Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-12-07

know what Egypt really i. it's worth
while to leok back and zee what deeds
were done In this quiet spot on GER
tain fne summer evening eithin the
memory Of men who are still alive.
-
The evening sun Is inst beginning
10 redden the bold ridges Of the DO
kattam hills (which flank Cairo on the
east1 q troop Of horsenen. mounted
on superb Arab courses and arrayed
in All the harbaric splendor Of Eas-
tern warriors, ride calamity up the
path Leading e tha eitRdal A 4 sfs
stout and stAlwart men. armed q tie
teeth and seemingly quite ready to
use their weapons at moments no
tiee. against either friend or foe.
These are the famous Egyptian
Marnelukes, the hereditary aristocra-
ey Of the land. who ones faced the
best soldiers Of Bonaparte himself be-
meath the shadow of the Pyramids,
and from whose ranks came the re-
nowned Sultans that formerly ruled
all Egypt from the sea to the cata-
racts Of the Nile. Proudly do they
file in through the gloomy old gate
way, rejoicing to think that even Me-
hemet Ali Pasha himself, the dreaded
Governor of Lower Egypt, thinks it
prudent to stand well with the Name
lukes and bid them to feast in his
own citadel at Cairo. e
Little do they dream what manner
Of feast'it is 70 be. MeheInet Ali is
not the man TO let any one stand
in his way, and these naughty chiefs,
with their fierce courage and uncom-
Portable notions of independence. have
long been burden to him. If ne in
tends to Gas he does) become absolute
master Of all Egypt, he or they must
60; and he has already made up his
mind which Of the two it shall be.
In all their pride and splendor the
doomed men march into the fatal
courtyard, whence they are never to
return. The gate shuts unperceived
behind them as they enter, while a
crowd Of obsequious servants press
around them to aid in dismounting,
tie up their horses and marshal the
mobile chiefs" to their appointed
places.
In the last glow of sunset (for this
strange banquet hall has no roof but
the open sky the Widespread tables
and colored lamps, the crimson hang
ings of the encircling colorado, the
dark handsome faces and rich dresses
of the Mamelukes, made goodly
show. But, although most of the
guests seemed in high good humor
with everything, one Scared veteran,
with long grey beard hanging over
his brawny chest, looked Ominously
grave and gloomy.
what ails thee, Father Hassan ?"
asked a tall, handsome lad beside him.
'"Thy face is as dark as the peaks of
the Mokattam before a storm"
II am but i'll at ease, friend Said, :"
answered the old warrior. "Last night
/ dreamed that a wild hare ran past
me, and thou knowest what that fore
bodies 3 le3 q e 81 !
Evidently Sid did know, by the
Sudden clouding of his bright young
face. asae 81 s
well said the wise man, that an
enemy's gifts bring evil, pursued
Hassan. "Mehemet Ali PasIla loves
us not, and here, in his own strong
hold, who knows what he may do p
"Ha think'st thou that the Pasha
means treacllery?' o. cried the young
chief, with q fierce CLEAN in his large
black eyes and a significant clutch Of
his jeweled sword hilt. aIf it be so
let him beware, for he who beats the
thicket for an antelope may chance to
rouse lion But all this is idle talk
he dares not T. $50
HE dares not r. echoed three or
four of the others, with a disdainfuI
laugh; and the feast began.
Long and merry did they revel; but
just as their mirth was at its height a
shrill whistle. sharp and ominons as
the scream Of q vulture, pierced the
still night air. Instantly the hang
ings of the colonnade fell, and from
behind the pillars, with fash and
roar like the outburst of thunder
storm, a deadly volley Of musketry
came crashing among the jewellers.
In a moment all was confusion. The
betrayed Mamelnkes sprang to their
feet and grasped their swords and
daggers; but what could these avail
against the merciless bullets that hailed
upon them without ceasing2 Down
they went, man on man, and among
the first that fell was poor old Hassan,
whose gloomy prophecy was but too
truly fulfilled.
Yet even in this deadly peril, the
brave young Said did not Lose his pres
enee Of mind. At the first alarm he
had sprung to his horse and united it,
but the outer gate was shut. There
was only one chance left. As the
bowling mnrderers closed in to finish
their work. Said spared his horse and
darted like an arrow through the
doorway leading from the colonnade
- khn v.nww,,sr...A ~ - a. ! -.