The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-08-12
HER BIT OF WISDOM.
s6VYy OMEN-fools" said this turbaned
w degenerate between the philosoph-
VI ic puffs from his hookab, mo.

sir; she more wise than two sefpents, and
when .he love more gentle than Mohsm-
msd's own dove. Bissmillah! listen" He
should have said wait" During the next
few minutes he was silently engaged in at
tending to his pipe; meantime the full
clear moon shone on patches Of desert, water
and greenery. We were anchored for the
night just within the northern end Of the
Bitter lakes, and our passenger-in the en-
ploy Of a ships agent at Port Said-was
journeying back from Suez.
There is not much of interest about the
Bitter lakes, else we would hardly have con-
scented to listen to the tale our passenger
seemed anxious to tell us. But in such
PLACE, and especially for those whom trav-
cling by ship in this part of the world is
not new, anything that would tend to break
the monosony and silence of the tropical
night was acceptable, and we rather urged
him to spin the yarn. 1t was some few Sec
onds before he spoke again, and we had
about concluded our efforts were to be in
vain when he began again.
Listen. TEMP years ago one
English steamer struck one Frenchman
there" With the stem Of his pipe he indi-
Gated the entrance to the canal just ahead
and re captain run it on shore BY re signal
house. Well" he continued, drop
ping some of his Frenchman' S style of speak
ing English, which came of his better
knowledge Of the observation-disclosures, de
men were sent home; but de officers, en-
gineers and de carpentair was keep by de
damaged ship, and some came from Port
Said to mend de broken place. OF course,
de steamer was here weeks. Well, re French
signaman in de house zair" (again point
ing) chad one servant girl-very tine-what
you call good for re eyes. All, beautiful!
Eyes like re moon, face same as houri, tall,
and soft to de fingers. Her mother was
Circassan-slave, I think; but the master
give his child freedom cause her mother
ask it. . . Well, she had lover, Mus
sulman, in Ismailia; but she soon love &c
carpentair-he live in tent on shore there
with his shipmen. Re signalman had one
fine cow-p!enty milk, and Alphonse-de
carpentair--go many times to buy milk. He
was young, kind, and pleasing to see.
81 was what you call taxman here, and
learn all. :.
"Well, Alphonse and Joyce Joyce not
her name, but he call her SO, and she called
that today, they meet many times after re
sun go down-so many that Ben Ali come
two, three times catch them. OF course, he
make trouble. Love makes re coward brave.
Think she care? Not! She speak some
French, and she tell Aphonse that she,
what you call, afllanced to Ben Ali. Al
phonse not care lie love her, he say; she
love him, she say; SO what for care?
All, Ben Ali come soon to claim her;
then she must 60. Re signalman and French
people about take sides with Alphonse, and
tell him take Joyce to France. But lovers
wisdom is FOOLS knowledge They better
know their own business best /. .
"The ship was nearly ready, then she go
night Joyce creep out of re signal house.
there she leave her-her what you call
dress and shawl, then she go quiet back to
re ships small boat-where Alphonse lie
wait for her. Her mothers sister live other
side the lake there, and he was to take her
there till his ship come back, then she
would go with him in it to France. Of
course, de people on zis side de lake was to
think she had drown herself, cause Ben Ali
making trouble. So was her plan, and re
lover always say his houri's plans are good
1t would take Alphonse most re night; but
what care he She would be out of Ben
Ais way, and was he not re slave of his
Joyce?
so re boat put off-Joyce lying down,
her great moon-eyes peeping over re stern
edge at de ship and signal house. Soon she
lift her head and look hard. Then she sit
up and say hot words. Alphonse stop pull,
and ask what re mattair. She make to him
10 pull hard, and say: Ben Ali, Ben Ali
Then she tell Alphonse that she make mis-,
take of &c night. She sometimes have to see
Ben Ali for keep peace; this was re night
she should see him, and run away on de
next night. Never mind, if re Mussulman
not see them. But-Joyce said quick words.
Ben Ali had turned from re shore, and was
making speed after re ships boat. He come
out of re canal from Ismaflia, and was go.
ing to &c signalman's landing place, when he
see ze uncommon sight of boat going cross
re lake at night. He miss re ships boat,
and what you call jealousy sometimes nuke
men wise. lie give chase. His boat was one
old small thing, made of zane and camel skin,
and he sent it through water like steamer.
"Joyce begin to feel 'fraid, talk to her
self, and turn about. Ben Ali must catch
them, and Alphonse say he go back and
fight him. No, say Joyce. Then she creep
to her lover, take his knife, kiss him to say
nothing, and tell him to stop pulling two
minutes after she leave him, then 60 round
back towards re ship. He know how well
she can swim like fish. and he say no word.
In one minute Joyce slip into re water like
re night come down, and swim straight for
Ben Ais boat. Alphonse go on; by and by
CIT
Ben All come on. like mad man; him see
the other boat turn, wonder what re mat.
tair, and stop 10 use his paddle. Eat minute
his boat havS its life took Joyce stab it at
re bow. under water, as it run over her
Then she swim fast to her lover, and Ben
Ali begin to sink He shout for help; but
Aphonse stop as Joyce tell him. Soon lie
see her head in re moonlight; pull to her, and
take her in. Now, Ben Ais boat gone and
he nowhere. Re lovers say it not right for
him to die they go TO look, and find him
sinking last time He no senses; they put
him in their boat, sec that he soon all right,
and talk what best to do, In two minutes
they do what Joyce say. lie him face down,
tie his hands and feet, and make all haste
to re few houses on re other side of lake.
Presently him speak and try to look at
them; then she point Aphonse finish ze
plan and wind Ben Ais turban round him
eyes and mouth Soon they come to re
shore; there they leave ze Mussuman, and
go back. Next morning Joyce and re car
pentaire tell her master and 2e captain
what they do. and re two men send 70 lovers
to Port Said by &c first scamerinto &c canal
zat morning :"
"And what became of them?" ! asked