The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-05-04

Kadour-ben-C herifa, sergeant major in
q native regiment of tirailleurs, was al
most dying the evening they carried him
70 Rippert's sawmill on the Sauerbach.
and for five long weeks, racked by the
pain of his wounds and burning with
fever, he lived as though in dream.
At times he thought himself still in the
thick Of battle, shouting and leaping
through the faxfelds of Wissembourg,
or, again, he was away off in Algeria, In
the house OF his father, the caid of the
Matmatas.
At last one day he opened his eyes and
became vaguely conscious of a bright,
calm, white curtained room, with green
branches swaying outside its windows in
the soft, tempered sunshine, and near his
bed silent little sister OF charity, but a
little sister without beads or silver cross
or blue veil; only two heavy braids she
had. falling down over velvet bodice.
From time to time some one would call
out, 'kateli KatelI' and the girl would
go away on tiptoe. and the wounded boy
could hear in the distance p sonoroUs
young voice, as refreshing to listen TO as
the brook running under the sawmilFs
windows
Eadour-ben- Cherifa has been Ill long
time. but The Ripperts have taken such
good care OF him that his wounds are
healed. and they have hidden him SO well
that the PrusSians have not found him
10 send him 10 die OF cold IN the Mayence
prisons. Now he commences to talk. to
show his white teeth and to take a few
sec-s around the room, letting one of his
sleeveS-the one with u wide. gaping
hole IN the midst OF its eInbrolderieS-
fall empty over a well dressed and ban
daged but still ilnpotent arm Every day
katel carries wicker chair down into
the little sawmill garden for the coIiva-
Iescent and finds for him the sunniest
corner, along the wall. where the grapes
ripen quickest, and kadour, who, being
a caid's son, was educated at the Arabian
college in Algiers. thanks her in some
what barbarous French, well sprinkled
with bono bezeffs and macach bonoS.
Without realizing II, the young Arab
Is under spell. This easy gayety of a
Frankish girl, whose life Is as free as {.
birds, without enveloping wells out of
doors or barred windows at home, aston
ishes and enchants him. So different
from this is the clustered life of the
women OF his land-the little white
masked, musk perfumed Moorish wom-
en- Katel, on her side, finds Kadour
trife too black, but he seems so good, so
brave, and he does so detest the Prus-
SLAMS. One thing only troubles her. Off
there IN that Algeria Of Africa men have
the right TO marry several wives. Katel
cannot understand that at all, so when
the Algerian, 10 tease her, says in his
jargon= ..Kadour marry soon. He take
four vzyes-fourF' KateI becomes very
angry.
''Oh, what wicked KadourI What a
heathenr'
Then the Arab laughs hearty boys
laugh, but suddenly he becomes serious
again and Is mute before the young girl,
opening upon her eyes so wide-so wide
You would thing he wished to carry her
away IN their gaze.
II was thus that the loves OF Kadour
and Katel commenced.
Now that he Is well, KadOur has re-
turned TO his father, and you can iInag-
inc If there has been merTymaking IN
his honor IN the land Of the Matmatas.
The reed flutes and little Arab drums
have played their prettiest airs TO receive
him As the old caid, who was sitting
before MS door, saw IN the distance
coming down the cactus alley this be-
loved son whom he thought dead, he
shook under his wooden burnooSe as
though with a chill. For whole month
there was an uninterrupted series of diff
fas, Of fantasies, III the tribe. The caids
and agas Of the nejghborhood disputed
with each other the honor Of having Ka-
dour-ben-C herifa for their guest, and ev-
cry evening In the Moorish cafes they
would make him tell them over and over
again OF the great battles IN which he
had taken part.
But all these honors, all this feasting,
do not make Kadeur the happier. IN
the paternal abode, surrounded though
he be by all the associations Of his boy
hood-his horses, his dogs, his guas-
there Is something always lacking-Ksl-
tells CHEEKY words and pleasant laughter.
The perpetual chatter Of the Arabian
women, which used TO cause his heart TO
beat 90 quickly, now wearies and annoys
him. He no longer adTuires headdresses
OF coins nor wide trousers Of rose col
ored satin. Talk TO him rather OF long
braids falling down, without pearls o.
gauze or flowers, only interruingled with
threads Of gold from the setting sun in "a
little Alsaii2D garden.
BIT # K&iour would? In the uezt
trise 70 ms there are beautiful black
eyes watching him from behind the
barred windows of the aga's dwelling
beautiful eyes 20 elongated with kohl
that their every glance is an INDECENT ca
ress. But KtdOur no longer cares for
eyes ike tnas. What be dreams Of, what
ne longs for, is KatePs kind look, which
used TO make the tour OF his room 50
quickly to see that nothing was lacking
Cor fsis comfort and Ia which the life wss
always dancing ike light in the bIus
Depths Of water drops.