The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-06-06
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6. 1888.
WITH ARAB PASHA.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF A ONCE
FAMOUS EGYPTIAN LEADER.

Interviewed by Journalist, the Exile
Tries to Talk English" Little While.
The Pasha's Two shy Daushters--sher-
bet and Sugar.
AK. now back came the tnrhaned 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 q 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 a sufficiently close resem-
blance to tho 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
auently, 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 it,,
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 frstn You were quite
right answered 1; pray, sit down, y and We
all three seated ourselves in the front OF the
veranda, at a point which commanded
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 i'm
parted certain dignity to his appearance at
first sight which was marred on a closer in
spection by the nerveless limpness OF all his
movements The slight sternness given 10
his eyes by the large, oyerhanging 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. a German
savant a rich half caste-anything, 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 a man who had once been the
hero Of a war, at whose bidding had been
layished thousands Of lives and millions of
treasure. and whose hand had clutched at
and well nigh seized the scepter of the
Pharaohs.
His appearance certainly gained nothing
by his adoption of that uncomely European
dress to which so many Orientals unaccount-
ably sacrificed their own picturesque and
graceful garb, always losing intellectually by
the exchange The pasha's costume consisted
of 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 ''cat's-
eyen sleeve buttons, and on his right hand he
wore large gold ring set with 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. ''pm very glad to see your garden
looking so fresh and green,n said /, as we
scated ourselves, 'for it must be very hot
here Just now.n .sPlenty hot answered
Arab, 'sbut much rain, too. This last week
We have rain every day plenty RAIN $50
had we in the Indian ocean, and very tired
of It we were. However, IL keeps the trees
and shrubs fresh, il it does nothing else,
Those are very pretty leaves that you've got
growing there along the front of the YER
andan ''Yes, very nice,n assented the
pasha 'sWait, pick you some" And in a
trice he had filled Mrs. Ker's hands with
splendidly marked croton leaves, one Of
which had twisted itself so closely and
strongly into 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 a laugh of which an
Egyptian is capable "He look just like a
hair. See how he twist round.n
Just at that moment we caught sight Of
the dasky faces and sparkling eyes of two
tiny girls probably the pasha's children by
Cingalese wives) who were peeping at us
from behind the screen of mating that
masked the doorway leading from the YER
anda into the house. Both seemed rather
shy of us Just at first, but after little recon-
noitering the elder of the two for the
younger could not be persuaded to approach
came forward and made friends with us
readily enough. twined one Of the croton
leaves around her black hair In a kind OF
fillet and the little woman seemed consider.
ably amused at her new decoration. "They
rather frightened of stranger observed the
paslia with q smile "and yet they see plenty
OF then.n Eyes; suppose you have a good
many visitors here Eyes; whenever shiI
come in, great many people come to see me
This morning plenty come; plenty lady
come, too
Not single allusion did Arab make I,
the events which have connected his nam
so inseparably with the history Of Egypt
and we naturally shrank from touching upol
a subject which must necessarily be a sor
one to him. On other points he was NOR
communicative, expressing freely enough hi
discomfort with the climate of Colombo
which had proved far too damp for hi
health after the proyerbial dryness of Eas
Africa, and had already inflicted upon hin
q chronic rheumatism, as was abundant,
evident from his stiff and painful movements
He also told us that one Of his sons--whon
we afterward met in the course of an after
noon drive-was living not far from him
but that the rest of his children were in Egypt
We all rose to take our leave but our de
parture was delayed for a few moments BY
the sudden appearance Of q native scrvan
bearing a small silver tray, ON which stoos
four tail tumblers filed TO the brim will
lemon sherbet sweetencd with Egyptian
sugar The ladies contented themselves witt
slipping the mixture, which did not seen
much to their taste; but the doctor and
drained our tumblers to the last drop, great
to the satisfaction Of Arab himself, who al
peared pleased when reminded him that th
sugar Of Egypt has the name of being th
sweetest in the world.-David Kers Ceylo
Letter in New York Times.
His Wounded Dignity.
Admiral Horribly tells that when Lor,
Charles Beresford was but a small boy, h