Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-05-14
THE
EMBALMED
PRINCESS
By JOHN R. ELLYSoN
10 by Short Story Pub. Coz

graphic uCCOuul Oh lnt III
Nl fair, and so could Travers.
They didn't. Neither their
paper nor any other in the city con-
tained one brief line touching the
story everybody repeated. Some
times 1t happens-but that's small
matter. The facts are these:
On the eve of the exposition, young
Mems became master of himself and
of his fathers estate. He had just
left college. He was handsome fell
low, clever In many respects-fresh
and breezy and knowing. People
liked him, and people had always
liked him. General Kerr, the profound
Psychologist, regarded him as bril-
liant lad, as did the Honorable Madam
Cecilia Brown, the writer of the IA
nous work, 1.-THE Sphinx and the Nile"
His fathers occasional companions,
the general and the Honorable Madam,
had interested him, too. He had heard
many Of their long talks and he had
frequently dreamed Of the mysterious
land of which they said so much.
When the exposition opened, he
found himself at certain quarters on
the Pike. On this side and that, he
sought the sights and attractions he
loved. He went there with General
Kerr until the general grew dull he
went there with the Honorable Madam
Cecil Brown until she grew wearied;
and then he went there alone and lin
gered there. He was frank and gen
erous and he made friends
He was especially drawn toward one
fakir, named Pen-hui-bap, who sold
amulets and charms, and toward the
sister of the fakir, an irresistible
nymph, who danced. They pleased him
above all perhaps because he knew
French and they knew French and
fiattered him. They were so affable,
so genteel and withal so honest; they
accepted merely trihes at his hands
and favored him with SO many pictur-
esque bits of gossip and knowledge
concerning modern Egypt. Faith and
good fellowship were established be-
tween them and love peeped at him
through the slanting eyes of the>fas
cinating dancer.
But at the root of his heart chung
a passion more poetic, more ideal--a
desire as keen as love. 1t had been
long growIng-the longing to possess
a mummy, of course, not such as those
the general and the Honorable Mrs.
Brown ossessed-shriveled, black
ened, grotesque, plebeian-but
truly beautiful and distinguished
specimen-some princess with Pha-
raOh's turbulent blood cooled In her
veins, intact and peerless, maglcally
embalmed, magically sealed.
This desire and dream of his young
life Mems divulged In the early In
tercourse with his new friends. They
were immeasurably surprised. At first
the thing was practically impossible,
they thought, what he wanted being
in its perfection so rare, so uncOm-
mon. But soon they gave him some
faint hope; they had enterprising rela-
tives and influence of kind at Cairo
and elsewhere In the still land of
Egypt.
They wrote there. Then good for
In the Orient, after much patience and
toll, happily succeeded-after many
delays and long waits, they seemed to
have succeeded marvelously and wrote
and described in glowing terms how
they captured the great prize.
The fakir and the lady translated
phrase after phrase Of the strange
Arabic letters, telling a singularly re-
allstic story that rivaled romance. The
most watchful care, the utmost secrecy
had naturally to be observed, for the
Egyptian authorities were jealous and
surprisingly keen-eyed. The secret
once out, of course, meant total loss.
The excitement, therefore, increased
as the transportation of the mummy
began and post by post the little trou-
bes and perplexitles were enumer-
ated. The case containing one Of the
sovereign children Of old Egypt was
finally at sea. There was less risk
now, but every precaution had to be
used long voyage over seas, how
ever, and a trusty comrade as guard
and all went amazingly well.
Meanwhile the cOurtly fakir and the
bewitchlng dancer, when their engage
ments would permit, received the hos
pitallty of Melms at his handsome
mansion. Friends gathered In num-
bers-college chums and gay compan-
ions, artists and journalists. There
were priceless wines, elaborate din
ners, lavish OUTLAWS. The fakir was
admirable; the dancer was charming.
They captivated everyone. French
was the language Of those especial
evenings and the faklr spoke the Ian
guage 50 dalntily, with an accent so
Partisan. His name-Pen-hul-ban as
the general asserted was pure Egyp-
tian; II could be found In numerous,
ancient papyri. And the dancer with
the warm brown skin, with obllque
eyes resembling black enameled al
monds, with veritable mantle Of
dark hair grew wonderfully alluring
yet the shyness Of her glances had all
the Inconsistencies Of innocence.
But Of the other beauty-of the en-
balmed princess. none present at these
receptions obtained the slightest hint
Counsel on that point was thoroughly
kept. II was part OF Mems plan to
produce. when the time came, be-
wllderirgly electrical effect-an au-
daclouSly splendid climax. This series
Of entertainments. already noted by
the introduction Of the fakir and the