Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-03-07

two days. almost wished | had not
happened upon 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. Ii one persisted. we should both
| perish. He had been godSend. giving
me companionship. and how did | not
know that he had not saved me from
| something worse than death-from
madness. With brotherly care divided
the water drop by dro2-water more
precious than blood. The slave was
| grateful-pitlfuly so At what he per
ceived to be my sacrifice. When he
saw that | 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 little while. and now he
was ready to open his veins to save
minei
''On the morning of the second day
gave up hope. and began a rambling
letter to my friends in case they should
ever find me. Even this little eXertion
oyercame me; and after a few scrawls
| gave up the task. Hours OF complete
Inconsistencies in the broil of the
sun came oftener now. Again the
slave lads long suffering on the desert
served him well. | realized that he
would survive me by day. or perhaps
mere. | 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. and
that the slave himself should be re-
wardcd Then l sank in my dust bed
falling into sort of coma.
Il was aroused by the crack of
rifle The lad had used my weapon
well. bringing down a small antelope
with single shot. Too weak TO rise.
turned my head and watched the boy
crawl over TO his prize. After what
seemed to be the struggle of his life.
he dragged the deer toward me- Then
| closed my eyes with prayer of
thankfulness, and soon felt the warm
blood of the gazelle. dropping from
the bullet wound on it's breast. bathing
my swollen lips. The effect was magi-
cal. revived lived again! The slave
was now saving my life even as had
saved his. The gratitude he showed
gave me renewed courage.
But, strange as it may seem, the
happy incident of the shooting of the
young deer exercised rather a depres-
sing than a hop5ful influence upon the
spirits of my staunch champion. The
poor little lad refused to partake of
the saving grace which he had vouch-
safed me. Hourly he grew weaker. De-
lirium followed, and | was compelled
to use my poor strength to force the
raw food into his mouth. and all to no
purpose. Can any one realize how my
heart was now pricked by a conscious
ness of the heroism of this Nubian
slave during these terrible hours? All.
the vigil was long and bitter-through
torrid days. and nights black as only
Nubia knows them, with death and
dssolation encompassing us on every
hand, the prowling jackals and the
starving tigers calling fiercely to one
another at the smell of blood. only
awaiting my sinking into sleep TO
plunge into the carnival which should
end all for me. In order to rob the
night of its terrors and the day of its
madness. | stroye with my poor pa
tient. who was fast ebbing into the
last slumber with none to succOr. none
| to restore. l felt that with him gone
should lose all hope. all wish to live
We seemed like the last two surviving
human beings of earth. and l chose
that he. the child of Nubian darkness.
and I, the son of Western day, might
go hand in hand together.
"On that last day of my desolate
watch the sun was sinking over the
limitless sand ocean, and | thought
to see it no more. | tried TO pray. All.
what had all these bitter days been
but one living. blood sweating prayer
one cry borne up as from the pits of
deepest Tophet into the responseless
heaven. | became prophetic now. The
past seemed to become clear and I'M
clouded. the future transparent and
filled with loveliest visions | knew
THIS 10 De the beginning OF the emu,
and so sank back resignedly. even
welcoming now the cup | had so long
shrank from with weak and waning
terror-.the blessed hemlock of obliv-
ion.
Suddenly. along the borders of the
afterglow on the horizon, | saw a
dark object stealing up like a phan-
tom. bathed in the glory of celestial
twilight. The sight was so supernatural
that it stirred me strangely; but |
soon perceived that it was no phantom
Of my wasting mind. but reality-a
blessed truth. Soon that moving OBJ
ject took the proportions Of a serpent
moving toward NEON. on, slowly,
solemnly like a penitent's procession
toward a pagan temple; and then real
izing at last. moaned aloud. 1t is the
caravan. Thank God. it is the cara
van.' and so sank back unconscious.
When | revived long after. there
was the cool mouth of a flask pressed
to my lips and strong. tender arms
were about me. | opened my eyes
Comrades was all | could murmur;
but they heard it and there was a
shout of triumph.
my God! We thought you dead
long. long ago. heard them cry
Er<l LII