Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-05-21
Wisdom Of the Sheik.

Gently by an American prominent
officer of an American foreign mission
airy society, and recounted in the New
York Sun. 1t has the flavor Of the
Arabian Nights" about it.
The missionary had occasion to visit
a wild and desolate part of the coun-
try. One night his eyes were glad
dened by the sight of a camp, in which
he found 8heik he knew, good and
kindly old man with deep, searching
eyes, silent and thoughtful for the
most part, whose occasional utterances
almost invariably left one thoughtful.
His people seemed wrought from diff
ferent stuff-low- browed, desperate
looking men, given to much mutter-
ing among themselves, with quick,
sidelong glances that took in much
while the lips remained silent or
moved in swift, half-whispered speech
intended only for the ear Of COM
rade close by.
The missionary was received cor
daily by the sheik and made well
come. Wearied, after many days Of
travel, of the leathern belt which he
wore around his waist which con-
tained two or three hundred dollars in
silver, the missionary took it off when
he went to bed and folded it under his
pillow.
In the morning when he awoke the
belt and its contents were gone. Dis
tressed, he went to the tents OF the
sheik and found the old man already
awake and sitting calmly before his
tents watching the Aocks at pasture.
The sheik listened to the missiona-
rvs story of his loss in grave silence.
When the missionary had finished the
sheik said simply:
Il will get your money back for you;
trust me.
Then the sheik called for all the
men of the camp to assemble. When
they were all there he told them what
had happened and called for the thief
to come forward and give up his spoils.
He waited for full minute, but no
oae stirred. Then his brow darken-
el. He bade them disperse, saying
that in half an hour they must come
again.
At the end of thirty minutes the
tribesmen again assembled, and again
the sheik called for the thief to give
UP the silver and the leathern belt
For the second time no one came forth.
Bring me the mule with the white
star in its forehead" he ordered. And
when the mule was brought "Put 1t
in the tent yonder." And when this
was done; Let every man pass into
the tent one after the other. Let
each, having entered, close the flap
behind him, and when he and the
mule are totally alone, let the man
take firm grasp on the tail of the
mule. If the mule brays that man is
the thief.
One after another the men passed
into the tent, let down the flap, re-
mained moment and then, raising
the flap, emerged. 1t was a strange
experience to the missionary. To him
it seemed both cbildishly ridiculous
ana indefnably solemn. Despite his
better Judgment he found himself
waiting with feverish intentness for
tie bray of the mule.
But the little group Of trembling
candidates for the tail-grasping cere-
mony thinned and thinned until the
last man had passed within the tent
and had returned, uncondemned.
Then the tribesmen looked, bewildered,
toward the sheik TO see what be
would do.
It was a crucial moment. The sheik
stirred as if from dream, and rais-
ing his voice so all could hear, said
Now let every man come to me in
turn, and as he draws near, let him
place his hands on my face, one on
either side, and I viii tell who is
the thief, since the mule will not
The first man who came to the sheik
knelt on the ground before him and
placed his hands on the old man :
face. The sheik instantly dealt him a
gentle blow on the shoulder, indicst-
ing that he was not the guilty person
The others followed in the same fash
ion. More than a score bad passed,
when suddenly the sheik placed both
his hands ou the shoulders Of the u n
before him and cried out :