The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-04-05

deemed it necessary to resign the Office of
Captain General, which he at that time held
in Washington Commandery No. !. This ac-
ton, however, did not interfere with the evil
dent desire of the commandery to elect him as
Eminent Commander, for at the last conclave,
as previously announced in TIE HERALD he
was called upon to fill that important position.
In the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite he
has the rank OF the SD degree and fills the
office of Orator in Evangelist Chapter of Rose
CrolX. lie is also prominent Shriner, being
a member of AlmaS Temple, of this city,
During the past week Sir Knight Dingman has
been kept busy receiving the congratulations
of his Masonic friends in this city and debating
replies to the congratulatory messages he has
received from individual fraters and Templar
organizations all over the country. THE
HERALD's Masonic correspondent is under
many obligations for the courteses which on
many occasions have been extended to him by
the genial sir knight, and is highly gratified in
being able to publicly express his appreciation
of his many kindnesses, and at the same time
to voice the general congratulatory sentiments
of the jurisdiction.
THE HERALD has repeatedly described as
far as prudence would permit the magnificent
ceremonies incident to the comforting of the
august degree of the Ancient Arabic Order
Mobiles Of the Mystic Shrine, but the rendition
Ol ldSI IiOuuttt evening was. 10 use an enUnu-
siastic candidates expression, $50 superbly
grand and SO intensely original with its wealth
of imagery and Oriental pageantry,n that it
is almost impossible to adequately depict the
impression of enthusiasm which the degree
created in the minds of the assembled deyotees
of the 'shining Shrine" 1t is morning in the
desert and in the caravan of Sulieman, the
shiek; the first preparation for another days
travel over the sandy wastes are just breaking
into activity. The scene is one of confusion.
Ill
hurry about, in answer to the querulous COM
mands of their masters fair slave-girls, with
laughing, saucy eyes, scarcely concealed by
the misty, coquettish veil of Mohammedan
CUSTOM move gracefully about preparing the
morning toilet and ablutions of the beautiful
Sultana, the faVorite of that noted chief,
Sulieman; the tall camels and no less active
dromedaries arise from their kneeling posture
of the night and patiently submit to the
Tightening of the straps which hold the
houdahs of their owners; nearby and none the
more picturesque was corralled a herd of
donkeys, on the backs of which were packed
the silks and prescious fabrics which Sulieman
bore as offerings to the now famous and much
feared enemy Of his tribe, he of the Mystery,
whom none know or have ever seen. for To-
even this proud and naughty shiek, surnamed
the Lion and the Brave, was On an errand of
fear, and even he was ready to kneel
before the unknown and sue for peace. The
day grew apace, the caravan was in motion
IclOIc Iiltlll, nail CuTIdiuGu III IuC Meeting
mist, was the sun, softly illumining the spread
OF interminable desert, not the arid wastes Of
drifting sand which laid farther to the south
but the region where the herbage is scant and
| dwarfed, where the acacia languishes, and
even the spots of camel grass grow rank and
! scarcely wholesome, and so TO the music of
| sweet Assyrian lutte, the timbrel, and the reed,
moves on into the realm of drifting sands the
caravan of Sulieman, surnamed the Lion and
the Brave. Farewell Give no thought to the
morrow; live only for to-day. Many suns
have risen, many suns have set, and daily has
the mighty caravan been lost from its mum
bers, till on that fatal night of Zelier memory,
Sulieman, Wretched and alone, silently Weeps
by the side of his faithful Arabian charger, the
| last but himself to die. The moon was at its
full The lark and swallow, tired of the wing
sought resting place upon the scanty herbage
of the near oasis Forth from beneath its
green and clustering foliage desert fox OF
hyena craWled cautiously to view the subjects
OF rare intrusion. Overhead a night Yulturt
sailed on broad wings in narrowing circles
waiting for its prey, and Sulieman Wept aloud
for the signs We're the tokens of death. But
what mysterious radiance is that which sud
denly illumines the darkness of the oasis
what pale, retulgent brilliancy which waves
and gathers into indistinct and shadowy forms
of fantastic and unearthly shape? What ma
Jestic, radiant figure is this that now ma
terializes into shape human, but SO divinel,
beautiful? Arise Suieman bow thysel
to the earth, kneel before him, for thou alon
hast found, and thou alone of all thy kindred
shall look upon the dazzling beauty of tn,
enemy, and then the figure spoke, "Thinkes
thou, Oh, Sulleman, conqueror of my race, t,
appease my mighty vengeance with gifts o
cloths, jewels, oils, and precious stuffs? Cal
back to thy memory the days Of thy youth
the sway of thy cruelty, thy dungeons, tn
deaths by the sack and by the cord. Answe
not, but think, for behold thy caravan is scat
tered, thy wealth is gone, and thou as well a
/, each the last Of his people, now face to face
, must each fulfill his destiny; look thou upo
my features" And Sulieman looked upon hi
face aud dazzled, oyerpowered by his awfU
beauty sued and prayed for peace and mad
: the sign Of mercy which the Seer had bad