The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-11-02
The Filigree
Bracelet
An Oriental Tale
BY CLARISSA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
An Oriental Tale
By cLARISSA MAcKIE

I. Copyright by American Press Asso- J.
+ citation, 1911 \.
Z
On the third evening after the tour
ist steamer Neptune left Constantine
pie the little group OF people whom
congenial interests had drawn togeth-
er 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. ~ notice that my daughter
is wearing her f1ligree bracelet this
evening, and 1t reminds me that there
is a story connected with Its purchase
In Constantinople."
Good" cried Mr.. Hanford. and hfs
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 Trayle."
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. II see
that Mr.. FELTON, has unrolled the car.
pet of Mazandaran, on which no man
can sit and tell other than the truth,
80 remember that the old legend ap-
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 &
single graceful movement sank to a
seat upon its silken texture.
Father and spent day among the
bazaars In Constantinople," she began,
"but we could not discover anything
that resembled the bracelet l wanted
A dear friend Of mine in New York
possessed a .f1ligree bracelet which
was considered perfect specimen of
Byzantine silver work. l may as well
save words by saying now that this
bracelet Is its duplicate In every detail,
my friend said the bracelet had
been purchased In the bazaar In Con-
stantinople, and 1 supposed 1t would
be an easy matter to duplicate 1t. The
day father and l spent there revealed
! that there was not another bracelet
like Emily brakes in all Constantine
pie unless 1t was worn by some fair
- ho ID Th,c cnnEn tho
shopkeepers In the bazaar.
Father has friend who is inter-
ested In the raisin industry. and this
gentleman has villa on vine clad
slope beyond the tip of the Golden
Horn, and 1t literally overhangs the
Bosporus sea. We drove out there
and spent a day, and on our return to
Constantinople we met an itinerant
peddler, who offered me this bracelet.
"Of course we did not bargain long
for 1t. 1t did not need his clever tale
of its having once belonged to the sui
tan's favorite, who tired of the bauble
and gave 1t to slave woman, who in
turn sold 1t to our peddler. He asked
ridiculous price, and father paid 1t
/ without murmuf.
1--WE had not proceeded more than
Il hundred yards before the peddler
was at our horses heels, begging for
another word with my father. OF
course father had spoken to the man
! in his own language and now he I'M
derstood the babel of sounds that
poured from his lips. AS the sounds
were accompanied by an outstretched
palm | knew the man wanted money
for something, and / saw father loss
the peddler twenty plaster piece and
listen with interest to a long recital,
accompanied by much gesticulation.
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 n good story,
we'll worth 80 piasters, father, dear.
l do believe you secured bargain
in that story" 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 IT, cried Mrs Hanford
impatiently.
"Please do" chimed in the others.
THE story went that the sultan
bought 1t from a fortune teller, who
predicted that whatever woman wore
1t on her arm might marry the richest
man In the world. One can well i'm
agine the superclious incredulity OF
the sultan and the disdain with which
he waved the story teller aside Well
never mind whether father and l be
lieved the story or not. The bracelet
seemed to possess an added attrac
ton for both of us, and | will confess
that as soon as we reached the Nep
tune that afternoon l FASTENED to my
Btateroom and scrubbed 1t vigorously
with soap and water until 1t became
quite clean and bright.
"Its incredible how filthy some Of
that native jewelry is" remarked Miss
Gray, with shudder OF disgust.
Apparently they believe that Ger
toir amount NJ soil laid on the nrtiCl,