The morning times., 1896-06-14
Raced
to tho
e. Pyramids
to the
BY CHARLES LEWIS SHAW.


The present year was bat a few days old
when our party sat one morning on the
verandas Of Shepherds Hotel in Cairo and
loungcd and partook OF the omniprescnt
coffee as we awaited our carriages for
our first drive To the pyramids. There
must be 100000 Americans, Englisiimen
and Frcnchmen who make this pilgrimage
in a year, ani it is quite safe TO say that
10000 print their Impressions of it.
j am merely going To tell how a boy
and girl got there. They were the only
youngsters in our party. Youngsters are
not undesirable additions to a party, the
adult portion OF which are more inter
ested i'll the fact that the dryness of the
Egyptian winters is good for the lungs
than that 1t is the land OF Haroun Al
Raschid, Caesar, Pompey, Cleopatra and
Napoleon. And they were a particularly
nice boy and girl, if 1. their relative 10
say it; second or third cousins to each
Other, / believe. Our party were all re-
lated some way or other. And he was
New York boy. Even at sixteen he had
the self possession and self-confidence of
an English lad OF twenty, and he was
bicyclist. He had brought his machine
with him. He, with lofty scorn, refused to
ride in carriage to the pyramids. He
would approach Cheops awheel. Mabel
bis far off cousin from Moptana, blue
eyed miss OF fourteen, scoffed at bicycles
She, with the pride of a Western girl, ac-
customed to riding the Looping broncho
since she was in short frocks, said she
would ride. And with the skirt )f her
habit daintily held up with one hand, she
swished her riding habit impatiently to and
fro us she listened to the chaff of her metro
politan kiusman as to the manner In which
be would sCorch past her. She said that
she only hoped that the boasted Arab
borses were anything like her Pinto pony
and he would see.
II WAS one OF those delightful days that
only can be seen in a winter in Northern
Africa. The blue, cloudless sky overhead,
the cool north wind from the Mediter-
ranean. the rustling of the palms over
hanging the veranda and the glimpse Of
the garden across the square whence the
mimosa trees gave forth perfume which
was almost Intoxicating in its sweetness.
made the older members almost reluctant
TO leave even if one OF the seven wonders
of the world had to be seen. Not so with
Mabel and Frank. They were going to the
pyrdm ds. They were going to race to the
base of Cbeops, and they hailed with salts
faction the announcement OF the draguman
that everything was ready. Down the broad
steps Frank trundled his wheel. with Mabel
at his side.
Where is my pony?" she asked as she
looked beyond the carriages and sa W about
fifty long red Cairian donkeys.
mere. iDlSbee. DpDO- good lake Iilne,
American. Abe Lincoln. Gen. Grant, bono
good. Run quick. come Quies stars and
stripes. Here. Missee. His Mafeesli, mine
Amer can clamored fifty Egyptian don
KEY boys as only Cairian donkey boys can
clamor.
Where IS my pony?' q gain asked Mabel.
turning pair of astonished blue eyes on the
dragoman.
That's all the pony get. Miss" said the
Armenian dragoman sala3ming profoundly.
The old folks are nearly ready. Mabel.
You had better pick out your fiery. untamed
stced,' said Frank, with quiet, tantaIiz-
Ing smile.
The girl hestatcd, but she saw that
smile. and a red spot burned on her cheek |
as she said: well, / will They say |
Cairo dnnkeys ca n run, and if they can III |
beat you"
General Grant Defender. New York, |
hone donkey, Abe Lincoln" screamed the |
donkey boys
IN take Mr.. Lincoln" she politely |
and patriotically said to dusky little
Arab. with true American spirit and in |
a minute she had mounted the donkey |
that seemed to consist principally of legs
and ears. The soul of the true horse
woman within her rebelled at the long
cared stecd, as the whole party moved |
off midst the usual yelling, screaming |
and gesticulating of a Levantine crowd.
The cavalcade swung into the long
straight. palm lined Mehemet Ali road
to the pyramids and the leading carriages