Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-18

cred the fellows head. He ducked, lodged
and disappeared like magic. Disappointed
at his celebrity in getting out of sight, took
aim at the clown. He, too, had an antip-
athy to such target practice, and like g
fash was off his camel and hiding among
the crowd. A thrilling pause followed as
the people, fallen silent, stared in wonder at
me, then at one another, then at the camel
standing as saturnine and stupid looking
! as ever, quite unconscious of its masters
sudden desertion.
Satisfied with having frightened my mo-
testers and anxious to prove my pacific in
| tentions toward the company In general, l
returned the pistol to my belt. Seeing this,
the chopfallen story teller sneaked back
for his beast, taking care as he led it off to
| keep its body between him and me. The
| crowd hesitated a moment, as II uncertain
which performer to patronize; then went
| trooping after the clown in evident eXpecta-
/ ton of further diversion elsewhere. My
impulse was to follow and spoil the fun;
but, remembering the discretion which is
the better part of valor, I turned aside and
| went in another direction.
had not gone a hundred yards when
| felt gentle touch on the arm, and looking
round found at my side an elderly Arab of
| venerable and benignant aspect. AS my
eyes met his he bowed with cordial gray
| ity and held out his open hand. Glad to
| find any one so friendly, also bowed and
laid my open palm in his, waiting for him
to speak.
II was in the midst of the congregation
| when the jester derided thee and made the
| people laugh" he began in kindly tone.
II saw thee pull out thy weapon and aim
| at the fool who smote thee with his riding
stick, and l trembled for thy safety, for as
suredly hadst thou slain him thy own
blood had watered the ground. When the
jester skunk away and the people followed,
l fastened after thee to speak with thee.
and if thou be in need of aught l possess
know of a surety it is thine. If thou art a
| hungered, thou shalt eat; if thou art thirsty,
thou shalt drink; if thou art weary, thou
shalt wash thy feet and rest. Said Achmet
hath himself been wanderer and knoweth
the distress of stranger in strange land"
Greatly surprised, though thrilling with
JOY and gratitude, replied: Il am indeed
stranger in a strange land, cast on the shore
like driftwood, to be tossed and made the
sport of fate. But thy kindness puts new
spirit in me-"
Art thou hungry" he asked, looking me
in the face.
Hungry, thirsty and SPENT" answered.
Come with me, my son." said the Arab
graciously Il would fain learn who and
MudG tHOu dTJ anu HOW luOu CduleSJ ulluSf,
where, doubt, if any man of thy nation
ever set foot before. But long tales fit not
hungry belly. When thou hast eaten and
rested, peradventure thou Wilt tell me thy
story"
He led the way. walking by his side in
silence, for it is contrary to Arabian Ell
quette to make a tired man answer ques-
tions. We wound for long distance
through circling streets, then turned aside
!,
a small but luxuriant garden, fragrant
with flowers and musical with babbling
water. From the garden to the house was
but step.
a black slave met us as we entered, and
at word from his master brought pile of
cushions to the khawah, or reception room,
for me, placing them near the stove, which
is the place of honor Then bringing water,
he took off my shoes and washed my feet,
piece of attention that was strange, but
exceedingly refreshing.
After awhile came the food. This con-
sisted of a large piece of boiled mutton, a
kind of batter made of ground wheat and
melted butter, boiled rice, fresh dates, figs,
sour cancels milk and cotfee-real Mocha,
that never by any chance comes to western
lands. The stuff that deluded Englishmen
gulp down as coffee an Arab mental would
not put to his lips. The truth is that the
untraveled Briton never sees Mocha. What
passes with him as such is only the refuse
of all the plantations of Arabia, and often
of plantations outside Arabia, gathered in
the interest of shippers, and greatly to the
prejudice of occidental palates and stom-
achS. The pale, flavorless berries sent to
western Europe and America are to the
rich, brown, aromatic berries valued by
eastern peoples what the sour crab apple is
to the lucious nectarine, yet the swells of
London and Paris drink the muddy mix
ture served to them as coffee with symp-
toms of delight Truly, ignorance has its
enjoyments ard consultations. AS for my
self, my nose never comes over cup of the
English preparation without causing me
an inward shiver Of disgust.
The meal was all brought in together,
heaped on one huge wooden trencher, and
what had been on the fire was eaten scald-
ing hot with the fingers, for the Arabs
scorn the frivolity of knives and forks. /
found no difficulty whatever in reverting
to the methods of Adam. The batter I
could make nothing of, since 1t was like
putty in my hands, and the mutton seemed
none too cleanly dressed, but on the rice
and fruit fell with the furious zeal of q
furnishing man, being indeed empty as
dry well.
The meal Enthusiastically finished, for
Arab hospitality enions that Il guest shall
eat while a morsel remains-we washed our
hands, an operation that was highly neces-
sary, and went into the garden to smoke
the pipe of peace under the outrageous
cover of date palms.
l cannot express the luxury of reclining
in that verdurous scene, watching the sun
descending to his chambers in the west
Put mind and body ut rest after racking
both; let fruits and blossoms and green
masses of foliage take the place of u baked
and blasted wilderness. After raging
fever of thirst let water plash and sparkle
i'll fountain and stream. Instead of torrid,
uoXious blasts. let
Gentle gales
Tanning their oderiferous wings dispense
Native perfumes and whisper whence they
stole
Those balmy spoils.
and, above all, let sense of human cordial
ity and sympathy replace the distress of
the outcast, and you may dimly conceive
my feelings Of quiet joy and deep content
Everything was in unison with my mood,
from the mystic splendors of the encircling
mountains to the soft l:sauty and incense
of the radiant, mellowy groves close at
hand. We spoke not word. In delicious
silence we saw the gold waning, and the
rose flushing, and mountain, plain and tree
shining with a shifting glory that was like
an eff1uent flood of light and color from the
open doors of heaven. Then down dropped
the sun, darkness rushed upon the land,
and we went inside. Said Achmet lost no
time in reminding me Of the promise to
tell my story.
He listened to it with the immovable
countenance of the sphinx, sucking quietly
at his pipe, his eyes fast on the ground.
When the recital was over, he raised his
face to mine.
Thou hast been in great peril, my son."
he said, land such as thou never couldst
have escaped except the hand of God were
with thee. OF surety thou art reserved
for some great work"
asked him If he had any idea who and
what the men were who had plundered and
fred the brig, and almost truculently he
answered:
oDoos and thievea and uourdararu and ~