The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-05


ls the broken various-yolced sing-song OF
q chiIdren's school. These Moorish schools
interested me. They were the simplest
OF all possible institutes, consisting nsu-
aIly OF rush-covcred cellar. two steps
down from the street. with the teacher.
the Taieb. often haif-biind old man,
squatting In the middle Of the floor. anu
his pupils seated about nm. and all re-
citing together some passages OF the ko-
ran. the only textbook of education. One
such school WAS close under nay bed
room window: heard the drone of II as
earl as O'Clock every morning, and as
often as l went abroad / stood Tor
moment and looked in at the open door
way. A black boy sat there with bas-
ket for the aims of passers-by. He was
bfight-eyed little fellow. 6 or years Of
age. and he knew one English phrase
only. Come on" he would say. and
hold up the basket and smile. What pa
tsetic interest his sunny face had for
me. how he would cheer and touch me.
with what strange memories his voice and
laugh would startie ms. il would be pitt
ful to tell
Bear with me. j was far from my own
darling. | was in strange land. / was
a weak man for all that ]. was thought
so strong. and NV one besetting infirm-
ity--rnore consuming than a mothers love
was preyed upon by my failing health,
which In turn was preying upon it.
And IL the sights Of the streets brought
me pain, or pleasure that was akin 10
pain. what Of the sights. the visions. the
dreams OF my own solitary mind! ! could
not close my eyes in the darkness but 1
saw my boy. His little child-ghost was
always with me. He never appeared as
l had oftenest seen bim-laughing. romp-
ing a-Id kicking up his legs on the hearth
rug. Sometimes he came as he would do
at home after he had committed some
childish trespass and / had whipped him
opening the door Of nv room and step
ping, one pace In. quietly nervously. half
fearfully. to say goodnight and kiss me
at his bedtime, and / would lift my eyes
and see. over the shade OF my library
lamp. his little sober red-and-white face
just dried OF its recent tears. Or again
sometimes i myself would seem in these
dumb dramas of the darkness to go into
his room when he was asleep, that
might indulge my hungry. foolish heart
with looks of fondness that the reprov-
Ing parent could not give. and find him
sleeping with an open book in his hands
which he had made believe to read. And
then for sheer folly of love would pick
up his wee knickeybockers and turn out
its load at either side TO see what boys
pockets might be like and discover
curiosity shop OF poor little Treasures
knife with broken blade. a nail. two
marbles. a bit of brass. some string
screw. a crust OF bread. a cork, and the
leg of a lobster
While I was indulging this weakness.
the conviction was deepening in my mind
that my boy was III. SO strong did this
assurance become at length. that though
was ashamed to give way to 1t so far
as 10 set my face towards home being
yet no better for my holiday. sat down
W.
had written TO nv wife by every mail
that | might relieve my pent-up feelings.
said nothing to him Of my rnisgiyingz,
for | was 10th 10 confess TO them, hav-
ing no positive reasons whatever, and TO
negative grounds except the fact that I
was receiving no letters. But gave him
q fun history of my boys case described
each stage of II In the past foretold it's
probable developments In the future. in
eicated with elaborate care the treatment
necessary at every point. and foreshal-
owed the contingencies under which II
might I'm the end become malignant and
cv~n deadly. unless stoDped bv the opera
ticn thar had myself after wears Of la
Dor. found tho art Of making.
| spent an afternoon in the writing Of
this letter. and when II was done | felt
IS IL burden that had been on my baciS
fer ages had suddenly been lifted away
Then | went out alone 10 post H. The
time was close To evening prayers. and
aS | walked through tho streets the Ia
lehs and tradesmen with their prayer
mats under their arms. were trooping to
The various mosques, Going 10 the Ka-
re'eCin mosque ] observed that the good
Mnslimeen were entering It by hundreds.
some special celebration" I thought
Ny heart was light, nv eyes were alert,
and my stem was quick. For the first
time since INV coming IN the city. Fez
seemed to ms "A beautiful place The
wilchery of tn" scenes OF the streets took
hold Of me. To BIZ thus transported into
4 world Of eoa years ago gave me the n
light OF magic
When I reached the English nostofIce I
found IL shut up, On SITS shutters behind
lis iron grating notice board was hunsS
out saying that the Office was tefnpo-
rarilv closed for the sorting OF an IN
coming mall and the dispatch OF an n,lt-
going one. There was a little crowd az
peooie waiting In frcnt-chleffy Moorish
servants OF the English visitors-for the
window 70 OMEN again ard near by s,naI
the horses Of the postal couriers paving
the pavement. l dropped MY letter into
the slit IN the window ana then stood
aside IN see * the mail had brought any
thing for me az last
The window WAS thrown ur. and two
letters were handed ~ me through the
EEStih<, over the heads OF the MpDrS
who were crushing underneath. I took
them with sort OF fear, ard half wished
az she FIRST moment taat they might he
from, strangers, They were from holne:
ore was from my wife-I knew the en-
velope before looking az TIE handwriting
the other was from wegman
1 read Wenman's letter first Good O.
bad. the news muse be broken 10 ME rau.
ty. Hardly had I torn the shes; open
wren ( saw what II contained Ny lit
tie Noel had beer II: he was sian 50
bnt rot seriously ard was not 10 D.
alarmed The silence or their part which
bad complained - 50 bitterly had raers-
~ been dye - their fear az giving me
unnecessary anxisfv. For his rsrf fyyan.
raan'sl he woui& hare written before 70
living on NV rusriiGesS and good seoss
rsat NV wife has restrs med him saving
she kew me better. There Was 70 rsitxa
far srnrehe1Stons he nov vas rogr~
along as well as could Re expected a.c
etc, etc.
Nat a word 20 indicate tAe ~a-7,ra ara
degree OF tire attack Surh an srsgfFs-4s-,
epsstls must have disGate,ea ,he vsr,sst
nE0coua npec alive To send a -hEnr M
THAI 10 ns@--to me % az men, Was iher.
ever so gross a mistake OF judgements
knew in an instant wha. ths pa.
must ns-rny hoy WA eowa Usth that ala
congenasai intlrmisy Of the throat SURE
IL sny wife aaa Told ne more sac hae
No1 by design, hut anwis,ingly she ha8
revealed the sryath - u-. Granville WEI
planning everything. and was no, 20
worry aad ssather. Al rhst MAS rsassfr,sa
w@s bSAus done ta< CGE earring, ana u