The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-30
B A 7 7 E R S..
nV JOHN FOSTER FRASER,
Copyrighted, 1897. by John Foster Fraser.

ter; unless it be the possession OF a pre-
ty wife
Beatrice is pretty; though, as her broth
er. ! would be the last person 60 say 50
to her face. AT first I liked her because
she was nicer than other girls. Then
disliked her for the same reason.
You never quite realize what limitations
there are TO brotherly affection till your
sister shows an inclination to firt win
the very man who used to kick you, as
a boy, at school
l had a presentment Betty would be
nuisance if she accompanied as TO Cairo.
She was.
OF course I went because the doctor
urged it might be well if 1 escaped the
English winter. Perhaps the fact that
the Travers. the Hil-Greens old WI
loughby and his intellectual niece, Kath-
leen Hamerton. We're making up party
had also something to do with Il. l done
know. But why couldn't Betty stay at
home? Couldn't she find enough diversion
in looking after her picturesque old village
cripples who hobbled up to the hall on
begging expeditions. without worrying me
by having to look after her out in Egypt?
But the moment I declared I was going
to Cairo for the season Betty announced
she would accompany me. It was no
use telling her she might catch the choi-
era. She said she wasn't afraid When
1 described how she would be scorchcd to
death with the heat she said she liked be-
ing scorched. When l limited the posi-
bility I might push on to Central Africa,
where the blacks ate white folks while
the lions finished off the blacks, she said
she would risk it.
| wanted to enjoy my self in Cairo ana
not to be hampered with good-lookns
sister whom every man would be making
love to. If 1 snubbed her she only laugh
ed; and. wnen I appealed to her, calmly
and reasonably, and told her l didn't want
her hanging about my heels for the next
four months, she replied in language that
only a sister can use, Look here, You
great idiot, I'm going to Egypt ana m
going with YOU. So that's settled, ana
please give over chattering.'
And so she accompanied me to Cairo
and bored me dreadfully. while an the
men sat round on the Varanda at Shep-
beard's and talked inane twaddle to her /
You see Beatrice is a tall, slim, majestic
sort of girl whom I would have admired
If she hadn't been my sister As 1t was,
I criticised her gorgeous gowns ana sun
more gorgeous bonnets, tod her she was
doing her hair like a French fashion plate
and wished to goodness she would not be
so smilingly gracious to every fellow IN
troduced to her. The responsibility OF
having to look after her damped all the
pleasure ] had.
Not only was she pretty. but she was
positively mad In the blistering heat of
CHI
ing off to the Arab part of the town and
wandering up and down the vie-odored
but fantastic oriental streets. The dusky-
skinned black-eyed sons OF the desert, as
they sat on their launches pulling at
nargilhes. looked at the tan English girl
as she passed by, so unlike their own
squat tubby women who waddled along
the alleys.
The worst Of * was I had to accompany
her I'm not sentimental and imaginative
like Betty and l got just a httle tired OF !
the glittering streets the beWildering peg
CARS. the "Asal va burtukan, asall5 OF the
orange sellers. the yells of "Riglak, She
malak, yeminak. ua! ua!' from the camel
drivers as the caravans swung along, the
frolicsome donkey boys and the sellers of
sweet drinks. 1t is possible to have too
much of eastern novelty; and much pre-
ferred spending the afternoon I'm a ham
mock chair beneath the hotel palms with
an iced beverage at my elbow.
So one afternoon she simply went off
by herself.
1t wasn't her going off that ] so much
minded as her coming back She return
ed with a preposterous little clean-shaven
fellow that looked something of a jockey
and a good deal of "a shop assistant.
Ted" she said, with one of her pro-
volxing smiles. "this is Mr.. Batters-Mr.
Alfred Batters. Oh, he has been so good
to me-
/ bowed stifHy to Batters. lie was a
tourist-an ordinary glob-trotting tourist
in a gray tourist suit tourist hat, tourist
boots and tourist stamped all over him.
/ wondered If he came out with Cook S or
Gaze's. and whether he paid his hotel
bill with green coupons.
Delighted. delighted, I'm sure!' and
his little red face beamed like a winter
sun.
'Oh. Ted" said Betty, "Mr.-Nr. Bat
tiers has really been so good to me. / got
lost down one of those awful little lanes
and ! was sure somebody would Kill me
or the camels would run over me. and
there was nobody who could speak Eng
fish or French-sO silly Of them-and then
I saw Mr.. Batters and. noticing he was
an Englishman, I was obliged TO ask him
the way to Shepherds, and I'm sure he
saved my life by getting me away from
the horrid place. And-and, Ted. ISM
Il strange? Mr.. Batters is staying here,
ana We We never AllfA btARAf'
Yes, very stranger l muttered.
Il trust" said this Batters. bowling and
trying TO appear al ease which he wasn't.
"that-that our informal introduction Will
not prevent me being your most humble
servant In the future and then he bowed
again.
What COMPOUNDED impudence! And what
a name Batters-Alfred Batters! The lit
tie brute would bee hanging on TO us like
a leech all during our stay. / wished
there was n law 20 keep perky tradesmcn
out OF hotels.
you know I said severely 10 Betty
when Batters had gone. you should not
speak to strange men in the streets"
"But, my dear what was ! to do?
had to speak TO somebody. and he was
the only man who could understand. H.
And such mani" 1 demured. some
miserable son of a north country manu-
facturcr. Youi just see that now he's
got chance 10 speak 10 "a lady hen bee
always speaking Co you You mark my
words. ~ would be like his impertincncc
n he began 10 make love 60 you right
awayg'
Betty lay back in my hammock chair.
famed htraaff with Tho Irrtutlnu glytffD.