The Washington times., 1903-02-08

black beard vas thiekly strewn with sill
yer. The skinny fingers. dried up as
those of mummy. slowly passed the
beads Of heavy amber rosary; and. but
for this movement. he might have been
thought lifeless, for 80 sound. not even
. sigh, issued from the half opened lips.
The faithful crawIed round the car
pet. ana followed with eager eyes the
slow passage of the beads that dropped
one by one from the Mogaddem's I'm
gers. From time 10 time row OF mu-
sicians seated against the left wall beat
upon their drums with the palms OF
their hands and gave the signal for
Iugubrious groan that -esounded through
the hall. while all the faithful were
seized with a simultaneous shudder.
: stick OF dried wood, thrown as if
by chance in front Of the Mogaddem.
suddenly rose up kissing. and glided with
wavy motion TO his yenersted feet.
The stick had become q serpent, The
faithful rushed to save the prophet.
when 10. The serpent stretched out its
head and quietly subsidized into merely
stick once more.
\ number OF white pigeons few
through the narrow opening in the roof,
lowered round the saint. and at word.
or even sigh from him. hung motion
less in the air. as if suspended. three
feet above the earth Another sign or
sigh. and. behold. they all few away!
The faithful were lost in stupor OF
amazement at such prodigfes. They tore
on in feverish haste everything vaIua-
bic they had about them-a silver
mounted ponisrd. a siIken purse. or
perchanee a curi0usIy carved coeoanut.
and flung all at the feet Of the saint.
He took no notice. and appeared as II
rapt in ecstasy. But when some object
Of greater value was offered him. such
as piece Of silk or wooden howl filed
with gold dust. or fragment Of ivory.
ne would heave sigh, and raising his
heavy eyelids. murmur a few words in
reply 10 the supDlicants question.
At his right hand stood a deformed
dwarf who was not taller than a child
of four years old although his shoulders
were Of extraordinary width He was
as broad as he vas tall. and his brawny
muscular arms hung down nearly 10 his
enormous feet. A complexion black az
ebony. an abnoTmaIly wide mouth. snub
nose. and little eyes hidden behind thick
spectaeles, made him the perfection OF
ugllness.
The dwarf was apparently dumb lie
stood on the edge Of the carpet. about
two yards from the Bfogaddem, on whom
he kept his specialized eyes fixed without
seeming to notice the strangers near.
But every now and again the dwarf and
his master exchanged mysterious signs
that struck terror into the spectators
At the near approach OF our travellers
this singular being was evidently dis
tUrbed. i gesture Of admiring surprise
escaped him His eyes shot fire from be-
hind his glasses. But it was only for an
instant tnat his haEltual calm was trou-
bled- quickly he re- ICED his passive con-
temptation Of Il Mogaddem, whose
Meanwhile Mabrouki. the guide. spread
out on &c carpet the gifts, without which
it would have been the height Of bad
taste 70 have approached the holy man.
The sscetic physiognomy Of the Mogad-
dem assumed an expression OF earthly
delight on Beholding at his feet a gold
chronometer. a glass. a double baTreled
fowling piece, and a China Grape shawl
a glance escaped from under the piously
downcast eyelids. and with a deep sigh
the saint awoke from his silent contem-
plation and looked with benignity on the
ncw faithful.
Norbert then came to the front, and
acclaimed his requisite formula through
the medium of Virgil who repeated his
words in Arabic.
The Mogaddem. who had fallen back
into deep abstraction again with closed
eyes and hands crossed upon his rosary,
now reused himself afresh TO consult his
dwarf. The latter made several rapid
signs. and prostrating himself on til
ground he struck it twice with his fore
head
The Mogaddem murmured in a sQueaky
voice some words that Virgil fastened 70
interoTet
The holy man was quite willing 10
assist the travellers with the services %
his children. the braves Of the tribe OF
Cherofa. But it was first necessary to
consult the oracle.
What oracIe?" asked NoTbet
The oracle Of the holy Sheikh SIdi-
Mohammed- Jeraib said Mabr0ukI,
discreetly. whilst Mogaddem. who had
resumed his ecstasy. gave no more sign
Of life.
And where does rhis new saint hang
OUT
In his tomb. five hundred PAGES on, !"
gently answered the old guide whom =
long experience OK Europeans had de-
customed to their audaciJy of language.
Only" he added in an aside, 1t viii
cost another pretty penny"
The travels sailed forth 20 find he
| tomb OF the sheiks, without paying any
more attention to the Mogaddem and
( his dwarf
They caught sight of the tomb on =
waste piece OF ground three or four hun
dred yards from the audience hall. and