Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-04-25

would spring Forward ana cIeayeme on Jno
spot. His hideous countenance and glitter
ing eyes fascinated me us the serpent fasci-
mates the futtering bird it is about to de-
stroy. Ny tongue was frozen. With
tippling sense of innocence and wrong in
every atom of my being could not utter a
word in self defense or vindication. could
do nothing but gaze enchanted upon the
devil which had so suddenly confronted me
in the form of man.
Fortunately Abou Kuram had thoughts
and mind of his own. He made no reply
to the minister's suggestion. Perhaps, be-
ing human, he pitied me in spite of my bad
character, for must have presented pic
ture of utter distress; perhaps after the
fashion of the great he loved the idea of
absolute power. At any rate, he made a
diversion, which set my heart leaping with
tumultuous hope. A small thing you will
generally notice is of great effect in an ex
tremity.
"What is that instrument on which thou
madest music?" he asked. NAY, rather"
he added quickly, ION which thou madest
witches and genii screech."
With palpitating haste answered it was
named a bagpipe in my country, that it
put the spirit of victory into warriors and
the fleetness of fear into the heels of their
enemies.
81 said it was the scream Of demons" he
remarked, with chuckle. Then suddenly
his expression became one Of deep thought;
lie seemed to be trying to recollect some
thing. II have it; have it," he cried, sit
ting up with beam of intelligence. "In
thy country are the men naked about the
legs?"
"Partly, my lord" answered in aston.
isbment.
"They have been to Egypt, have they
not?" he said eagerly. ITO Cairo, Alexan-
dria-they have looked on the desert and
shifted it's sands. They have likewise been
to India. They have pulled down princes,
established empires, uprooted ancient laws
and made new ones, said prayers in
strange tongue that no man could under
stand and gone to battle with great cries.
Have they not done all this?"
"My lord speaketh the TRUTH" said.
more and more amazed.
"They are called''- He pressed his brow
as q man will to aid his memory.
ohoeeSSt, oSoiNS my SSAi
with excitement
"Nay, nay, not that. That is not it.
will remember; yea, have it. Dost thou
not recall th, tale of that Egyptian?" turn
ing to his minister. NAKED Scottish devils
that was it. They leap like lions and roar
like bulls Of Bashan; yea, they have the
voice of the wild ass, and their tread is like
an army of horscmen that maketh the
earth to tremble"
my lord is right again." cried.
"Wert thou naked when Said Achmet
took thee IMP" he asked.
mo, my lord"
He seemed disappointed at this, but his
face lighted up again as he said:
''At any rate thou hast the screeching de-
mems with thee. We have leisure this
morning. Thou shalt give Us some of the
war music of thy land"
for me-" said joyously.
cause room TO be made for thee! Why,
dost thou swell with playing:"
NAY, my lord, but the piper must walk
to and fro to play well"
"Thou callest thyself piper. | have
heard of the company of prophets with
pipe and tabret. Perchance we shall have
thee prophcsying." Saying this. he waved
bis hand with n laugh us signal to the
soldiers to clear space.
make room," he called "IIearken to
the music that putteth courage in the
hearts of the naked Scottish devils
The next instant the wondering people
were being hustled back, and the pipes
were squealing in the process of tuning up.
You may be sure that if everpper played
with all the zeal and skill that were in him
it was then. The consciousness OF the
great prize ut stake was difrused like an
electric current through lips and lungs and
fingers, through head and feet and all that
lay between, giving fiery energy and ardor
to both the soul and body of the performer.
Yet in spite of this earnestness and
the acute sense of momentous issues hang.
ing in the balance, could not help being
tickled by the ludicrousness of the stu
alton. Very absurd it was to me, an Arab
in garb n highlander in feeling, to go
sailing about in flowing skirts, bursting my
cheeks for the favorable verdict Of judges
who had never seen or heard bagpipe Ill
their lives, who did not know one tune
or note from another, and who would be
quite likely to decide with overwhelming
unanimity that all my merits were faults
and all my faults merits, and who were
preiudiced and incenscd against me.
It was like putting Harlequin on trial
of skill before man who had never seen
play, who detested the theater and it's ira
ditious, and above all fervently hated the
performer Yet I gave them the music Of
my native hills with all my might-all the
marches, strathspeys, reels, pibrochs, cor