The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1890-11-13
KADOUR AND KATEL.
SENTIMENTAL EPISODE, AND WHAT
CAME OF TT


Kadour-Ben -Cherifa, Sergeant Major
of the Algerian Sharpshooters, was be-
lieved to be dying when he was carried
into old Ripperts saw mill on the Sauer-
bach. For five long weeks he lived as
in dream, parched with fever and
raked with the pain of his wound. Some
times he thought he was in battle again,
shouting and bourc cling across the flax
fields and hop gardens of Wissenbourg;
st other times he fancied himself once
more at home in Algiers with his father,
the Kaid of Matimatas.
At length he opened his eyes and be-
came dimly conscious of being in cool
clean room, with white curtains at the
windows. and outside green branches
waving. and light clouds passing before
the sun. Near his bed sat a little Sister
of Charity, watchful and quiet, wearing
indeed no silver cross, no rosary, no veil,
but. instead, two long braids of yellow
hair falling over black velvet bodice.
From time to time some one would call
"Katel, Kate.!" and the peasant girl
would go on tipto, out of the room, and
then the invalid would hear u clear
young voice which seemed to him as re-
treshing as the sound of the brook that
Fan murmuring under the windows of
the mill
Kadour was liz for long time, but
The Ripp TT, took such good care of him
that his wounds Ii lied, and they con-
cealed him SO c.everly that the Prus-
slams were not able to send him to die
Of cold in a easement of Mayence. Soon
lie began to talk, showing his white
teeth; then he took a few steps round
the room with one sleeve hanging
empty, and n great gaping hole in the
midst OF the embroidery, and his arm
still bandaged and helpless. Then he
went every day into the garden, and
Katel would bring out a rush seated
arm chair for the invalid, putting it
down in the warnest corner by the wall,
where the grapes ripened earliest, and
Kadour, who being KaiTs son, had
studied in the Arabian college at AL
giers, would thank her in French. which
sounded little barbarous.
Without suspecting it the young Turk
was falling under spell. The easy
gayety of the French maiden, who lived
as free as bird, her face unveiled even
in the open air, and her window I'M
barred, astonished, while it fascinated
him 1t was 50 different from the
walled up life of his country women,
with their white lemon scented wells.
Katel, ON her part, thought the
stranger little too dark skinned, but
he had such frank face, and he
hated the Prussians so! One thing dis
pleased her terribly, and that was that
over there in Algeria a man might have
several wives. She could not under
stand that. and one day when kadour to
tease her. said, in his foreign jargon, "Ka-
dour soon marry-have four wives
four" the girl exclaimed angrily,
-Four wives? Oh, the villain, the
pagan!"
The Turk burst out laughing as glee-
fully as child, then suddenly growing
serious and silent, he fixed his great
dark eyes upon her face. That was the
beginning.
Kadour, completely cured, went home
to his mother, and one can imagine the
festivities that were held in his honor in
the land of the Matimatas. The reed
flutes and drums played their sweetest
airs to welcome him, and when the cd
Kaid, seated in his doorway, saw coming
whom he thought dead, he trembed as
if with ague under his white burnous.
For a whole month there was an I'M
interrupted series of diffas and fantasies,
all the Kaids aid agas of the neiglibor-
hood disputed for the honor of enter
tanning kadour- den -Cherifs, and every
evening, in the Moorish cafes he was en-
treated to describe the battle in which
he had fought.
But alas! all these fetes and honors
did not make him happy. In the midst
Of the souvenirs Of his childhood, his
horses, his grayhounds, his arms, and
all the splendors of his fathers mansion
there was one thing wanting-the art
less merry laugh of Katel The little
perpetual prattling of the Arab women,
which had once made his heart beat
with pleasure, now fatigued and an
noyed him; he could not admire their
orange flower wreaths, and wide trous-
ers of rose colored satin, but thought
only of pair of long braids having no
pearl adornments, yet shining like
golden threads under the setting sun, in
a little Alsatian garden far away. And
yet, if Kadour would but look about
him, he could see a pair of beautiful
black eyes made languid with kohl,
watching him from behind the grated
windows of an Aga's house not far
distant Kadour cared not for them;
what he longed for was KatePs quick
glance round his sick room to see if any,
thing We're wanting for his comfort; he
sighed for the blue eyes in which the
light played as brightly as in drops of
Gear spring water.
Little by little, however, the tender
charm of those blue eyes, mingled with
tie memory O. his convaie ~ce':c, and
the soft TEN cred air nf France. F;itl,u
fro.a his I,.i.,i. At last kadour iI;,i for
gotten Katel, and thr,uyl.t Ut the valley
IF tile Che.if nothing was talked of but
his approaching marriage with YaInina,
the daughter of the Aga of DjendeL
One morning long train of mules
was seen vending toward town; Kadour-
ben Cterifa and his father were going
to buy the wedding presents. day was
spent by them i'll the bazaar cl DOSING
burnous shot with silver. Smyrna rugs,
amber necklaces and earrings, and while
lie fingered tho pretty jewels. the floss
silks. and fire stuffs Kadour thought
only of Yamina- The Orient had re-
gained him completely, but more by the
means of habit and the influence of the
atmosphere than by genuine heart bonds.
Toward evening the train o. mules
laden with couffins all puff d out with
treasures, turned down the tree, of tho
faubourg. when lefore the duor of the