The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-04-17
The RULLET-PRUOE MAN.

1I1E MAN.
A bright, burning summer day on
the border of the Sahara Desert; the
huge bare cliffs of the Ell Kantarah Pass
hanging like cloud on the northern
horizon; n quiverng film Of intense
heat along the line where tho rich blue
Of the cloudless sky met the hot, life
less, brassy yellow of the desert; and in
tho foreground group OF Arabs, en-
camped beside q tiny sUream, III the
shade Of the clustering palms t.! ut over
hang it,
S mo w're launching handfuls Of
PATCHED corn, others were lying fast
asleep, while one drieI up old scare.
crow with one eye, and a head like q
worn out scrubbing- brush, was droning
out some INTERIM nable Eastt rn legend.
Tho story did not appear to get on
very fast, however, which was not sur
rrislng, inasmuoh as the whole of it,
from beginning to end Gf it ever had
any, WIS pretty much in this styl.:
Nov when the Prince Selim (may
his name be honored forevcr) eame up
to the gate of the palace-a gate higher
than the domo of the Knabah Gholy
place) at Mecca, and built all Of marble
whiter than tho whitest milk--lo! there
stood before it n giant, mighty and ex-
cet ding terrible. Then was the Prince
Of Gulatan sorely amazed, and said,
"Nevor since l, Sellm, son of Nah
moud, son Of Snvid, SON Of Ali, first
wore II yatagl an (sabre) have beheld
such a monster as thisl'
Aild 81 on for another hnlf-hour,
keeping poor Prince Selim waiting at
the gate of the palace.
But Oh q sudden all exclamation OF
astonishmcnt broke from one of the
group, and MI eyes were turned to stare
st n spectacle quite as wonderful to
thcm as any Of the marvels to which
they had Just beon listening.
Sauntering leisurcly over the burning
plain, as composedly as if he were
lounging along the boulevards of Paris
or st Petersburg, instead of traversing
ono oi the most dangerous spots in tho
whole north Of Africa. was a solitary
man, coming slowly toward them.
True, he wore the white mantle and
huge many-folded turbun of the East,
but ho was none the less European,
as his fair complexion, trimmed
board, and the jauntily cut rantaloons
sufficiently showed.
Instantly the universal listlessness
changed To hustle and excitement. The
sleepers woke up, the lunch party foEs
sock their dates and corn, the sl@g
teller ana his hearers started 'nell
feet together, and all alike h.sioo Ao
ward to meet their strange 'lslsor. ansoror
the strange visitor>'ook no notice OF
them whateyer beyond a slight bow
and the ussai Spence be with you'll"
spoken in good Arabic, though with all
upm1stakabiy French accent. Stepping
into tho shade OF the palms, he bent
down to the stream, took long draught
Of the cool cleur water, and then seating
himself upon the bank took off his
turban, and began to fan his hot face
with fallen palm leaf, as if wishing to
show Ills GOODNESS in a double sense.
The Arabs were completely taken
abaok. They had seen men look pale,
sna Sev trx nad 80 Seen nun en Yo efce
at them pistol in hand; but man who
paid no attention to them at all, and
who hardly seemed to know whether
they were thore or not, was thing
which thy had never seen before, and
thew die,not know what to make Of 1t.
Tn fa%, like most men of their class,
the moment they encountered q man
w,5m thoy >uld not frighten. they at
ace began to be frightened themselves.
( AT length the chief, seeming to think
himself bound to set an example Of
courage to his followers, walked right
up to the stranger, while the rest ap-
preached more cautiously, very much
as man approaches q strange dog
which may spring up and bite him at
any moment. ~ e.I
''Peace DO with thee, my brothorp
said the chief, in voice not quite sc
steady Ms it might have been.
"With thee be peace, oh, sheik
(chieD Of tho children Of the DESERT
replied the unknown.
what seeks the Frank (European>
chief among the warriors of tho tribe o
Ben-Asyr2'' :,
II am Magician" answered the
stranger, quietly.
The Arabs looked at each other with
undisguised trepidation. a magician
mong them, and Frank magician a