Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-11-15


inform me about my bronze teapot.
So once more I unwrapped il and dis
played it to him, and again l saw a
repetition Of the terror OF the men
who had viewed it in China.
You know this? | asked him In
the dialect.
He nodded speechlessly. his fabby
cheeks white and trembling and his
little beady eyes fixed upon il.
Then l told him where | had found
IT and how | could not discover any
thing about it. That l had not tried to
open il. for the cover seemed secured
by some aromatic gum or wax and
that I felt n certain amount of defer
ence TO the mystery that encompassed
the simple little toy-you know that l
have been much in the far east, and
there is much 10 reverence there.
After some persuasion he told me
the history OF the teapot. after first
receiving my assurance that l would
open IL only at sea when the ship was
safely away from Beirut. His wishes
I shall respect He told me that he
himself had once had the teapot IN his
possession. and the string OF III luck
and curses IL brought upon HIS limo
cent household had induced him TO toss
1T away IN the filth Of n Canton street
to be picked up by some other uuin-
formed person. He had been I'm Bel
rut for several years. and he and his
family had exiled themselves, so fear
full were they OF again coming into
possession of this evil charm.
1T seems. good people. that once
upon Il time. long before the Ming dy-
nasty. there was "A very wicked prince
of China-you were not so very far out
OF the way. Mrs. Hanford-whose sub
iects murdered him one dark night.
burned his body and put part Of his
ashes into this little teapot. sealed II
up and tossed Il into n swift flowing
river. The remainder OF the ashes were
distributed TO the four winds OF heaven.
The story goes that the four winds took
pity on the vanquished and dead prince
and so gathered his ashes together In
some spot where they await the com
ing OF the remainder. The bronze tea
pot was washed ashore and time and
again down through the centuries has
been thrown ilto the sea. only to be
caught mp in a fisherman'S net or 10
be tossed ashore with the incoming
tide. They say that the soul of the
| prince is imprisoned herein with his
ashes" The professor paused suggest
lively, and Mr.. Hanford broke the 81
lence that had fallen upon the interest
ed group.
You are going to release the soul
now-is that what we are TO under
stand, professOrT'a
I'm going to open the bronze teapot
and see what happens amended Pro-
fessOr Traylc, slowly rising 10 his tall
| height land as many of you as care
TO are invited to witness the demon
stTation OF ancient oriental supersti-
ton and can draw your own conclu-
sions concerning it's basis OF truth"
They all eagerly announced an inten-
ton to remain, and so it was with keen
interest that they watched tho pro-
fessor's preparations. They followed
him to an untenanted part OF the deck
near the rail, ard without i word Eel
ton spread the "carpet OF truth"
1T might contain an explosive OF
some sort You might ruin the car.
pet" protested Miss Gray.
Professor Trayle and Alexander Eel.
ton exchanged Il look, and the younger
man answered: I'm not afraid
know my east. and a royal carpet Is a
fitting place for the reincarnutiOn OF u
princely soul"
They stood around the rug at a re
spectful distance, the ladies' holding
their hands TO their ears. as II expect
ing the prince TO emerge from hia
close confinement with an explosive
greeting.
Professor Trayle knelt down ana
with his penknife carefully removed
wax stopper from the spout OF the
teapot Then ne left the toy on the
rug and stood aIoof with the others.
Immediately there curled from the
tiny spout, which they could barely
see In the moonlight. thin streamer
or yapor or smoke. II grew In vol
ume, shimmeriug with gold and green
and scarlet and yellow. Then II ccas-
ed 10 come ana for an instant held
itself suggesting the form OF an an
cicnt Chinese warrior, brave in his
uniform, with golden sword. before
II turned to a differing shower Of gray
a9bcs that drilled away over the rail
and disappeared in the moonlight
Tho seven passenger gaspeS incred-
ulousiy. what dfd we seeT' demand
cd Arthur Clayton exritedly. ana the
others crowded around the professor,
who smiled quietly.
ANY one Of you can explain It as
readily as I can myself" be said with
a sincerity they could not question.
He stopped down and, IiftIug the little
teapot, pried mp the cover and, Ight-
ing match. looked inside. Empty"
be said conrIu-ivciy. passing n around
When il came to Dis daughter she
poked an iuqslsIIge white finger IN
side. what is ribs father"
And the object she held up proved
TO be- an czqu. sitciy cut ruby Of large
size ana fawlca4 color
This WINS tie reward Of the man
VINO released the ashes Of the muir
dcrrd prince. Of China