Monroe City Democrat., 1912-05-23

oy TINS time he showed his teeth. And
devilish white, even teeth they were,
too, only they didn't fit.
Il never sit down, SIR" he said stiff
fly; "Never!"
by Jove!" l explained.
ITO be sure!" calculated Billings,
looking extremely silly.
The professor appeared not ungrat-
ified with the sensation he had pro-
duced and condescended to smile; that
is, If you can call creasing and
wrinkling like the cracked end OF
hard-boiled egg a smile.
You say, sit down. sir" he said,
addressing me. II ask you. in turn:
Is not sitting down Renaissance
back to the primordial?"
So saying, he took a pinch at my
shirt front and stepped back again
impressively.
Then his great head shot forward in
front of his rigid neck-so suddenly,
by Jove, that reached out to try to
catch it, don't you know. He made
just two strides to the table, ten feet
away, and pounced upon the pajamas
with obviously trembling hands.
And behind his back Billings re-
lapsed into an armchair and famed
himself with a magazine.
The professor fumblingly sought
through his pockets, and producing a
pair OF spectaCles with phenomenally
large lenses, adjusted them shakily.
lie bent over the pajamas eagerly.
Impossible! And yet, it is. it is!"
he muttered. Il would know the
weave among a thousand. 1t is hers
undoubtedly, undoubtelly-the lost
silk OF StLing-Chi! How comes it
here?"
He glared around rather wildly at
each of us in turn. Without waiting
for a reply, he whisked back to the
pajamas, and fishing out thick mag.
nifying lens, sCrutin!zed the garments
closely. 1t seemed that he would cer-
tainly nod his big head of its jolly
hinge; and his quick side glances at
Billings and myself, together with his
growing and muttering. just remind
ed me of a dog with bone, by Jove!
l stared at Billings and Billings
stared at me, and then he slipped over
to the divan upon which l dropped,
completely exhausted, dash 1t, from
standing SO long.
whose did he say?" he whispered.
Celia something" answered.
Dash II, didn't catch her surname.
oh, l say, you know, this Is awful"
Out OF the professors mutterings
we caught a random sentence.
Found, found again." We heard him
say. Hers beyond peradventure OF a
doubt. am not mistaken"
"Ah, gentlemen" exclaimed the
professor, coming back again, what
! thing this little Chinese woman did
| for civilization when she gave the
world silk culture and invented the
loom! No wonder the Chinese deitied
her as a goddess"
Goddess" Billings swallowed hard.
And did these-hm-gaJmen be-
long to the LADY,"
The professor frowned sk him IN sur
prise. "Garments?"
Them" said Billings in devllisn
questionable grammar. pointing to tho
table. They are pajamss, you know"
Hal" calculated the professor.
holding them up. so they are. You
are very observing. sir. very. Now. 1
had not noticed that at all: was 80
interested in the material itselI-khs
Wonderful silk OF SLING Chi. gentle
men. Ha! Indeed . rare privilege" "
By love! He stroked the stun light
", tenderly-as one likes TO do q lit
tie child's hair, don't you know.
Beautiful. beautiful fabric" he
sighed half to himself. only once
before have seen q piece OF it-bat
II was enough; l could never, never
forget" Something like q groan O.
capped him.