The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-05-01

! bis face quite dead.
when the slave realized the pres
once of another human being. he fen
groyellng at my feet as II had been
an angel come from heaven. His mouth
and tongue we're swollen with fever
and / pressed the cantcen 10 his lips.
| but he could not drink He was chat
tering wildly In a language / didnoJ un.
/ derstand, raving, and more than half de-
mented The shelk had been robbed Of
everything worth carrying away, the
scoundrels leaving him only his bur
mouse and a small skin Of water, which
was already fiat and dried into a chip
The poor traveller must have died from
| exhaustion, for there were no wounds
upon his person save a few scratches
on the wrist where the slave boy had
tried to suck a drop Of blood from his
dead master to keep himself from
! perishlng. AS the slave was more used
to the tortures of the desert, naturally
the sheik had succumbed first.
Meeting with such companions in
misery, for a little time / almost for
! got my own perlls and suffering. Slow
ly the slave lad revived under my
simple ministrations. Then | got some
what Of his story. The sheiks caravan
had successfully resisted attack upon
| the march, but the two had become
separated from the company, and be-
ing overtaken were robbed and left
to die. All this had taken place more
than three days since and the slave
had kept up the lonely and maddening
vigil by his dead master with almost
sublime heroism. Knowing that my
comrades would soon be retreating to
recover me dead or alive, as soon as
the slave was able to walk we took the
burnouse from the dead sheik and
started back toward the trail. The way
was very difficult and slow, and l was
compelled almost to carry the ema-
ciated lad bodily On we plodded till
the darkness settled about US, and then
making ourselves as comfortable as
possible, we lay down side by side and
watched out the night.
THE next morning, although the
slave boy was in much better physi-
cal condition, I felt that l myself was
fast succumbing. | arose once or twice
and tried to make a little circle over
the sand mounds to get my bearings,
but soon gave up the enigma. I figured
matters out with the calculation of a
physician. | had water enough to last
us another day or, for myself alone,
two days. I almost wished | had not
happened uron the slave now, for it
might be that my own life would be
sacrificed in this deed Of charity. Then
drove the selfish thought from my
heart. If one persisted, we should both
perish. He had been a godsend. giving
me companionship, and how did l not
know that he had not saved me from
something worse than death-from
madness. With brotherIy care l divided
the water drop by drop-water more
precious than blood. The slave was
grateful-pitfully so at what he per-
ceived to be my sacrifice. When he
saw that I was going to pieces. how
ever, he not only refused to lap up
these precious drops Of salvation but
actually thrust out his arms to me
with the offer of his own blood to
save me- This touched me very deep
ly. had opened my canteen and saved
his life for a little while, and now he
was ready to open his veins to save
mine!
con the morning of the second day
I gave up hope, and began a rambling
letter to my friends in case they should
ever find me. Even this little exertion
: Overcame me- and after a few scrawls
III gave up the task. Hours of complete
rap Inconsistencies in the bToil of the
Is sun came oftener now. Again the
9 slave lads long suffering ON the desert
served him well. | realized that he
would survive me by a day or perhaps
more. l gave him my effects, weapons
and all, making him understand that
in case my friends came my belongings
were to be turned over to them, ant
that the slave himself should be re-
warded. Then l sank in my dust bee
falling into sort of coma
Il was aroused by the crack of {
: rife. The lad had used my weapon
: well, bringing down a small antelope
t with a single shot. Too weak to rise,
= turned my head and watched the DO!
crawl over to his prize. After wha
| seemed to be the struggle Of his life
I he dragged the deer toward me- TheI
2 I closed my eyes with a prayer o
. thankfulness, and soon felt the warn