St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-11-14
BEAT BY A BRITISHER.
How an Enterprising Impressario Failed
to Secure Princely
Attraction.
Barnum's Collector Negotiating With
Arab Pasha to Visit and
Paralyze America,
But British Baronet Warns the
Prince, Who Declines With
Many Thanks.

Charles A. Davis. the genius who does the
advance act for the Lights O. London, "
brought headful of stories and experiences
into Minneapolis the other day and snapped
them off in bland style with the news
paper gang. Davis, besides running a
dime museum at Milwaukee and managing
a theater at Cleveland, once held down an
important post with Barnum-that of scour-
ing the world for freaks, curiosities and
novelties. One of his experiences in this
line occurred about two years ago, just
after the Egyptian war, when Arab Pasha
was exiled, and was nothing less than an eff
fort to secure the homeless prince for a
starring tour through America. 81 failed, "
he said, because of the interference of a
blarsted Britisher, but l had lots of fun try
ing" Wiping his feet ON Journal and then
depositing them Oh the Oriental cabinet
which contains the GLOBES campaign brio
a-brac. he spun the yarn as follows:
Il was in Madras in the middle of the
summer on an errand to secure about forty
Nautch girls for sideshOw purposes. 1t
was hot as a Minneapolis campaign and the
cholera was thicker'n last day roorbacks.
1t had scared all the Nautch girls into the
country. and all | had to do was to catch
mosquitoes and match rupees with the dis
guised sheik who ran the hotel. l was
about ready to take the next elephant accom-
mediation train for Calcutta, when l picked
I'D a copy of the CeylOn Mail and noticed a
brief item relating to Arab PaSha, then III
exile at Colombo. An idea electrified me-.
Why could not rush over to CeylOn, see
the illustriOuS MoSlem and inveigle him into
an engagement to go to America The
very thought set my blood tingling and
made my underwear cling to my flesh in
twenty places. In fancy saw
THIS GORGEOUS ORIENTAL EXILE
clad in purple and fine linen, sitting in a
tent of the greatest show on earth, while
millions fought and slew each other in their
wild anxiety to catch glimpse OF his lord
illness, at so cents per glimpse At the
same time it struck me that every other
collector must have the same idea and it
was question of who would get there first.
Colombo was fOrty-eight hours away, by
water, and the first boat left that evening.
l hired two Malay pirates as bOdy-guard
and after a fight with the surf in which
lost two packages of cigarettes and pint
of elixir, l found myself aboard the
GhoOrka and in due time sighted the lights
of Colombo. | proceeded cautiously and
after mingling with CeylOn swelldOm and
buying up custom house official, learned
that Arab PaSha occupied cottage, or
bungalow, formerly owned by a Dutch
planter, in the cinnamon garden, four miles
away. By further insults to this govern
ment Pooh Bah, | learned that Arab lived
a secluded life, having only an annuity of
$500 from the British government on which
to support himself and an array of twenty
retainers he had brought from Egypt. He
lived with Sir Wilfred Blount. an old
English enthusiast who had stood by him
during his trial and now officiated in the
capacity of chaperOne, at the same time
helping out Arabfs eXchequer by means of
sundry games of ecarte, whist and perhaps
draw. Well. having posted myself thor
oughly and having assured myself the coast
was clear, took
MY MALAY PIRATES
and one evening drove to the bungalow and
sent in my card. In a few minutes l was
informed that Sir Wilfred Blount was out.
but that his highneSS the pasha would see
me. was ushered into richly-furnished
apartment, at the further end of which was
Arab Pasha, seated on divan. He was
handsome, black-browed man of about 80,
with a smooth face and look of settled
melancholy. His command of English was
limited, but when we got into French the
ice was broken and things went on swim
mingly. l replaced his native cigar with
an American Havana TX. of l.. stamp and
walked at once into his favor. Finally L
told him the American people were very
much interested in his behalf. Said L:
1.-The great heart of the American pub
lie is wrought up over your wrongs. We
regard you as the martyr in a holy cause.
You should to-day be seated on the throne
of the Pharaohs. Leading newspapers are
advocating your restoration, and all that is
necessary to see you crowned by the Nile Is
for the American government to proclaim
to European powers that you must wear
the crown of your ancestors
After | had loaded him full OF this
sweet gum OF Araby. l went on to say that
he must secure the cooperation OF America,
and in order to do this visit would be neces-
sarv. In America, told him, the people
rule and the executive will he swayed by
whatever the people desire. He must i'll
teryiew the masses. Then | fired the joker
at him. Said l:
"'Your highness. | am sent over here by
P, T. Barnun, the great American phil
anthlopist who desires to right your
wrongs and who authorizes me to make the
following proposition:
A WINNING CONTRACT.
First-YOu agree to go with me to
America within three months. and to re-
main one year to work up the enthusiasm
among the people necessary to make itself
felt at the White house.
SecOnd-That you agree to 90 to such
places and at such times as directed by my
patron.
Third-A large canvas. capable of hold
ing 20, 600 people, will be erected for hold
ing your receptions. 1t will be transported
from town to town by special train, and
announcements will be made far ahead,
notifying people of the date on which you
will appear.
Fourth An eloquent orator of national
repute will accompany you to your au-
diences, portraying i'll feeling language your
cause and your martyTdom and making a
touching appeal for sympathy in your
favor.
Fifth-You will be provided with a pala-
tial railway sleeping carriage for yourself
and suite. All expenses of every descrip-
ton from the time you leave Colombo will
be betrayed by my employer, who also
agrees to give you the sum of 940O per
month for the private use Of yourself and
suite.
NOT IN THE BARGAIN.
sit is needless to say" pursued Impre-
sario Davis. that did not add that the
persons attending these receptions would be
charged fifty cents head or that a circus
| DarfOrmance WOuld he given twice a daV in