The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-09
DESCENDENT OF MOHAMNED
Chick Ell Sadat. of Cairo, Claims to
BE the Only One Living.
Laura starr in Philadelnhia Press

Laura Starr in Philadelphia Press.
There is living in one of the Iabyrinthian
streets of Old Cairo man who claims to
be the only male descendant of the Great
Prophet. He is ordinarily spoken of as
Chick Ell Sadat, but when addressed off,
cially his whole name and title are usad
thus: Elsaid Ahmed Effindi Abdel Kah-
lex, Chick Ell Sadat. How much his name
and how much his title is more than 7
know, but am certain that 1t is correct
for have copied it from his card.
friend and acquaintance of the chicks.
who speaks the language of the people
took us to see this celebrated man to
whom attaches a peculiar interest. Our
Arab driver banged on the gate with the
butt of his whip; there was no bell. for
did not Mohammed of blessed memory
declare that bells were the inventions Of
the devils?
The gate was opened by the boab who
conducted us across the court where the
chick was sitting smoking mis- narghilly.
The house inclosed the court on three
sides; between the fourth and the street
there rose a high brick wall which com
petely hid the house and court from the
passer-by.
In the center of the court was A small
fountain of running water for the neces-
sary additions before the five daily nrav
ers. Not a spear of grass, nor plant. nor
flower, was seen; nothing but a gnarled
old sycamore with Widespread ding
branches.
Several overhanging windows of lnush-
rabieh-the beautiful lattice work of the
country-loolxed into the court. and from
bab VIC ha
harem might even then be looking down
upon us. The door leading to the wo-
mems apartments is carefully covered
with a green carpet and guarded by Gu
much, long. lank and lean--a veritable hu-
man blackbird
AS the family of the chick has been es-
tablished in Egypt since the fifth century.
the house is of great antiquity and natu,
rally a type of the best Arabian houses.
The court is exactly as 1t has been for
hundred of years, but the house shows
many an innovation.
In one room we found the old and the
new elbowing each other in the most ride
ulous fashion, soft Persian rugs and car
pets had given way to the ugliest of Euro
pean floor and furniture coverings. The
beautiful beaten brass and silver bowls
had been put away to make room for the
most meretricious china, lacquer and clois-
onai
The ringing of the telephone bell and the
sharp hello seemed wonderfully out OF
place in this half darkened room, filed
with memories and precious relics of other
days.
The chick is a man of huge proportions.
apparently afflicted with asthma. and has
a very red race. He seldom walks, and
when he does he waddles l saw him walk
IN lsmail Pashas funeral procession, with
the dervishes of which he is the head He
wore an immense outer garment reaching i
to his heels. which was lined and trim
med with sable, and although the day was
sunocating hot, nothing would have In
duced him to put it off for IL was a sign
OF his social and official position.
At his own house and whenever 1 saw
MIN elsewhere he wore what seemed to me
an unnecessary number of soft, silken
garments bound around the waist with a
girdle of finest cashmere The sleeves or
the gabbeh were long and had deep open