The Washington times., 1894-07-07
Johnst0n's, 77e 9Th. :sts. St..
The Johnston Company.
LITTLE FREDDY'S ADVENTURE.
Arabs Were So Fond OF His Song. "A Dude
in Silk That They Stole Him
and Kent Him for Months.


in SiIk.~ That They Stole Him
and Kept Him for Months.
Harry Clark. the assistant stage manager
at Albaugh's theater and the father OF lie
Petite Freddy" is a.veteran of the road, and
a number of years ago had his own company
Of circus performers in Europe. A part OF his
circui.. which consisted of four years and
a half Of travel and playing, was devoted to
Turkey and Greece
II was In the former dominion that an event
occurred which cost him thousands OF dollars
and nearly rendered him childless. Mr..
Ciark's wife and Little boy Travelled with the
circus. In June. 1885, the circus, which was
known as the Syrian Circus" was per-
forming at the gardens in the Christian
quarter of Damascus. II was tne feast oil
Ramazan. during which the followers OF Mo-
BANNED tasted during the day and devoted
the night ID feasting and reyeiry Tor forty
days.
ON these occasions Bedouins from the
burning sands OF the desert would come into
Damascus and enter into the general sport.
There being no hotel in the town, Mr.. Clark
had his own house, to which he btought sew
eral of the chiefs of the various Arab tribes.
His little boy Freddy was then 4 years Old,
but he sang and danced like veteran.
One little song which was especially pleas
ing to the Bedouils was that called "Bffta
Hinda." which translated means six from
India" or in our language "A Dude IN SILK.
Little Freddy sang this cong in the Turkish
language. and made a decided impression
upon the Arab chiefiains. Mr.. Clark received
many offers of money for the boy, but OF
course refused to entertain any such PROPOSE
tions. :.
One Friday night Mr.. Clark and his wife
left for the circus grounds, leaving Freddie IN
charge OF a native cook On their return AT
IL O'Clock the boy was missing. All inquiries
OF the COOK failed 10 elici. ary information as
to how and when the child went away. He
subsequently intimated that a Bedouin chiet
mad taken the boy into the street and that
was the last he had seen OF him Ine local
4 olIce were pressed into service, ard
house to house search inaugurated. Nothing
was. however. learned of the boys where
abouts.
Then Mr.. Clark telegraphed the American
consul general Robson. at Beirut who i'm
mediately wired to the consul at Damascus
to use every effort to discover the where
abouts OF the child, and ia the meantime give
protection to Mr.. Clark and his family. As a
result OF this telegram Turkish police mounted
on cameis were sent into the desert, which
was secured for days without discovering
anything. :.
About three months after little Freddy dis
appeared, while his father va preparing the
pantomime in the circus, a eunuch sent word
to the unhappy father that the boy WIS in the
garden. He then disappeared. Mr.. Clark
went into the audience and discovered his
little bo, seated behind some Turkish Officials,
crying bitterly.
Upon being questioned little Freddy said
that the Arais had taken him way out in
the sand" where they had Kept him pris-
oner. They fed him on goats milk and
chicken, and passed him around from tribe
to tribe. where they compelled him to sing
his .Bifta Hinda" The child was shrewd
one. and at last refused to sing unless he was
returned 10 his parents.
The chase was then growing hot, and In
order to avoid complications some OF the
tribe brought the boy into Damascus and de-
liyered him to a black man on Straight street,
which is mentioned by st. Paul in h.s Epistle
to the Romans A few days aiterward word
was brought to Mr.. Clark that unless he de-
liyered a certain sum OF money to a money
changer then in Damascus the Toy would be
taken from him again and either Kept IN con-
flEement forever or be killed.
being stranger in a strange land, adds
MIR. Clark. Il was compelled to disgorge what
would be equivalent to $4,000 in our money.
This together with the $4,000 / spent in
searching for my boy made the adventure
rather costly. and after that was very care
full to keep Freddy out of sight when there
we're any strangers about. Although the
Arabs treated the child respectfully, he was
permitted to see things which would make
your tlood eur lie and it was some time before
he recovered from the shock to his sensibili-
tipa -