Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-09-12
THE ARABS AS LIARS.

The ARABS As LIAHS.
They Are Evidently Built That way-An
Account of tho Noted Tippu Tib.
Those who have followed Stanley in
his last journey through Africa, and es-
pecially the readers of his books, are
well aware Of the trouble that the ex-
plorer had with Hamid BIN Mohammed,
better known as "Tippu Tib." That
uncrowned King of Central Africa had
accepted the appointment of Governor
of Stanley Falls, and free transporta-
ton for himself and his followers from
Zanzibar 10 the falls, on the express
condition that he would supply 600
native carriers for the service of STAN
ley's rear guard, and to be afterwards
used for the transportation of the ivory
known to be in the possession of Emin
Pasha. Tippu lib failed to keep his
promise in this respect but from time to
time, and all the time, he was lavish in
his promise that the men would be
forthcoming shortly.
Tippu lib is an Arab trader, his prin-
cipal traffic being in slaves and ivory.
Lying came to him rs naturally as
breathing; it is part of the Arab
nature, and it is doubtful If there are
any more accomplished liars in the
world than Arabs. If you ask ques-
ton of an Arab he may possibly give
you the correct answer if he happens to
know it; If he does not know it, he will
give you the first that comes to his
thoughts, no matter how far it may be
from the truth.
/ was once talking with an Arab
sheils, througlrthe aid of my interpreter,
and asking him about Arabia. He told
me that the Prince of Muscat had body
gnard of 10000 men, all mounted on
horses, whose backs were twice as high
as my head, and capable of running a
hundred miles an hour.
The Prince lived in a palace, so large
that 1t took good horseman whole
day to ride around it, and it was SO high
that only man with good eyesight
could see to the top. He told me other
things of the same sort, and then
paused, and asked about America. /
despaired Of being able to exaggerate
sufficiently, and referred the matter to
my interpreter. "Oh!' said the man,
81 have been in America and will an
swer for my master. He lives in New
York, which is city Of 10000, 900 in
habitants, and there are houses in New
York a mile high. When my master
travels he has a machine that flies
through the air like q bird, far above
the mountain tops, and is large enough
for him and his 1000 wives. The
trees in America are so large that
it takes whole day to walk around
one of them, and they have a cataract,
which they call Niagara Falls, where it
takes the water half an hour to tumble
from the top to the bottom" He went
on with other statements of the same
kind, to which the sheik listened with
an appearance of the most child-like
credulity, though he probably believed
about as much OF them as l had be-
lieved of his stories concerning the
Prince Of Muscat.
The Arabs explain their inability to
tell the truth by saying that once the
Father of All Evil came on earth with
nine bags full of lies. He distributed
one bag full in Asia, and in the evening
came to Arabia, intending to go the
next day into Africa and Europe.
When he walked in the morning he
found that during the night the Arabs
had stolen and divided among them
selves the contents of the other eight
bags.-Boston Traveller.
-Johnson-"And SO Jimson has gOn~
TO his reward?" Bronson-"Yes, poor
fellow, I'm afraid he has. Y. Her
aid.
Ask any woman what is woman's
most interesting age, and she will come
very near telling you how old she is
Atchison Globe.
--''Did he enjoy himself?" "Tremend-
ously." 'sMade himself at home, eh?"
'sNo; made himself away from home.
That's how he came to have q good
time. "-Harper's Bazaar.
"A mule would rather hear himself
bray than to listen to anybody else's
music. A good many people are built
like him.-Ram's Horn.
-Harry-''Your remarks, Miss Jen-
ME, are so spiced with wit that they
quite take my breath away" Jennie
"I'm glad of that, for your efforts with
cloves have been fat failures?-N. T.
Herald.