Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-12-03
AN Oriental EsCAPADE.


Over the walnutS and WINE after din
ner, at the new hotel in Oriental Cairo,
party of EngliSh-speaking tourists
were discussing in rather an irreyerent
manner a subject that was deserving of
more respectful treatment than it was
receiving from the good-looking broad
shouldered young American and his
falr-haired English companion with the
silky dropping mOustache, who, for the
BENEFIT Of their friends, were giving a
description of their scramble up the
Pyramid, whence they had returned just
before dinner.
A truce 10 your sentiment ~ cried
the American, Harry Thorne, when his
friend yentured TO speak of fantastic
legend of the spirit of the Pyramids
Think of the condition of that man
who pushed You up %
81 tiatter myself had the advantage
of you, Thorne, I" returned Lloyd Nor
ris, with Shrug of the shoulders ''for
anything more appalling than the state
of that copper-coIOred villain who
dragged you would be difficult to i'm
aginel Washing in the Jordan seventy
tunes seven would be scarcely too much
TO purify us from contact with such fell
loWSn
Harry ThOrn's pretty sister Florence
was listening with eager interest to this
cOnverSation-Silentl at first but the
dolorous sigh which was heard in the
pause following the last remark called
attention Ia her direction.
ssTEnr-a INI1r-
pet 2" asked her father. "Aue you
mourning over the bad fit of your last
new dress or the uncleanliness of the
BedOuins of the desert p''
Neither, papa but, if you all knew
how ardently desire to ascend the Pyr-
ap id, L am sure you wouldn't oppose
me SO heartleSSly in carrying out such
a aproject."
"Now, Florence, don't be donkeyl"
grunted her brother.
"My dear, put such an idea out of
your head at once" " was her fathers
dictum. ''It certainly is the last place
in the world for ladies )" while her
mother added
''Surely your brothers experience
ought to settle the matter for You, my
childl''
"Mr. Norris, do you think it so very
bad ." cried the girl, turning with a
last remnant of hope to the only men,
Der of the party who had as yet said
nOthiDg-she was not accustomed to
opposition from this quarter.
Lloyd Norris was lying back rather
iazily in his chair when thus addressed,
and. before answering very slowly, sur
yeyed in a somewhat absent-mlnded,
meditatiye way the lovely flushed face
of the girl awaiting his decision so anX-
iously-
81 am sorry 10 say anything disagree
able, Miss Florence; but | am afraid it
would have rather a damaging effect
upon my respect for any lady TO imagine
her hauled about in so free-and- easy
style by such pair of fellows"
Florence drew back, flushed with
yexation and the next remark came
from the other end of the table, where,
unnoticed, a raw-boned, masculine
looking American lady had been listen-
ing TO the whole conversation.
"Gentlemen. you are all quite mis-
taken" she said emphatlcally. Ladies
who are moderately strong can ascend
the Pyramid with very little inconve-
nience. L know what L am talking
about, for / have been up there twice,
and hope to go again before L leave
Cairo"
Florence glanced gratefully at this
unexpected champion the others-a
little startled-found nothing to reply
for a moment and in the pause which
followed the stranger rose, and, cross
ing the room, walked out on the adjoin-
ing veranda9.
Upon my word, that's cool Old
lady ~ murmared Harry, as all, with
the exception of Florence, rose from
the table.
care YOU coming into the garden,
Miss Florence ?'' asked Lloyd rather
deprecatingly, lingering behind the
others, and turning TO Florence. who
had not favored him with a word or
glance since he had expressed his un-
welcome opinion"
'sNo, thank yOu," responded the
young girl frostily and she disappeared
On the verandah.
Miss Arabella Brooks was standing
at the farther end, looking down into
the street and TO her Florence imme-
diateIy made her way, walking quickly,
as if she somewhat doubted her own
resolution.
Madam" !" she began nervously, Il
beg your pardon. You said, L think,
that you have been up the Pyramld!''
"Yes, Miss Thorne, L have" an
swered Miss Brooks, with an amount OF
energy which somewhat startled Flor
ence "and hope you will not allow
all that nonsense to which you paVe
been listening to keep you from going
up tool" 90,
"You really think it might be doneT"
interrogated Florence, not giving her
courage time to eyaporate. Il mean,
do you think ladies could do it alone,
without gentleman Two ladies' TO-
gether, for instance 2"
"a gentleman ~ calculated Miss
Brooks, in sonorous, scornful accents,
loud enough to cause Florence to glance
nervously in the direction OF the gar
den, dreading possible auditors.
should like to know what possible good
a man could do youl Don't talk nom
sense, Miss ThorneI Any woman who
respects herself and has the least atom
Of common sense can go wherever
asn can 90. Why shouldn't she