The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
THE GIFT OF QUIRN
JOHN T. TROTH--.

foolish and illogical things. And so it all happened, even to Shom. For, before long, it came into his mind that he had once seen the Princess Zeni, daughter of King Zoto, returning from the chase along the high way with all her brave retinue. And he had no trouble in recalling that she was of exceeding disturbing beauty-such beauty as the dawn holds while it is yet unseen in the anticipations of one who has tossed throughout an endless and fear some night. Her incomparable loveliness had choked his heart with an aching, dumb sense of futility, ard had sent gnawing, vague hunger prowling through his be- numbed veins, for such are the emotions immemorially inspired in men at the sight of great beauty and particularly of that beauty which guilefully promises so much and Srudgingly fulfills so little of the seeming promise. But Shom's mind, being enthralled with the memory of the vision, climbed painfully from thought to thought until it occurred to him that king, some certain king, say, might have something for which Shom would gladly barter the gift O. Quirn.
 Long before sunset he herded the mildly reproachful goats back to the valley, made all safe for the night, and set off toward the city of Gam, whose turrets and pin nacles gleamed above the green of the fur thest treetops at the southern extremity of the far-reaching vale, which was threaded by the sinuous course of the River Gurg. He strode along beside it, and the purse, in all this time, had never once left the strong brown fingers that had re- ceived it from the hand of Quirn.
 Arriving at the gates of the city just at dusk he spoke politely to the watchers above on the towers, who were preparing for the first vigil of the night, and was about to enter, when a pikeman asked him the manner of his business in Gam at such an hour.
 "I come bearing that for which many kings would gladly give much," replied Shom, significantly, at which the pikeman stood respectfully to one side yet gazed after him as if wondering whether, in fact, the explanation was sufficiently conclusive. But Shom went calmly up the narrow street until he came to where seller of sweet meats was slinging together his baskets in order to go home.
 'Now is the time!' thought Shom. With quite casual air, though trembling with excitement, he selected six little oaten cakes, handing the astonished merchant the gold piece in payment The latter stam- mered that it was, no doubt, jest, for how should poor peddler of sweets have change for veritable kings ransom! To which Shom replied grandly, for he had lis tened to the conversation of nobles on the highway, Keep the change, my good fel- low" and proceeded up the street munch- ing on his cakes. Just as soon as he felt himself out of sight of the gaping sweet meat seller, however, he darted behind stone fountain and hurriedly opened the purse. There lay the gold piece, for all the world as if it had never budged, and Shom heaved deep breath, saying, "Quirn indeed spake truth!"
 He slept that night deep-burrowed into a great vain of fragrant new hay which stood. in a tavern yard, and dreamed only such dreams as were eminently suitable to his new estate. Very early the next morning he went down into the bazars and among the merchants and bought with his homing gold piece a magnificent red tunic all embroidered with the names of the gods, being careful to see that Quirn's name was not omitted; shoes of red muscovite leather and very jaunty cap with long blue feater brought fro:l the jungles of Umb, together with other minor accouterments proper to the person of one who proposed to excite the covetous envy of king.
 At last he set off for the palace, set in