The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-10-24
A ROMANCE OF THE VICE-ROYALTY.

Ismail Paeha is the fifth in succession
from Mehemet Ali, the founder of the
dynasty in Egypt. His urOanity and in
telligence during his recent visit seem to
have won for him the good will of the
people both in Paris and London, altho'
he. somewhat amused the populace in
Paris by his alarm when pistol was fired
during the performance of the opera Of
"Don Carlos" He evidently thought
that he had been fred at and speedily left
the theatre. His accession to power was
! marked by circumstances sufficiently Gu
rious in themselves to merit narration.
Said Pacha, his predecessor, was known
to be very i'll, and Isrnail, the heir appa-
rent, was hourly expecting intelligence of
Said's decease. Said was in Alexandria,
and Ismail in Cairo, SO that the first in
telligence would be conveyed by telegraph.
1t is usual in Egypt to reward the indi-
vIdual who first announces the accession
of the Paoha to the supreme dignity by
creating him a bey, if he be a commoner,
and pacha if he be already bey,-Pacha
being the highest title OF nobility confer
red in Egypt.
The superintendent of the telegraph in
Cairo, aware of the hopeless nature of
SaIG's complaint, and hourly expecting
news Of his demise, took up his abode at
the telegraph Office, ia order that he might
be the first to communicate the intelli-
geace to the new Niceroy. He waited
aud waited, but hour after hour passed
away, and the expected news did not come.
Said was evidently an Internationally long
time in dying.
At length, tired of waiting, after more
than forty hours Of wakeiulness, Bessy
Bcy called young man, as assistant in
the department, in whom he hoped he
could confde, and told him what he ex-
peoted. 81 am about to lie down." said
Bes,y Bey to him. "They have made me
a couch in the next room. Wake me the
moment the telegraph comes from Alex
andria." The young man promised obedi-
ence. But before lying down, ,Bessy Bey
said further to him, "Be faithful in this
matter and you shall have from me five
hundred francs" (G20,) and so saying the
Bey resigned himself without fear to his
repose.
The telegram came while he slept, three
hours after. Said Pacha was dead. The
young man, the Bey's assistant, reflected
that by communicating the news himself
to Ismail, who was anxiously expecting it,
he would get more than five hundred
francs. So leaving his master asleep, he
posted off in hot haste to Chougrah, where
lsmail was then residing, with the tele-
gram in his hand. He was admitted to
an audience without delay. Ismail made
him Bey on the spot, but gave him no
largesse, such as he had expected.
In his excitement, however, Ismail had
dropped the paper containing the an
nouncement of Said's death, and the
young man picked it up, and as soon as
he got leave to depart from the palace, he
took the telegram to his master, Bessy
Bey, whom he reused from sumber
Bessy Bey was delighted at being able,
as he hoped, to communicate the news
first to the future Viceroy, and gave the
order for five hundred francs there and
then to the young man.
HurIying off to the palace, Bessy Bey
was quickly undeceived His news was
already known. The Pacha received him
coldly. He got no honor. He soon found
out by whom he had been forestalled, and
returned to the Office to abuse his assis-
tant IN good set terms and dismiss him.
"Speak to me with more respect, my
brother" said the young man, "for am
Bey as well as you, and cannot be dis
missed from my post under government
without his highness' sanction. Let us
SO to him together"