The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-07-14
He trembled from head to foot. His

eyes-the eyes of q lover, against
which no woman evef yet disguised
herself-had recognized his cousin
Fat-Meh on the instant Why she thus
masqueraded he did not know, but she
had asked for him and wild fancies
filed his mind. Now as he knelt
there he whispered:
IL know you! l know you. Fat
Meh. Tell me quickly what it is that
ails you!!"
"Oh, Cousin Ibin, it is a wound" the
girl gasped-''here in my arm! came
with the new soldiers who came
to-day. Two of them %quarreled. One
struck at the other. He sprang behind
me and the blade entered my arm. l
am dying. And. oh, it was so horrible
to think of dying amongst strange
men, and that they should know. And
| knew tina. you would keep my secret.
Hide me. Let no one know even after
! am dead"
Have no fear. ! will shield you with
my life if necessary" said hin. Here
on your sleeve | see blood. Is it
here"
"IeS.." whispered the girl.
On the instant Ibin ripped up the
sleeve, and To his joy found a little
wound, which had bled badly but not
dangerously. When he bound it up
and treasured hI- he covered her face
and left her TO rest and went ont to
tell his tale. The little soldier, he said.
was not much hurt. He was a mere
boy and fancied himself dying.and had
asked for him that he might send Il
message to his parents For the pres
cnt he would care for him. Then he
returned to his tent.
Fat-Meh was awake. Her great eyes
turned upon him.
''IbIn." she sad, do | seem bold to
you? | suppose SO. But listen. l have
been learning lessons. In Egypt WON
IN are slaves. They sell us as if we
were birds. /, for instance, have a
heart. ! wish to marry one | love.
And therr rame to our house an old
woman. who told my parents hat a
rich man wished to marry me; and
they said | must marry him. | prayed
them not to give me to him. They
laughed. The preparations were com
plete. The time had come. Do you
blame me for running away? A few
jewels bought the help of an old wom-
an. While they were looking for a
lost girl, n boy marched away with the
soldiers.
"Oh, would have done anything to
escape that frightful man, See. / have
even cut my long hair. Does it make
me ugly? Do You think me bold and
bad-very, very bad? | saw that You
loved me when You looked up at me
from the garden. But, if | have made
you despisc me, at least let me stay
and be n little soldier. and see You now
ard then, and perhaps, wait IN you
sometimes. And when there is a bat
tie, fight beside you. Onlydo not send
me back to marry somebody I hate.
Pity me. even if you scorn me-"
On this. Capt. Ibin El-Warrakah
quite forgot Egyptian good manners.
and took Fat-Meh's hand in his and
held it against his heart. and told her
that she was a rose, 4 nightingale and
n dove. and he recited this verse to her:
VA milah krafOO min Allah
Wa ShGmai ashik li-ah
EObukum mel tOOh min Allah.
KRCdarn / mowla a~leiriia."
Which might be very freely trans,
lated thus:
"Oh, beloved one. Since Allah has
given us t. each other, the love we feel
is ordained by him. Therefore, let no
one blame us for what was decrced in
paradise"
But in spite of this bold speech and
their brave hearts, matters might have
ended badly for both had it not hap
pened thai the khedive elected to visit
his soldiers that morning, mounted
on 4 prancing horse, followed by
other highmightinesses mounted on
other prancing horses, with music and
and jingle and floating banners
and great pomp and ceremony. And
it 50 happened that Capt. Ibin El-War-
had of late accomplished certain
doughty deeds, and been reported ia
vorably for them, so that when he
begged for mercy, mercy was granted.
Like all the ~viziers and sultans in
the Arabian Nights Tales" the khe-
dive was sentimental. lie felt for true
Therefore, having n right to
do as he pleased, he declared that these
should be married, had the cere-
mony performed as soon as possible,
bestowed his blessing and a dowry
upon the bride, made the captain Il
colonel. and sent II message to the
parents TO the effect that they had bet
ter not lit him hear them make any OBJ.
jections.
And this was all very lucky for little
for Egyptian fathers make
nothing of putting adaughter who has
disgraced her family as completely as
little rebel had certainly done into
a bag. along with a few Jumps of lime,
and having her quietly tossed into the
nearest river. As it ended, we may
that she lived happily ever
afterward.-Col. Howard Appleby, in
n. Y. Ledger.