Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1893-10-07

why they should sit in their hard sad
dies, when the grass made such sof,
bed on the ground. And If they lay
there for only short while, nobody
wor,ld know it: they could tie the
horses to the wagon, and these certain
~ could tell no tales. After they had
suaded them that il was a useless task
for eight men to remain on guard
four would suffice, and the rest could
sleep. To the four men Who were to
keep awake. the waiting for their turn
seemed too long, and they agreed that
two might sleep, while the other two
remained true to tue orders.
Maruf and Sefer were the two desig-
mated to watch for the rest.
''Do YOU know, said Sef.l - his
lrlend, "Go YOU hnow that one II an IS
u the same value III this case as two?
It will do just as we'll if only one Of us
watches Do YOU not agree?'
Maruf nsscntcd
81 propose, continued Sefer. "that
we play game Of chess: the loser will
have to watch, and the winner may
sleep
Maruf accepted the conditions
The two .BedoUins prepared the
ground in front OF where they stood,
and with their spears they traced a
| square, dividing it into sixtyfour
| smaller squares. Then they substitute
| ed for the regular pawns the fruits of
| the woods The wild pears became
kings, tn" apples queens, the castles
were represented by acorns, the bish-
ops hy rose-ltips, the knights by nuts
nnd the paw,ls by berries. The men
thus provided, the game began by the
light Of the camp fire.
! At first, Scfer had the advantage,
but that inebriating drink overcame
him, httte by little, SO that he was
| not i'll condition to distinguish his
| pawns He lost his queen, and was
| very near being checkmi7tcd.
| "Scfer vou are in a bad mess, re-
| laarkc Maruf when he saw that the
| game was IN his hands.
| ''You ere right. am rs sleepy as
the sen when it is calm
1ou are losing the game
81 can ecc that, too,'
"Well, like down, i'll the name of
Allah. will watch for you.
Scfrr shook his friends hand in
grateful acknowledgement of the
sacrifice, an he thought he spoke to
him, Int h on1 ' dreamed it. for he
fell asleep immediately.
Mara. on the contrary, kept his
ewes op, u. anl leaning on his gun, he
looked nj HI, sleeping companions.
Bat ,hnt terrible drink began to muir
rlar softly
'Nhy do yon not SIT down? You
| co;,ll ste Just as we'll g
- soon as be was seated, Satan
again began 10 tempt him.
"Whv do vou tire your eyes? L
| vou shut one-of them, YOU will see
I
with the othor just a. we'll as with
both"
Maruf reflected that. If his eyes.wert
closed, his ears were open, and that he
would be ready to start at the small
est danger that might threaten hi.
companions and himself And with
the firm purpose of not falling asleep
Ii, ~umh,rci as heavily as the rest
III the meantime, the hidden Greeks
came AL Of sul,len upon tire sleeping
men. united the horses of the Turk
and wolsd certainly have killed them
had not Narufs horse, as though h
| =
I ~ Sres 81 swaken was Naruf, anil il
few moments the rest were ready
They ran 10 get the;t arms an.l ~tuo'
on the defence. now fully awake an,
sone-
They threw themselves on the .at,ny
but it was OF no avail The Grt"k
had mounted the horses and l.. <he,
AZ the Turks, who endeavored Il ovcr
come them on foot.
Maruts horse alone would not Sub
nit 10 the Greek who had mcunte,
him, and began 10 rear and plunC
until he had succeeded II throwing
the rider. He then kicked him an
returned 70 his owner
Eight men had one horse lett amon
them. What WAS Meherned going Z