The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-20
fcontanued.l.

wiped the moisture from my brow and respectfully put my cIinched fists into my pockets.
 A minute later three females appear vd on the scene, all of them dusting their hands and curling their noses in disgust
 .I never saw such a dirty place. said the foremost, a large lady who couldn't by any circumstance of fate have been anybodys wife but Rocks worth's. .Tt's filthy! ~ What do you want?''
 I've bought this thing here for sew enty-five. You said I couldn't get it cor a nickel under a thousand. And. say, this man tells me the hall seat here belonged to Pontius Pi1ate in''--
 Pardon me- I interrupted, T merely said that he sat in it. ] ann not trying to deceive you, sir" 1"
 And the treaty was signed on this table" said MT. Riley Werkh elmer He addressed himself to q plump young lady with a distorted bust and tsyen- ty-two inch waist sMaude, what do treaty We'll catch you now, my friend, 2 he went on, turning to me. t'My daughter is up in ancient history. She's an authority '
 Miss Maude appeared to be racking her brain. I undertook to assist her.
 q mean the second treaty, after the fall of Nuremburg. I explained
 "Oh. she said, instantly relieved. Was it really signed here, right here in this hall? On, father, we must have that tables''
 You are sure there was. treaty, Maudep' demanded her parent accus- ingly
 aCertainly,,, she cried. ..The leu sons ceded AIsace-Lorraine to-
 Pardon me once more,'' cried, and this time I plead guilty to blush. you are thinking of the other treaty. the one at Metz. Miss Riley Werkhein- CT. This. as you will recall. antedates that one by-oh, several years1
 Thank you.' she said, quite con descendingIy. 'I was confused for a moment Of course, father. I can't say that it vas signed here on this table as the young man says. only know that there was a treaty. I do wish you'd come and see the fire screen I've found''-
 Let's get this out of our system frst,i said her father. tsIf you can show me statistics and the proper proof that this is the genuine table young man. I'll''-
 .sPray rest easy. sir,'' said eve can take it up later on. The facts are''-
 eAnd this Pontius Pi1ate seat, in kerrupted Rocks worth, biting off the end of fresh cigar-1what about i? Got match? ?'
 "Get the gentleman match. Brit ton,'' I said. thereby giving my valet an opportunity to do his exploding in the pantry. q can only affirm, sir, that it is common history that Pontius Pilate spent a portion of his exile here in the sixth century. It is reasonable to assume that he sat in this seat, be- ing an old man unused to difficult stair ways. He''
 .Buy it, OIson,' said his wife, with authority. We'll take chance on it. If it isn't the right thing we can sell it to the secondhand dealers. Whats the price ?''
 "A thousand dollars to you, madam, ' said I.
 They were at once suspicious. While they were busi1y engaged in looking the seat over as the porters shifted it about at all angles stepped over and ordered my workmen to resume opera tions.
 tsHereg' roared MT. Rocksworth. ssStop this beastly noise. What the deuce do you mean. sir. permitting these scoundrels to raise the dead like this?''
 I moved forward apoIogetica1ly. .GThey are raising the dead. The place is fairly alive with dead rats and''-
 .sGood Lordi'' gasped Riley-Werk- heimer seWe1l get the bubonic plague here.'
 ssWell, let's move on upstairs said Rocksworth Addressing the porters, he said: 4You fellows get this lot of stun together, and I'll take an option on it. I'll be over tSsmorrow to close the deal Mr.-Mr.- Now. where is the old FIorentfne mirror the count was telling US about?"
 1.-The count?' said I, frowning.
 ssYes, the real owner. You can't stuff me with your talk about being the proprietor here, my friend. You see, we happen to know the count"
 They all condescended to laugh at me. don't know what I should have said or done if Britton had not re turned with a box of matches at that instant
 Almost simultaneously there appear 1 ed in the lower hall a lanky youth of eighteen.
 s.Say, these clubs are the real stuff all right all right. They're as brittle