Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1894-07-12
AN EGYPTIAN REBEL.
A Romance in the Land of the
Sphinx.

The tents % the Egyptinn army
srr-e white a, snow. against a sky of
ultramarine-b below spread the white
sand Heat more intense could not he,
imagined The air fairly quivered
with r. AMI 70 had upon the ewes the
binding effect % the flashing ot the
mirror in the sun Il was not a time
~ battle.
The little army composed the mill
tarv Gordon with which Ismail P5.ha
protected the recently esta blished
agricuiturai districts on the borders
IS ahy~sinia and the roads for traffic,
vhich in tsGg had not long been
opened
The deurth Of cotton. caused by the
civil war IT the United states. had
given I~mail the idea of making Egypt
4 great cutton-Erowing country. and
since then, railways. ~telegraphs and
a. maun-r 81 improvements have been
introduced
81 the date Of the story. great
caravans 20 cameIs bore tine products
10 the fields ~ the various markets.
and No. roaring resl-eved steam mon
>ter had vet invaded the land Of
mystery. silence aud the sphinx
Everyone was ianRuid The officers
resting IN their tents. the common
soldiers sIuatting about a. ease A
"a on ~ vav south had paused
-s "a and rest until night fell ant
raat great golden thing. the moon %
Egypt shault u-- - light them On
their vav. Eaen man bad said his
prayers amt h~f,rr praying. since
water wa uut plentiful had rubbed
his hands with duSt-which was
cDunted Ca bis credit inst the same. by
the resauriing angel of MS paradise.
whu always makes allowances for
circumstances Now peace hasi fallen
apnn the hot world. where almost
every b..iy ~lumhereI
In his tent. Capt Ibtn El-warrakah
was dreaming His dreams carried
him away FROM the tents. the soldiers
ami al his present surroundings. He
was once more in the home of his
rncLe RizA-entertained as Il beloved
guest lie had seen his aunt. who was
MS mothers sister. even without the
face veil But she, having sent kind
messages - his mother, and given
him a present, had retired 70 the pri-
vatc rooms u the women. from which,
now ami then. came a silvery ripple Of
laughter and words spoken in Il voice
that was the sweetest he had ever
hearl
lie knew Il was that of his Cousin
Far-Neh- Fat-NIeh had been a beam
tiful little girl He bad always re-
m~emhered Eat-NIeh affectionatelv.
But now he could not ask 10 see her
any more than II she had been the
daughter Of some stranger. He might
nut look upon a vomans face, even II
VA we're his cousin. He bowed to
custom, a the Young man Of this euun-
try does. But L came int his mind.
Now that little Fat-Neh. who had
been A. dear as a sister % him in thase.
baby wears. was veilefi and hidden from
aim a. FROM a stranger. that even old
established Egyptian eustam> might be
carried toa far.
He sat and ate the various dishes
which the black slave offered 20 the
guests But al the while he thought
Of little Fat-Nteh. and laid a plan by
which at least 70 see her.
In Egypt, one i not obliged 10 sit at
table until all the company have fin
ished their meal Each may rise when
he is satisfied. say Praise be to God. e
wash his hands in the ever which the
servant holds for him before and after
meals dry them on the embroidered
towel and retire from the company.
And So. as som as he dared. Thin did
this. and saving hat he wished once
more To see the garden and pome-
granate trees under which he had
played in childhood. left the room.
tut into the garden he went and.
standing where he could see the lat
tIced windows above. began to sing a
little rhyme that children sing when
they play together. beating time with
the palms. What more natural. when
memories Of youth returned with the
sight Of the garden where. before Fat
Neh had been able 70 walk alone. he
had led her By her tiny hand-what
more natural than that he should re-
member the rhyme and sing il a-aine
And while he sang another voice.
soft aad low. took mp the train. some
n wa singing behind the lattice Of
the window. He knew II vas Fat-Neh.
\ little later he saw that the lattice
was pushed softly open. yelled face
peeped forth, a hand was extended for
a moment and a rose dropped Above
the veu he saw great eyes. like starS.
bordered with kohl Then. a. Il by
accident. the vail dropped. and he saw
his cousin kat-Mehs faee-the baby
face become svoman's. and beautiful
exceedingly.
It vanished The window was closed
He picked up the rose and hid il in hi,
bosom and returned to the house.
Before he left his uncie's abode. how
ever. he had asked some questions and
learned that Fat-Neh was already
promised in marriage and that the
meeting Of relatives q settle the ques
tion Of dowry would occur very soon
It is not often that a young Egvp
tian sees Il girls face. and this ons
glimpse Of his cousins face remaiuec
IN Ibtns heart as a kiss might in tina
of an Euglishman- He was drnaminl
of her as 4 man entered the tent il
haste and a voice called. Captain
my captain and he looked up and saw
a soldier beside him.
captain. this man said. saIutins
him. a boy, who appears 10 be dying
asked % be brought 70 you VIII 30,
see him2T
hin sprang 10 his fee. and f~olIove,
the man into the open air. There. sup
ported By two other men. stood a beau
tiful, beardless boy, who lifted hi
eyes and looked into Ibin'S face i'm
ploringly.
~Captain.~ he said. Il have come
thing 70 tell you-something which q,
one must hear. Take ne 70 your ten
-take me quickly
Without 4 word the captain ouene.
his arms to receive the ~taintinq form
and. lifting il, bore II into his tent
The soldiers did not dare to follow
and. seeing they were not wanted, ~
tired
softly a. a mother bears her chill
Ibln laid his burden down upon In
fmfr- -nruw1 - - - 49,