the dlsdaln with which
no waved the story teller aside. Well,
never mind whether father and be-
lieved the story or not. The bracelet
seemed to possess an added attrac-
ton for bOtG of us, and | will confess
that az soon AZ we reached the Nep
tune that afternoon | FASTENED TO my
stateroom rnd scrubbed II vigorously
with sonp and water until 1t became
quite clean and bright.
tits Incredible how filthy some Of
that native jewelry is remarked Miss
Gray. with shudder OF disgust.
apparently they believe that Ger
tain amount of soil laid on the article
increases It's interest and naturally
It's value" laughed her nephew, Ar
thur Clayton "I'll confess to one fad
Of mine when I'm travelling around