Evening star., 1922-05-07
HUNT FOR JEWELS OF SOLOMONS TEMPLE
EXCTTES TOWN AFTER 1,5OO YEARS. WATT

another piece of wall, A. d. 76s." said
madame cheerfully. They burned
and killed till not a Saracen was left.
but neither Pepin. carloman. nor
Charlemagne, nor the Counts, nor old
Roger found the subterranean cham
ber Had they found there's the
proof!-the sacred relics Of the tenn
pie would have become the most ven-
Grated curiosities of the dark age.
History agrees with the old lady.
It seems certain that all trace Of
the loot Of Jerusalem was really lost
after Alaric hid the stun in Carcass
some. Titus stripped the temple and
deposited its treasure in Rome. Tour
lists, standing at the Arch Of Titus.
near the Coliseum. see the golden
candlestfck carved on 1t as a trophy.
,xx 49, ~
XNTHEN Mr. Astor. forty years ago.
w proposed to turn the Tiber's
course to seek historic treasure, it
was not this treasure. He knew bet
ter. Alaric, an Arian Christian, took
the whole collection as forced gift
from Rome. The texts are clear.
Where did he put It?
TN our well. says dear old Nine.
Passavant
The tourists rave about our town.
And they are right. 1t must be fun
To poke about, and then return
To boast they have seen Carcassonne.
But We are sick with hope deferred;
Two thousand years. the centuries run.
Win truth come from my visisoth Well:
You see, we live in Carcassoune!
"a tourists impromptu. done for Mime.
Passavant and her fellow-towns-
men).
There are only ave wells of the
visigoth period" says madame, land
tradition agrees that deep subter-
ranean passages lead to the treasure
chamber from well and from q tow
er. But subterranean passages are
numerous in our old town of violence.
Some have not been used for 700
years and more! All tho known ones
end In barriers Of debris or cave-tns.
A friend of our. who has one below
his cellar floor. cleaned it out 500
yards and finally brought up against
blind masonry. Working three month!
with pick and crow. he pried into
what?-the first floor Of tower! The
authorities reprimanded him and
made him pay repairs!
asked to see. They took me to the
neighbor. What politeness, what en-
pressement! The nsighbor, ruddy,
jovial sport of sixty, was agog with
curiosity. Had NJ. kleg-an signed pa
pers with the government? Was the
clue found In q stone cofiin after
Coucy Chateau was blown up? Was
this? Was that? He fred or his ques-
tions as. lantern in hand. we descend
ed to the cellar.
In the cellar floor q round hole.
Down the hole. q winding stone stair
case. Now we walked in . vaulted
corridor. What had it served 1.5oo
years ago? Mysterious old city!
~
iMTE might easily have missed .
low, arched doorway on our
left. 1t took US to astone-lined cor
ridor, soon choked with stones and,
cement. Bar. pick and shovel lay on
the fioor.
"At it again. Bernardr said N. Pas
savant.
ITO pass the time." the other an
swered sheepish1y.
Ny son observed this other pas.
sage, cunningly sealed up, back there,
Prying out the stones. We struck thia
lead. Il IL the direction Of the TfS..
saut Tower!"
I took the piok with holy Americas
ardor.
(What American does not crave se-
cret passages?)
In ten minute / had nlied three big
baskets with dirt and debrfs-all to
be. carried to the surface! Slow, per-
spring work! Bah. what is that,
when you are seeking for Aaron's
jeweled breastplate?
My old friend of the sunny garden
IL worried.
Lower Carcassonne Is leasing pri>
vate properties up, herer he says.
'-rhat means the foreign syndicates
why don't they come to me. straight1
forward xewn one OF tie nvs vial
] gosA wsIlss-