Evening journal., 1899-09-02
HER BIT OF WISDOM.
(VIT OAIEN-fools?" said this turbaned
wv degenerate between the philosoph-
10 nuer from b;s boolah tsNo

w ic puffs from his hookah "No,
sir; she more wise than two serpents, and
when she love more gentle than Moham-
lnsds own dove. Bissmillahl listen" lie
should have said wait" During the next
few minutes he was silently engaged in at
tending to his pipei 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
joumeying back from Suez.
There is not much Of interest about the
Bitter lakes, else we would hardly have con-
sented to listen to the tale our passenger
seemed anxious to tell us. But in such
place, and especially for those whom tray
cling by ship in this part of the world is
not new, anything that would tend to break
the monotony and silence Of the tropical
night was acceptable, and we rather urged
kim 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. Ten-l2 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
Of us "Ze French boat was going to sink,
and re captain run it on shore by ze 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 cross-channel language, "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. We'll, re French
signalman in de house zair' (again point
/ ing) chad one servant girl-very fine-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
Circassian-slave, l 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 ze
carpentair-he live in tent on shore there
with his shipmen. Ze signalman had one
fine cow plenty milk, and Alphonse-de
carpentair-go many times to buy milk. lie
was young, kind, and pleasing to see.
''I was what you call taxman here, and 1
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 60 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? Notl She speak some
French, and she tell Alphonse that she,
what you call, afilanced to Ben All. AL
phonse not care. He love her. he say; she
love him, she say; so what for careg
All, Ben Ali come soon to claim her;
then she must 60. Ze 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
to India and come back to Marseiles. One
night Joyce creep out Of re signal house.
First she run by the lake TO where it deep;
there she leave her-her what you call
/ dress and shawl, then she 90 qUiet back to
ze ships small boat-wherc Aphonse 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 20 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
5 making trouble. So was her plan, and ze
lover always say his houris plans are good.
4 It would take Alphonse most ze night; but
? what care he She would be out Of Ben
, Ais way, and was he not re slave Of his
. Joyce?
go ze boat put off-Joyce lying down,
her great moon-eyes peeping over ze 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
to pull hard, and say: Ben Ali Ben Ali!
Then she tell Alphonse that she make mis-
take of ze night She sometimes have to sec
r Ben Ali for keep peace; this was ze night
], she should see him, and run away on do
r next night Never mind, if re MussulmaI
z not see them. But-Joyce said quick words
a Ben Ali had turned from re shore, and wal
making speed after re ships boat. lie com'
out of re canal from Ismailia, and was 60
u ing to re sgnalman's landing place, when h'
I, see ze uncommon sight Of boat going eros
u ze lake at night He miss ze ships boat
l. and what you call jealousy sometimes mak
Z men wise. He give chase. His boat was on
u old small thing made of cane and camelskin
y and he sent it through water like steamer.
- "Joyce begin to feel 'fraid, talk to her
- self. and turn about. Ben Ali must catcl
them, and Alphonse say he go back am
p fight him. No say Joyce. Then she cree
n to her lover, take his knife, kiss him to sa
Of nothing, and tell him TO stop pulling tw
minutes after she leave him, then go roun
!, back towards re ship. He know how we
81. | snc can swirl ike llriis uiiN ne say Hu WIZ
y, In one minute Joyce slip into re water, hiy
III ze night come down, and swim straight 70
Is Ben Ais boat. Alphonse go on; by and b
him turn, 60 on again, then sit still. 500
n Ben All come on, like mad man; him Sc
v the other boat turn, wonder what &c maj
~ tair, and stop to use his paddle. Eat minut
his boat havR its life took. Joyce stab II a
ze bow. under water, as it run over he
IN Then she swim fast to her lover, and BE
III Ali begin to sink. lie shout for hslp; br
nd Alphonse stop as Joyce tell him. Soon
he see her head in ze moonlight; pull TO her, an
as take her in. Now. Ben Ais boat gone an
he nowhere. Ze lovers say it not right i
him to die; they go to look, and find hii
sinking last time He no senses; they pt
ch him in their boat, see that he soon all rglt
Tr and talk what best to do. In two minute
od they do what Joyce say. Lie him face dow
~ - Tie his hands and feet, and make all has
10 to ze few houses on ze other side Of lake.
y Presently him speak and try to look
Is them; then she point Alphonse finish
mt plan, and wind Ben Ais turban round hi
gh eyes and mouth. Soon they come to
'ly shore: there they leave ze Mussulman, an