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Show A Fakir at the G. A. R. Mr. Blackmar, the new commander-in-chief of the G. A. R., was talking to a group of soldiers in Boston, when a fakir came up and. held out for Inspection a rusty old sword. "Look at it gents," he said; "examine it closely. It Is the sword that Lee surrendered sur-rendered to Grant You can have It for five dollars." "Go along with you," said one of the soldiers, sternly. "Go 'long with you. You can't fool us." The fakir hurried away, and Gen. Black-mar Black-mar said: "That was. Indeed, an Impudent fraud, wasn't It? It reminds me of the frauds that Were practiced on the old relic shows that used to be a feature of country fairs. "At a country fair In my youth there was a show devoted almost entirely to Biblical relics. I wish you could have seen the faded cloth, the ruaty nails, and the brass jewels that did duty severally for a piece of Solomon's robe, an earring of the Q-ueen of Sheba, Absalom's hairpin, David's Dav-id's sling, and so on. In the place of honor hung a sword, and the snowman said: " This Is the sword that Balaam was going to kill his ass with.' " 'But,' I interposed. 'I thought that Balaam Ba-laam had no sword. I thought he only wished for one.' " 'You're right,' said the showman; 'this Is the sword he wished for." Saa An to-, nio (Tex.) Express. |