Democratic messenger., 1911-12-02
The Filigree
Bracelet
An Oriental Tale
By CLARISSA MACKIE
BY cLARIsSA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.


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. II notice that my daughter
is wearing her flligree bracelet this
evening, and II 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. 1--WE have had the story Of A
Carpet From Mazandaran' and also
the alluring tale of The Crystal Bali
and what Miss Gray saw In IL. Let
US have the bracelet story. and mind
you omit no details, Miss Trayle."
"Its really the plainest sort Of
story" protested Miss Trayle Il 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.
80 remember that the old legend ap-
plies to both sexes"
They all laughed as Alexander FELTON,
sprend 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 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 fligree bracelet which
was considered n perfect specimen of
Byzantine silver work. I 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 l supposed 1t would
be an easy matter to duplicate 1t. The
day father and ! spent there revealed
that there was not another bracelet
like Emily brakes I'm all Constantine
pie unless II was worn by some fair
denisen OF the city. Thus spoke the
shopkeepers In the bazaar.
hoc frtn hn q
ested In the raisin industry. and this
gentleman has villa on vine clad
slope beyond the tip of the Golden
Horn. and It literally overhangs the
| Bosporus sea. We drove out there
and spent 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 IT, II did not need his clever tale
OF Its having once belonged to the sui
tnn's favorite. who tired of the bauble
and gave II TO slave woman, who In
turn sold II TO our peddler. lie asked
ridiculous price. and father paid 1t
without murmur.
1--WE had not proceeded more than
a hundred yards before the peddler
was at our horses heels. begging for
another word with my father. OF
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 an outstretched
| 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 gesticulatlon
Yes. indeed. father. you did appear
much Interested I'm 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 30 piasters. II was a good story,
well worth 30 piasters. father. dear
I do believe you secured n 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.
'It was a good story" protested
Madeline.
"Ah. do tell it!' cried Mrs. Hanford
impatientiy.
"Piease do" chlmed In the others.
THE story went that the sultan
bought Il from a 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 supercillous incredulity of
the sultan and the dlsdain with which
he waved the story teller aside. Well.
never mind whether father and be-
lieved the story or not The bracelet
seemed 10 possess an added attrac-
ton for both Of us. and will confess
that as soon as we reached the Nep-
tune that afternoon l hastened to my
stateroom and scrubbed II vigorously
with soap and water until II became