Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-27


Hear the story Of HadJl Tahar, tho
son of Mohammed, shelk of the pros
vince Of Sus, In Morocco-how he won
his wife in combat with Omar the I'M
regenerato. who had never made the
pilgrimage to Mecca. He told 1t with
his own lips. lying back on n silken
diyan in his tent in the Arab quarter
of the wild West camp, with the pro.
found smoke OF the hubble-bubble pipa
curling and coiling above the folds Of
his white burnous--even he. HadJi
Tahar, son of the shelk
Tatima the Fair, the pearl of the
desert, for whom this fight was fought,
sat little apart from her lord, listen
Ing to the tale with nattered modesty.
Being in the land of the Frank. she
had laid aside her veil, thus exhibiting
to the little company the loveliness of
those features which In her own cuun-
try may be seen only by her husband.
The son OF the sheik must excel all
other youths OF the tribe IN manly
sports and warlike feats. As SheiiS
Mohammed ls ruler over 100000 OF his
people, HadJI Tahar had many rivals
among the sons of the lesser chiefs
and the warriors OF the province of
Sus-and the. most dangerous of these
was Omar the 'Unregenerate.
Hadll Tahaf had met and defeated
all the other gilded youth OF Sus, when
one day Omar challenged him to single
combat. Both OF the young men had
| long been suitors for the hand of Fati-
ma the Fair and when they roade into
the center Of the great circle formed by
| the chiefs ana warriors. each knew
| that the Yictor's prize was to be the
I Incompatible Pearl, the Pearl Of the
| Desert. sheik Mohammed was there In
| the splcndor OF his ducal robes, and all
l the chivalry OF Sus looked on. Fatima's
| dRrlly glorious eyes watched the COM
batants over the top OF her veil OF gold
| cloth.
| A shout went, up from thousands of
| threats as Hadjl Tahar and omar drew
| their shining sclmeteis and branshed
/ them with yells of defiance. Swinging
/ the glttering blades with lightning.
| like rapidlty about their heads, they
\ dashed madly together, each seeking to
! uuhorsc the other at the first shock.
| silence fell upon the white-robed null
/ utude as the ants gonlsts circlcd
around, cutting, slashing thrusting,
| parrying, I'LL both were lost to sight In
| the cloud of dust stirred up by the
| laundering hoofs OF their beautiful
| Arabian chargers. The ceaseless swish
! awash OF the scimeters alone told that
| the young men were fighting with tho
fury Of flends. until Omar's horse
broke from the dust-cloud and gal
loped on through the circle with big
splashes OF red ON his black coat. Then
the dust stettled down and shrlll
shrieks pierced the desert air as 1t was
| seen that the Unregenerate had leaped
upon his enemy's horse and was whirl-
| Ing his sword for a stroke that should
sever the head OF the son OF the sheilS
| from his body at a single blow
Hadji Tahar fought fercely, bu,
| omar was behind him and apparently
could not he thrown on. The white
charger reared and plunged and HadiI
| Tahar saved his head only by the most
superb sword-play seen In Sus since
| Sheik MohRmmed's combat with Croc-
! Mltaine, the beau sabreur OF the
French army-wardlng on strokes
| from the rear until even the strong
arm OF Omar the Unregenerate grew
! Weary.
Then. inded, did the son OF the sheik
| prove his superiority over all the other
| warriors OF Sus. Bending back In his
saddle until II seemed that he must un.
seat himself. he seized Omar by the
middle. lifted him from the horses
Launches and hurled him clear over
| the chargers head.
| "Allah II Allah" shouted Sheik Mo.
manned, who for some minutes had
| looked ON IN momentary expectation OF
his sons death. The lesser chiefs and
warriors yelled wildly, their cries swell.
Ing TO mighty cheer as Hadti Tahar
leapcd from his horse and cleft the
head OF the unregenerate down to the
shoulders.
Had1l Tahar. son OF the sheik OF the
Province OF Sus. says he would fight a
hundred OF such battles, II necessary
for Fatima the Fair. the Peerless Pearl
OF the Desert.