The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-05-06

MUFTAH
by.
II E L E ~
WOO ID
Copyright. 1909, by T. c. Mcclure

face bowed. His lean brown hands
We're folded over Il decent black robe,
and faded scarf was twisted about
his head. He was Muftah-and the
story. Every man is n story, Muftah
pitiful one, And all this was outside
the upper Tangler gate by the market
Inside the brown old gate snone the
white succeed houses and gay ba-
zaars. Outside the great market place
of trodden earth was one mass of peo-
pie and animals. The men were of
every color and type, from pure blood
ed Moors of astonishing, classical beau
ty to fiat nosed, grinning negroes us
black us night. And stranger medley
OF queerly cut robes and jilayas, of
fezzes, white turbans and guy scarfs,
was never seen elsewhere. Most went
barefoot. Only some of the older and
more richly dressed had thrust their
stockingless brown feet into yellow
slippers.
Ugly camels lay in rows swapping
GROSSLY ut each passerby. Wild look
Ing Arabs from the desert, stalked
about. each with his horses bride
wrapped about his arm, each resplen-
dent in many garments and scarfs,
newly washed and snowy. Country
women sat In groups upon the ground
displaying their fruits and vegetables.
They wore large straw hats on top OF
their turbans to serve as sun umbrel-
las, and they looked like mere heaps of
oh oil xx,itl
rudeness, voluble with an oriental flu
ency of retort, the throng swayed back
and forth. Occasionally some one rode
his donkey laden with panniers among
the women, and then great WIS the
uproar. The air was full of women's
shrill voices and their cackllng laugh
ter, so numerous We're the slaves, pur.
chasing for their households
Strange that Muftah did not raise his
head to gaze upon this interesting life
surging past him! Perhaps II is no
new story to him? Perhaps he has
wearied for sight of tn Alas, no!
A yelled slave brushes close to his
side, bracelets and anklets tlnkling
merrily. Yet Muftah heeds this not.
He Is looking far, far beyond the bril-
liant throng. and what does he see?
A great black we'll that recedes and
recedes to unfathomable depths and
faroff hazy visions that become al
most real at times, then vanish before
he can truly say he sees them. Some
times they take on the form of low,
broad tent, with Il kettle swung over
the fire. sheep and goats grazing, and
beyond the scanty heritage and palms
strange golden line of desert. with
hills of pink and intense purple shad-
ows. Naked children are at play while
their mother weaves, singing as she
crosses the heavy shuttles. A slave
mixes coarse black cakes for the even
ing meal.
In the distance he sees horseman
crossing the burning sands. The horse,
tossing his long name, il young and
animal beneath him. The wind blows
the cutting sand of the desert about
them, but Muftah's turban veil pro-
tects him. His long mantle streams on
the breeze. Oh, the exhilaration OF
that gallop over the trackless waste!
And joyous, too, IL the errand. for he
has been made shelk!
Always the strongest and most In
fuential of his tribe, the sultan has
now marked him for advancement.
Little does Muftah know 1t Is rs ON
nous Il preference as that OF the vul-
ture for the tenderest lamb. He only
feels that he Is to be II leader among
men. lie will receive the sultans
tribute, direct the wanderings Of his
tribe from oasis to oasis and be ut ease
and happy. Ten years of happiness
they seem like an hour now. Is he
thirstyf Here is n cooling spring In
the earthen jar. IL he hungry They
bring him cheese and bread, fresh
curds and pulpy dates. In the even
ing the men gather In circle and
listen to the strange recital Of some
story teller, who half sings half tells,
an intermlnablc Moorish tale.
Only ten years, and then there comes
an obsequious messenger. desiring his
presence at the court of the bashaw
mite account of his stewardship than
has been given with his regularly re
mitted tribute money.
His laughing children have one more
ride on the beautiful Gilzar Two
slaves pack their camels with proyi-
sions for the journey and with pres
ents Of honey and almonds for the
IL a, I,tst f..u.
well speech to his friends. with the
touching Moslem gesture. placing his
hand upon his forehead and his heart
before he shakes that of his compan-
ion to show that mind and heart are
faithful. Then for the last time he
looks into the lovely eyes of her who
IL mother OF his children.
Muftah groans. The mother Of his
children!
Three days Of burning sands, then
at last the bay OF Tangler. with its
white town built down the sides Of
the cliff and almost touching the blue
water-a beautiful sight when 1t first
greets his eyes. Later he comes closer
Into the filth and misery lnfesting 1t.
The bashaw. Il handsome, impassiye
figure, sits cross legged before his door,
his slaves grouped about him, to re
ceive the envoy Graclously he ac-
cepts the proffered gifts and permits
the shelk to Kiss the hem OF his robe
in token OF obedience. Then-what are
these strange words of accusation
these demands for tribute unlawfully
levied, money Illegally hoardedf The
great, simple, freeborn son Of the des
ert Is bewildercd. Nor does he under
stand why later on he Is thrust into
that deadly hole. the Tangier prison,
where some In chains. some free. toll
YEARLY all day ut weaving baskets
that they may have a wretched allow
ancc Of food, a mere pittance for their
labor.
The shelk Is unconscious OF hunger.
He lies silent, seeing dimly dark fig-
ures, hearing vaguely the rattle OF
chains, curses, imprecations, prayers.
Then the awful day when he Is drag
ppd through the hole which forms the