The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-01-20


copyright, 1899, by John Alexander steuart1
ouU owners, greedy parrakers Of all that Is
| vile and forbidden, "the filthiest beasts
that banquet upon offal, despised and NAL
treated, marauders by inheritance and by
necessity, they have long lost every vestige
OF canine morality.
In contemplating an assault they do not
bark at you nor show their teeth Such
honesty might put you on your guard.
They sidle up TO you with the averted look
Of incurable depravity, pretending to take
no notice OF you, yet all the while carefully
selecting the juiciest part of your leg. Even
when they have selected their point of at
tack they will not fly at it, but wait ps
tiently for their opportunity. When IL
comes, prestol their fangs are in your calf,
and they are off with the mouthful before
you have time to turn. These brutes kept
me continually with one eye over my shoul-
der and the other down by my side, for j
was ever afraid of the tooth of n dog. Some
times the people made pretense Of re-
monstrating with them, but think there
would have been less sorrow than gladness
had been worried to the bone.
The squat, boXlike shops and bazars
were Uttered with miscellany of goods
exceedingly strange to European eyes.
Variegated cloth, red aud yellow slippers.
saffron, sandal wood, glass beads, mirrors,
swords, files, razors, ropes, bells, saddles,
butter and various nameless kinds of oil
aud grease used for amounting the head and
body, waite iins, coffeepots, brazen pans
and kettles and many other stuffs and
trumpery were strewn about in hopeless
confusion. Standing by the doors or sit
ting cross legged on palmleaf mats in the
midst of their wares, waiting with heavy
| eyes and languid mien for the customers
who never appeared to come, were the mer-
chants. One and all they stared hard at
| me, and most of them came into the street
! TO look after me with muttered guessings
and comments. i have no doubt there were
muttered curses as we'll
To my surprise the orchards and gardens
ran almost continuously into the center of
the town, and who would was apparently
free to enter. In variety and richness they
surpassed anything had ever seen, and in
deed seemed rather like the concentrated
luxuriance of whole country than the
natural growth of a single spot. There
were clumps of feathery date trees, Indian
palms, pomegranates, orange, apple, april
cot, peach and fig trees. Another tree there
was, too, more famous in Arabian song and
story than any of these-the balm tree.
Like SO much that is good and famous, it
Is not beautiful-in fact, 1t is ugly and
scraggy, and were the eye the sole Judge,
contemplate, but those who know its yir-
tues think little of its mean appearance.
In striking contrast to the dark olive
foliage were the blazing tropical flowers,
many Of them of inexpressible glory and
brilliancy, But what touched me beyond
anything else were some clusters of mag
nificent roses that flung their fragrance on
the air, unmindful of the general noisome-
ness-at times, indeed, making one forget
it. Tho sight of that common English
flower, so familiar and so lovely stirred
the emotions as not all the splendors of the
orieAt could stir them. 1t was like the
greeting of an old friend In strange land.
In some of the gardens people were draw
ing water from deep wells with leathern
buckets, Others scooping it up from slen-
der stone trimmed watercourses. At sight
OF such plenty began to get hungry and
thirsty again, and so tempting was the
fruit that presently found myself meli-
tatng a robbery. But at every gate de.
cided to wait till reached the next, and in
this way, u thief at heart, an honest man
from fear, went along feasting my eyes
but grievously vexing the stomach, which
protested ever more and more vigorously
1t is an ill experience to be famishing
among plenty.
On turning one of the many street cor
ners, full of .he thought which most en-
cages hungry man, entered square in
which was assembled great crowd. A
glance made it plain that they were holi-
day makers. In the midst was a man wear
ing over the usual shirt gay particolored
mantel and scarlet vest, with wide sleeves
like a bishops gown. His head was fam
tnstically embodied in a flaming handker-
chief, In the voluminous twists OF which
there were stuck three bobbing peacock
feathers. He was seated on camel as gor-
geously caparlsoned as himself and was
shouting and gesticulating with many wild
grimaces, the people responding to his sal
lies Of wit and distortions of countenance
with resounding bursts of merriment
"A professional story teller said to
myself, and it proved | was right.
The fellow seemed master of his business,
for all were eager and excited, save only
the gaunt, sorrowful camel, which was
sunk In gloom no mirth could brighten
Perhaps, like Harlequin, it was too familiar
with jests to be much cheered by them.
had not watched the performance more
than a minute when the clown noticed me-
He stared for a second in ama8ement, but ,
quickly recovering the professional inso-
ience he pointed a leering finger at me- |
calling upon the aSsemblage to look Mt the
rare curiosity that had opportunely ap-
peared for their entertainment Like one |
man they wheeled about and fastened their
eyes upon me.
At this | turned quickly on my heel to
walk of, considering it the safest policy TO
get out of the way with as much speed and
as little fuss as possible. But the story
teller hurting stinRng gibe at me about
my courage Ia quality would let no man
make n jest of with impunityl, turned
again and faced the throng, my heart al
ready beginning to brstle in my breast.
There was moments silence, then the
buffoon on the camel began running COM
mentary on my looks, my dress and spirit,
his remarks with wittieisms
that made very free with my feelings and
sent the listeners (all save one) into convul-
'ions of laughter. He capped his insults
and insolences by inviting his audience to
step forward and examine me for them
selves.
The next minute they had formed ring
about me, taking care however, to keep
'ome distance off, as II | might be an ami
nal of uncertain temper. But perky
youth, In rich cloak and many colored
'ashes, eager to set an example in temerity
md make sport for his fellows, ran up and
,robed me in the ribs with his riding stick.