The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1877-03-22
Scene at an Egyptian Railroad st.,,.-


While you sentimentalize, perh.,.
watching the strange medley O.
and manners from the carriage VIVA
or observing the incongruity Of = us,
ing steam-engine with the sandy Sopps uls
the domed mosques, the loftv r noss
and the solemn camels, you see r srs
den motion of the crowd. Il d;v; .uu
and An open path is made alonr MUS y
platform. Is it some great Pashs r 10y
ask, or q kicking horse, or fnr.!yo ~
But you forget for moment ths. g,
are in the East. 1t is deryish ivy
First you sec lofty standard ah,,,
as high aga.1 as regimental color s' S,s
otherwise very IKE them. It Is ho ~
by a tall, mild-loo. king negro, who ;
also laden with a bass pannikin. h
pipe, and various other a. ticIes for per
sonal use. While you wono, r what !,
who he is, he stops, and a kino ii rim
is formed by the crowd. Into tho I V,
space steps the dervish. He is uuds,
sized, like most great men: Int ,.1 =.
mien is majestic. = His cornpler;on y !.
quite white, OF which you can ess;1s
judge, for he wears no. clothes to snssi
of, except that round his naked ston,
ders is coiled heavy chain, sunnls s
mented by half a dozen rings Of s solS
iron. '''u
His hair, black and curly, hangs b.n
way down his back, but rises nob7v from
his magnificent forehead, His heard
like John the Baptist's, has evident,
never been touched by a razor. bnt
flows, well combed, over his heav;ns
breast. He stops, looks down, then m
to heaven. There is a shudder aInons
the silent crowd. Then he casts nm n,s
arms, and begins to speak in deem
solemn voice, and in measured phrase,
which to your ears sound like verse,
AS he waves his arms you see that he
has but one hand. The other has a.
Tended him, and he has cut it of; but
he raises the stump to heaven in uro.
test against the men Of this generation.
and you think you see one Of the old
Hebrew prophets as he speaks, and I
thrill runs throush you also. The
scene is deeply impressive. The crowd
reply to his eloquence by groan, and
then he takes step or two forward.
| His gait is perhaps too much Of a
strut to satisfy critical eye, and there
is an expression of cunning in his face
which mars his otherwise magnificent
features. But at the moment you do
not perceive this. He walks up and
down, gesticulating, but with dignity.
As he strides along he seems to per.
ceive no one in his path, and all make
way for him. You u hope
he will not walk into
your carriage. An official, duly
decorated with the shepherds plaid,
comes out to him, but approaches him
respectfully. He endeavors to reason
with him, to draw him aside, to expos.
tulate. Evidently he would be more q
home in 3 neighboring mosque. His
costume is not suitable to a railway
station. There are Europeans on the
train, perhaps ladies. But, no, tn
prophet cares for none of these things,
He turns round and lifts mp the voice
of his testimony against that official,
and, so to speak, withers him up. Be
retires discounted; but another comes
out greater than himself. The gymnp.
sophist is at last persuaded. He turns,
shakes the dust of the platform from
his unshod soles, and passes out OF TIE
gate. There is a moment of stiffness,
and then the hustle breaks out again
till the train starts.
As the train draws to station you
ask the guard what it was he said. al
ter his answer you wish you had 70
Trained. The dervish, be tells you, hat
demanded a free passage by rail to TN
next village and the station-master nas
refused it. That was all.-Loadoa Sat
urday Revieo.