The mountain Democrat., 1864-03-05
NY A1At Barbara's MIsSlOn 90 the
Eastt and what CaMo 81 81.


we were seated together one evening in
my chambers discussing whisky punch
and cigars. did ever tell you ofmy Aunt
Barbara's visit to the East ?
WHAT your aunt, Miss Barbara Tar.
rant , said /.
The same
'Was she ever in the East ? I inquired
with some astonishmeDt.
'Once,' replied Jack, dryly, knocking
of the ash OF his cigar
Did she penetrate farr
Not very, replied Jack, in the same
tone the fact is, he continued, after .
pause she put her foot in it.
Put her foot in itr
Rather
As howi'
"Pon my lie, old fellow said Jack, 4
hardly know if I ought to tell the story,
as it's rather tender subject with her;
but she got Sold
Sold + exclaimed, more and more as.
tonished. What into slaveryf'.
Nonsense = said Jack, 4 didn't mean
that; she got done, sir, regularly done.
However, If you will promise me to say
nothing about the thing, don't mind
telling you
OF course gave the required promise;
and Jack, after concocting fresh brew,
began in the following terms:
You are aware, Of course, that my
aunt is one Of the strongminded set; goes
in for the rights Of women, and all that
sort of bOsb p
! nodded assent.
Wei, | presume she had been reading
the Memoirs of Lady Hester Stanhope,'
or something Of that sort but, however
that might be, the idea came into her head
one fine day that, as the vacant place
caused by the departure from this world
Of that eStinable individual had never
been filled up, and as none OF the strong
minded set had ever dreamed f continu-
ing the mission Of this lady in the East,
she was the individual evidently designed
by Providence to I'll that gap. n sooner
had this luminous idea entered her mind
than it was acted upon. Ny aunt, you
know, has rather pretty little property
of her own
! Which you hope to come in for some
Of these DAYS said ].
Don't Interrupt me. And as she is
no longer young, and being, as ! before
remarked, strong minded, she determined
, to start forthwith on her mission Of civil
izalion. As she argued to herself, with
/ perfect propriety, while turning over the
/ pros and cons Of this contemplated miss
on-'Where Pieifer has gone, | can go;
/ what a Stanh0pe has done, | can do -
= this was an unanswerable argument. So
! off she went
| i needn't bore you with the details Of
the journey: all travels in the East are
allie: You are bitten by mosquitoes you
hear jackals bowling; your fresh water
runs short. ought to tell you, however,
that on landing at Alexandria my aunt
proceeded TO Cairo, from whence, having
! hired lot Of servants, she directed her
/ line of march upon syria, where she hoped
10 fall in the ruins Of Lady Hester Stan
hopes habi,ation, in which domicile she
purpoSed establishing herself
| One day the caravan had halted at one
Of the usual resting places, and my aunt
bad resigned herself to the sweets Of a
mid day sieSta, when she was suddenly
nwoke by tremendous row among her
people.
The Arabs! the Arabs are upon US"
they shouted. we are lost'
My aunt has no end Of pluck, as you
may suppose. On hearing these cries she
came forth TO Ihe door of her tent to have
a look, like . strong minded one as she
was; and, amid cloud OF dust on the no.
rizon, she could distinguish a party Of
armed hOrsemen coming down npon them
at full gallop. On arriving within short
distance of the little encampment, the
troops slackened their speed. and one Of
them, who appeared to be the leader, dis
mounting from his horse, advanced toward
the startled group. He was magnificent
specimen Of Tux, Was this fcllOw-tall,
handsome, apparently about tve-and'
thirty years Of age, and with an air Of
command about him that agreed rcmarka-
bly, we'll with his martial Appearance
The camel drivers we're in a devil of q
fright; they threw themselves on their
faces, shouting out to Allah to save them.
Get up, you fools ! said the Turk, in
a loud voice, administering slight poke
with his foot to the nearest OF the pros
trate crew. Conduct me to your mis-
tress'
Ny aunt came forward.
''Pearl of the West continued the
Turk, pardon me for having caused you
needless alarm. They wrote to the from
Cairo that fair and no Die traveller was
about to pass through our territories, and
as | have always practiced the seventh
verse of our Koran, which enjoins the
true believer to exercise the right Of hos
ri:al;.v Inward the siran-nr ] have come
to offer you the shelter of my humble roof.
Tell me, what is your country!
England replied my aunt, proudly.
England rejoined the'Turk. 'Ah, it
is beautiful country! l paid visit to
it at the time Of your great exhibition.
How Is that great paSha, Lord Palmers'
ton! What mutive, may ! ask, brings
you from the land of the lily to that Of
the palm?'
Here was an opportunity for my aunt,
and she did not neglect it. Il come, she
said. with dignity, to bring you the light
Of civilization
II am sure we are very much obliged
to you, replied the Turk. All that comes
from woman is sweet and refreshing as
the evening breeze. l trust, therefore,
fair bird of passage, that you will honor
my humble dwelling by remaining one
night beneath its roof
MY mission exacts. as q duty, that I
should accept your invitation quOth my
aunt 80.
'In that case my slaves shall wait upon
you as soon as the heat Of the day has
given place 70 the co0lnesS Of the night
/ In the mean time I will return TO my
house to have all things in readiness for
your reception