Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-02
The Argus Daily Short Story
The Green Lamp-By Clarissa Mackie.
Copyrighted 1910. by Associated Literary Prssx

knowing eyes CONTEMPORARY overbid
the young Irishman's So. and at last it
was sold for SIS.
He turned away. disappointed, and
was elbowing his way toward the door
when the words Of the auctioneer
brought him to a stop. His imagination
was fired and his soul was filed with
a riot of speculation.
Ladies and gentlemen" vociferated
the auctioneer. 81 now offer you a won
derful bargain. You see before you
what? A little battered vessel of brass
so covered with verdigris that 1t is as
green as the fellow who misses buying
this bargain at his own price! What is
It? A lamp, an ancient brass lamp
see. here is the place for the wick
which was found IN junkshop in the
city OF Bagdad. Turkey. You all re-
member the story of Aladdin and his
wonderful lamp? Well, this is said to
lie the veritabIe lamp of Aladdin He
beamed down upon the skepticaI up
turned faces of the crowd.
mo, sir. This is not a gravy boat.
1t is nothing less than the lamp of
Aladdin, and whosoever rubs it hard
will be attended by those-those mys-
teal beings who granted every wish
that young Aladdin desired.
"Why don't you rub it yourselfT in
quired one skeptic.
The auctioneer grinned impudently.
THE reason 1 don't summon the spirit
of this lamp is because I'm afraid
he'll realize the value of the bargain
and run off with it as we'll as the
whole shop. Now. gentlemen. who
will give me a bid ON Aiaddin's lampT
1t went up to so cents and stayed
there while the auctioneer delivered
another long argument concerning the
value Of the ancient lamp. The story
OF Aladdin was repeated to Daniels
interested ears. He had never heard
it before, although some Of the people
there seemed familiar with the story
and joked about it.
els that straight?' asked Daniel OF
his neighbor.
"Of course" returned the other, grin
ming.
"IlI take a chance on It, then" said
Daniel grimly, and presently the lamp
was sold to him for the sum OF $50.
AS he walked out Of the shop with the
6oated out after him.
"Stungp
But Daniel did not hear it and walk.
ed downtown with q pleasant sense
of possessing something that was
wrapped In mystery. All his life IN
had dwelt among the most practical
people, and the hard knocks he had
received as he made his way in the
new country had yanQuished all the
pretty romantic fancies that atteno
every man, woman and child born on
Erin's isle.
A block away the elevated trains rat
tied and Numbered along. All around
him was the busy hum Of traffic, and,
unseeing, unhear1ng. Daniel Delavan
walked along in a dream Of fairies and
friendly giants, who combined to has
ten his wooing of Nellie Burns and
bring it to a happy termination.
At the florist shop he awoke long
enough to buy a pot of shamrock tied
up in green Grape paper. and from
thence he proceeded to a confectton-
eTs, where he found a large box of
candy tied with an emerald green rib
bon and adorned with shamrock leaves.
That finished the s..
The rest of the afternoon he spent
in accommodating some Of the necessary
cleansing materials with which to
brighten the lamp of Aladdin. he de-
cided TO wait until he was with Nellie
Burns before be touched the verdigrfs.
If there was ar. hing In the storS the