THE SWORD (BIOGRAPHICAL)

The sword was actually a commemorative French bayonet from the 19th century, imprinted 1877.  It was housed in a metal sheath.  It was left in the house at 730 Curfew St. in St. Paul by the previous occupants, and my parents found it when they moved in.  If any attempt had been made to return the bayonet, I really don’t know.  Perhaps their address was unknown.  At any rate, I was fascinated by it starting at an age long forgotten but certainly when I was but a few years old.  So this started a game.  My mother would hide the bayonet, and I would hunt around until I found it, again and again.  Of course, I had a lot of time on my hands in those early years.  Sometimes it would take weeks or months, but eventually I found it.  My mother was terrified that I would hurt myself, but I never did.  My brother, who was nearly five years older than me, once went to a costume party dressed as a pirate, and he was allowed to wear the “sword.”  Somewhere there is a picture of this.