The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-04-04
WITH ARAB PASHA.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF A ONCE
FAMOUS EGYPTIAN LEADER.

FNMOOS EGYP IAN IEADER.
Interviewed by Journalist, the Exile
Tries to Talk English Little While.
The Pasha's Two shy Daughters-sher-
bet aud Sugar.
And now back came the turbaned peon,
inviting us to follow him to the house. As
we approached the steps that led up to the
veranda we saw looking down upon us from
above a tall, large framed man in complete
European costume, with the exception of the
fez that surmounted his gray head. There
was no need for me to ask who he was, for
his features bore sufficiently close resem-
blance to the countless portraits which made
all Europe familiar with that face only
few years ago to enable me to recognize at
the first glance Arab Pasha himself
saluted him in French, which he speaks
fluently, like most Egyptian and Turkish
statesmen. But somewhat to my surprise,
he answered me in English probably wish
ing to show how quickly he had learned itl,
and in English our talk was thenceforth con-
Quoted. As he placed chair for Mrs Ker
he observed politely; 81 am very sorry to
have been so late in receiving you, but had
to say my prayers first.n You were quite
right answered L; ''pray, sit down, y and we
all three seated ourselves in the front of the
veranda, at point which commanded a
full view of the garden.
During the conversation which followed
we swere able to examine more closely the
personal appearance of the man who had con-
centrated upon himself for brief space the
attention of the whole world. His complex
ion especially where the cap had covered his
forehead) was surprisingly fair for an Egyp-
tian, the color Of the skin being not whit
darker than that of many an Englishman
after a year or two in this burning climate.
His high stature and powerful frame inn
parted a certain dignity to his appearance at
first sight which was married on a closer in
spection by the nerveless limpness of all his
movements. The slight sternness given to
his eyes by the large, overhanging eyebrows
was utterly belied by the heavy placidity of
the lower face, broadening toward the jaw,
and framed in short, thick, iron gray
beard. To all outward appearance he might
have been an English trader, German
savant, a rich half caste-any thing, in short,
except what he really was Neither in his
face, bearing, nor voice was there anything
to remind us that we were standing in the
presence of man who had once been the
hero of war, at whose bidding had been
lavished thousands of lives and millions of
treasure, and whose hand had clutched at
and well nigh seized the seepter of the
Pharaohs.
His appearance certainly gained nothing
by his adoption of that uncomely European
dress to which SO many Orientals unaceount-
ably sacrificed their own picturesque and
graceful garb, always losing intellectually by
the exchange. The pasha's costume consisted
of a loose morning coat of light gray, white
vest and shirt, fawn colored trousers. white
stockings, and black leather shoes with
rosettes His cuffs were fastened with cats
eyep sleeve buttons, and on his right hand he
wore large gold ring set with a fine moon
stone. But although no fault could be found
with the clothes themselves, they were mani
testify out Of keeping with the man who wore
them. I'm very glad to SEQ your garden
looking SO fresh and green" said /, as we
seated ourselves, ''for it must be very hot
here just now.n Plenty hot answered
Arab, "but much rain, too This last week
we have rain every day-plenty rain.p $50
had we In the Indian ocean, and very tired
of it we were. However, it keeps the trees
and shrubs fresh, IL 1t does nothing else
Those are very pretty leaves that you've got
growing there along the front of the YER
anda.n s'Yes, very NICE" asscnted the
pasha ''Wait, pick you some" And in
trice he had filed Mrs Ker's hands with
splendidly marked croton leaves, one OF
which had twisted itself so closely and
strongly into a spiral coil that it was no easy
matter to straighten It out. "Strange leaf
that" said Arab, pointing to it with the
nearest approach to laugh Of which an
tat, to In 3aaf tlva