The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1900-12-12
The Tale of a Donkey.


Some years ago, when travelling over
the road that winds among the Syrian
hills from Jerusalem to Jaffa, the
writer overlook, at wayside WELL a
Greek merchant. whose caravan was
resting in the shade of few spare
trees that struggled for existence at
the brink Of a spring.
While sharing with the fellow-way-
farer this temporary refuge from the
fierce MONDAY sun, he related to me
an experience OF his, which, in the
strangeness OF it's story, may, l think,
prove of interest to the readers OF this
paper.
He shall tell 1t in his own way,
shorn, however, Of such Emergencies
as now and again we're caused by his
expressions of admiration Of some
weird-shaped crag or other object, and
the ever and anon recurring intervals
when a fresh cigarette had to be made
and lighted.
1.-THE incident which I am about to
tell you Of" commenced the Levantine,
'befell me when engaged on a trading
mission intrusted to me by my father
In these parts. After visiting the
southern ports, had come northward
to Beyrout, intending to make from
thence a quick inland journey to Da-
mascus, whence in brief sojourn l.
should be able to complete the pur-
pose of my errand.
"At Beyrout | had letters TO an old
friend OF my fathers which procured
for me ready offer Of hospitality,
and OF this / availed myself during
such period as was necessary to en-
able me to arrange all preparations
for setting forth into the interior.
1.-THE goods which I had to convey
to Damascus being many, I was
obliged to hire donkeys for their trans
port; and the bargaining for these ami
mails, together with the inevitable al
tercation as to payment Of their driv-
ers, necessitated much wearisome ex-
penditure OF time and patience.
Then there were sundry small
needs for the caravan to be attended
to, and a thousand and one disputes
with all who had, or fancied they had,
claims on me to be disposed of. 1t
was, therefore, not without relief that
l at last found my goods, donkeys and
drivers ready for the journey across
the desert
'On the day appointed for the start,
| went to bid my kind host farewell.
when he showed me a small bag of
money containing some hundreds of
Turkish pounds, which he stated he
had just received from one of his
agents, and which he greatly wished
to have conveyed to his partner IN
Damascus at once.
This was a responsibility / should
have hesitated to accept, had l not
considered the meager means Of COM
munication between the coast and the
interior, his kindness to me, and the
friendship entertained for him by my
father; but when, in expressing my
willingness to undertake the charge,
/ hinted at the risks involved, the old
merchant affected to treat them light
ly, advising me to keep the secret Of
the money to myself.
However, his assurance did not al
together set at rest my uneasiness in
the matter; so | purchased one Of the
tobacco pouches made of the skin of
the small desert fox, such as the Arab
carries when travelling, and in this /
placed the money, covering it with to-
bacco. By this ruse hoped to make
appearances aid me in disarming sus-
picion and the rendering of my charge
in safety. Alas for the fallibility of
the most carefully laid plansl
my caravan, with it's neatly-laden
donkeys, several others for riding, and
their Syriac drivers, was ready, and
at the appointed hour wended its way
out from the maze of Beyrouts streets,
and striking into the desert tract, had
soon lost sight of house and mosque.
Eve had not proceeded far from the
town, however, before / found that the
money carried in my waist-cloth was
proving d sore burden, while its self
assertive presence continued to remind
me of the responsibility attaching to
it.
Watching my opportunity, there
fore, when seemingly my dusky COM
panions were intent on other objects
than observing my movements, l hid
the tobacco-pouch in my saddlebag,
thus shifting the responsibility Of
cashier to the patient ioose-legged ami
NAL fioundering along in the sandy
road.
"The trials of the way seemed as
nothing now. could superintend the
affairs Of my party without distraction.