The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-10-08

"The very next night this warning was
fulfilled. 1t would be idle, my friend, to
tell you over again all the horrors of the
capture. or rather betrayal, of Khartum.
The mahdi's soldiers were like iends in
carnate. Spent with fatigue and slender
fare. we could not stand before them.
Gordon, poor fellow, was slain, and
remnant of us was driven, fighting for
life, from hut to hut across the city.
Finally, with empty revolver and broken
sword, found myself in the stairway of
a rude minaret waiting for the death
which l felt to be certain. l had just
resolved to rush into the thick of the Su-
danese and sell my life as dearly as pos
sible when a football on the stairs below
arrested me.
at was the sound of a naked foot, and
as / peered, every sense on the alert,
into the half light by the minaret door
way vaguely distinguished dark form
and two shining eyes. Was it one Of
the mahdis in search of human preyF l
gripped nv broken sword tighte pre-
| pared for action.
'Effendi,' whispered voice, is 1t
you, protector of the poorp
'The voice was that of Ibrahim, son Of
Hassan. My heart gave leap for glad
ness, and l answered him that it was in
deed myself.
"It is goodp he exclaimed. My lord,
| have come to save you. Hasten down
and don these garments which have
brought you. They belong to the old
blind priest who lodged with my father.
He died last night, but nobody knows Of
! 1t yet. You can pass as the old priest
and escape Make haste, sahib, make
hastep
81 saw the chance and seized it. Be
fore you could have repeated the pro-
verbal Jack Robinson many times /
had pulled those baggy Mohammedan
clothes over my soiled and blood stained
uniform. A turban took the place of my
khaki helmet, and around my face L
draped the white hood which the Su-
danese Arabs wear. Then, before l
could protest, Ibrahim coolly seized a
handful of mud and literally daubed my
face.
""The sahib is too white he explain
ed The old blind priest was always
black and dirty, SO kick off your boots,
sahib, and let me daub your feet OFF
went my boots, and in a minute or two
my legs from the knees down were as
brown and as dirty as they well might
be.
"You are all right now. effendi,' said
Ibrahim. Let us make for the Cairo
gate
"Never shall forget the sight they pre-
scented in the false light of the burning
city. with their huge piles of hair, their
ferocious faces and their spears and
scimiters a-drip with blood. had given
myself over for lost when Ibrahim, grip
ping my hand, led me onward, calling In
singsong tones: Room for the blind
priest. Room for AIMED, son Of Ali. the
soothsayer. The light of Allah is upon
the blind priest
taking the hint, l plucked up courage
enough to shout the warcry of the mahdi.
Many times we met parties of the NAH
dists, but In the darkness our ruse sue
ceeded beautifully, and we reached the
Cairo gatesin safety.
Around the gate. despite the con-
fusion, strong guard had been posted.
In the open space without many scores
Of camels were sprawling.
"a camel for the mahdi's messenger!
cried Ibrahim in his shrill voice. 'Ho,
brothers, a camel for the blind sooth-
sayer, AIMED, son Of Ali, who bears the
mahdfs defiance across the desertp
"a dozen dusky warriors surrounded
us, and as many awkward camels were
prodded to their feet. One of these IN
calmly beasts was made to kneel while
Ibrahim made a great show of helping
the supposed blind priest to a seat upon
its back
"Just then a tall fuzzy wuzzy,' clearl!
an officer, rushed forward. who is thisi
he demanded. Where does this man go
The orders are that none shall leave the
gates before daybreak.'
''My heart sank; but, fortunately 70
us, the natural superstition of the Arab
came to our aid. Have a care! cried
one Of the soldiers. 1t is a blind priest
soothsayer. He may curse you
The officer stepped back involuntarily
eying me with fear. Give US your bless
ing, holy fatherP cried a dozen onlook
ers.
"Here was new predicament. ! could
not remember enough Arabic at the mo
ment to give the desired blessing, but @
whisper from Ibrahim recalled to my
mind a simple form Of words, which
eked out by discreet mumbling on my
part and the loud responses of the boy
suited the Arabs well enough. They
Frustrated themselves, the officer witt
the rest, amid great cry of Allah Ak
BARI Then Ibrahim smote our came
soundly. and away we went through the
outposts, speeding fast from the CORY
city of Khartum.
''The perils and adventures Of the jour
ney were too numerous to be told at one
sitting. but 1t was nearly month after
that awful night that our camel limpet
into Cairo carrying on his back two
emaciated fugitives who had once beer
an officer Of the line and an Arab boy.
"Ibrahim has been all round the worlt
with me since and will probably continue
to be my comrade until one Of US twai1
departs this life forever-eh, Ibrahim
old friendw
The Arab lad smiled and spread out his
hands. "My fate is thine, effendi," ht
said. "You saved my life.
"On that score. Ibrahim." answered
Captain Grimshaw. 81 think that we arr
quits. Remember Khartum."