Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-02-01
THE SENTENCE.

Ahmanzade Mehemed, the sirdar of the
auxiliary troops of Tunisi, was known on
account of the rigorous discipline that he
exercised over his soldiers. 1T is not the
enemy you must fear, but me-" he would
often remark to the young soldiers who
came to increase the ranks. Thus his army
was an army of heroes, who had no fear on
the battlefield, but who trembled in the
presence Of their leader.
The first campaign in which they fought
was at Albania, in the battle against the
rebel Greeks, and on that occasion Me-
hemed's men proved themselves efficient.
1t happened that Mehemed one day ordered
eight soldiers to remain in ambush at the
''flve fountains" Of Arta, at which point
the Greeks were likely to open their attack.
They were to stop any one who should try
to pass by, and they were strictly cautioned
not to dismount or fall asleep. The sol.
diers executed with exactness all their in.
structions.
A vehicle which attempted toward mid
night to cross the line unobserved was dis
covered and stopped. The man who had
charge of the oxen which drew it ran away,
abandoning his wagon. On this wagon was
barrel. 1t was easy to ascertain what the
barrel contained, even without dismount-
ing and without falling asleep. You only
had to open the bunghole to smell the pleas
ant odor of liquor escaping from it. And it
must have been an excellent liquor, COM
pounded largely of figs and raisins. The Gil
aurri (Christians) undoubtedly knew what
was good.
The soldiers had not been forbidden II
they seized liquor to drink it. And really
they did not drink directly from the barrel.
They merely sunk bulrushes nit, through
which they slipped the sweet and intoxicat
ing liquid. Was it rot harmless to sip with
such thin PUSHES? One could scarcely call
that drinking But justly does the prophet
remark that wine is a deceitful beverage in
which the devil has had his hand, since
this drink brings men to every evil.
First the soldiers asked each other why
they should sit in their hard saddles when
the grass made such soft bed on the
ground. And if they lay there for only a
short while nobody would know it, They
could tie the horses to the wagon, and these
certainly could tell no tales. After they
had dismounted the internal drink persuad-
ed them that it was useless task for eight
men to remain OIL guard. -Four would suf-
fee, and the rest could sleep. To the four
men who were to keep awake the waiting
for their turn seemed too long, and they
agreed that two might sleep while the 9th
er two remained true to the orders.
Maruf and Sefer were the two designated,
to watch for the rest.
do you know" said Sefer to his friend
"doyou know that one man is of the same
value in this case as two? It will do just
as well IL only one Of us watches. Do you
not agree?"
Maruf assented.
II propose continued Sefer, shat we
play game Of chess. The loser will have
to watch, and the winner may sleep"
Maruf accepted the conditions.
The two Bedouins prepared the ground in
front Of where they stood, and with their
spears they traced a square, dividing it into
"a smaller squares. Then they substituted
for the regular pawns the fruits of the
woods. The wild pears became kings, the
apples queens; the castles were represented
by acorns, the bishops by rose hips, tho
knights by nuts and the pawns by berries.
The men thus provided, the game began by
the light Of the campfire.
At first Scfer held the advantage, but
that inebriating drink overcame him little
by little, so that he was not in condition to
distinguish his pawns. He lost bis queen
and was very near being checkmated.
sSefer, you are in bad mess, remarked
Maruf when he saw that the game was in
his hands,
'You are right. I am as sleepy as the sea
wher it is callnV
You arc losing the game
Il can nee that too"
well, lie down in the name Of Allah.
will watch for you"
Sefer shook his friends hand in grateful
acknowledgment Of the sacrifice, and he
thought he spoke to him, but he only
dreamed it, for lie fell asleep Immediately.
Maruf, on the contrary, kept his eyes
open, and leaning on his gun he looked at
his sleeping companions. But that devilish
drink began to murmur softly:
ssWhy do you not sit DOWN. You could
zee just as we'll"
AS soon as he was seated Satan again be.
gan to tempt him.
why do you tire your eyesf II you shut
one Of them, you will see with the other just
as well as with both"
Maruf reflected that II his eyes were
closed his ears were open, and that he would
be ready to start at the smallest danger that
might threaten his companions and him
sell, And with the firm purpose Of not fall
ing asleep he slumbered as heavily a. the
reAt.
In the meantime the hidden Greeks came