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Show WHAT MADE IT VALUABLE Unique Explanation Made by Portuguese Portu-guese "Antiquarian." John C. Groom, captain of the First City troop, while in Porto Rico (luring the war with Spain, undertook t- purchase pur-chase some relics of historic imprest that should serve as souvenirs of the campaign when he returned homo. He ran across a shrewd Portuguese who had been doing a thriving business as an "antiquarian" with ether members of the troop; and bargaining at once began. The fellow's nesurancc was developed beyond anything Capt. Groom had evr before encountered; and there was placed on display a fine array of jewelry, weapons, manuscripts manu-scripts and odd articles of attire that were patently "lakes." Groom shook his head and was turning away when the "antiquarian" recalled him with an assertion that he had a pistol which was originally the property of Christopher Chris-topher Columbus. He added that it had been in the keeping of a Peruvian relative for many years; and Capt. Groom asked to see it. He was shown a revolver of modern pattern, dingy and rust-encrusted, with the hammer snapped as though in the processes of "autiquitating." "You rogue!" exclaimed the Philadelphia Phila-delphia amused but irritated at having hav-ing been called hack. "Revolvers were not made in Columbus' day!" "Si, senor I know! I know!" explained ex-plained the Portuguese. "And that, gracious senor, is what makes this so rare!" Philadelphia Ledger. |