Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-02-18
BOOK I.
The Messenger From khars
toorn.
>SyWNr CHAPTER I.
BOOK L.

"7~TT CHAPTER l.
At SHEPHERDS. ON THE SQUARE CALLED
EsBEHIYEH.
''Backsheesh" hoarSely whispered q
stout, red-faced traveller, bending over
small. nervous man, who, seated on
the piazza In front of the well-known
Shepherds Hotel in Cairo, Egypt,
dashes Off page after page Of lead-pen'
Gil work, aided by the lights that H.
lumine the grand plaza.
The latter individual never raises
his eyes. but with a groan and me.
chanical movement of the arm draws
n plaster from his pocket and holds 1t
1t up. which miserable coin Is gravely
taken by the man in the plaid suit
and travelling helmet-hat. He does
not move away, but stands there at
the elbow of the scribe, waiting for
that interminnble scribbling to be
done, and meanwhile watching the
lively scene upon the great square Of
Esbehiyeh.
1t is certainly a good sight for for
eign eyes. and one that will never be
forgotten. Although the month Is
February, delicious, balmy atmos-
phere hangs over the old city OH the
Nile Music throbs upon the air, and.
Judging from the gay scenes to be met
With after night closes in it would
be hard to believe the Mohammedan
fast corresponding to our Lent Is In
progress. The Koran, however, only
demands observance of strict rules
from sunrise to sunset, so that in all
oriental countries the devout worship.
Just at the present period many Ian
terms and tiambeauX and lamps il
lumine the grand square, from which
arise dscOrdant sounds, a perfect
babel of confusion. Here, under
cluster of palms, snake-charmer
handles bis cobras with apparent i'm.
punity, boxing their heads and caus.
Ing them to do all manner of strange
things. Near by are dragomans. or
guides, haggling with owners of don.
keys, who, In turn, scold or cuff the
boys In charge of the little beasts.
Close by are fakirs, pretending to
sell wonderful things for trite;
m0untebanks. dealers iu turbans.
fezes, relics and handkc-chiefs, and a
general conglomeration Of idle, curl.
Gus strollers.
The light discloses picture that
can probably be looked upon in no
other city save Damascus Here min
gle Turks, with their red fez and na.
tlonal dress; Arabs, in white bournouS
and turban; native fcllahin, or Egyp-
tians, wearing blae gowns and the
everlasting brown skull cap: Jews,
with long boards and sober garments:
NubiapS. Persians, Greeks and Il
sprinkllng of foreigners. The red
coats of British soldiers give way
pretty much to the sensible white that
IS worn in all hot countries; still there
Is enough to lend color to the kaleido-
scopic picture.
The stout man sees all this without
CliulIph' It cCiuOlI, IL ever, ullUNS
himself to be so deeply interested in
anything as to forget himself. Stand
ing just back OF the tilted chair of
the smaller man. who writes sheet
after sheet with railroad rapidly, he
puffs away ut his cigar and calmly
waits for the time to come when his
friend will have exhausted the sub
ject or blunted all his pencils. Every
thing comes TO the one who has pa
tience. and this Is the most prominent
trait in the character of the stout tour
list.
Eureka! have done 1t! Glowing de-
scription. Burning rhetoric. DO you
proud, my boy! Now I'd give plaster
to run across Grimes"
He has hardly spoken these words
half aloud. when the man with the
dorid face and heavy hand deliber-
ately raps him on the shoulder.
PAY your debts, young man.
claim the reward by virtue of dis
Covery Here's one miserable Turkish
coin you've showed on me. French
money is preferred" he says, solemn
ly.
ooh. 1t was you who groaned Back
Shcesh. in my ear, was it? I've heard
little else since I struck Egypt. It's
q bowling paradise of beggars. | go
to bed with a bag Of piasters-giye
'em out in my sleep | assure you.
Grimes"
Sandy Barlow is the correspondent
of great daily journal in the United
States. and Is never known to be in
anything but n hurry. In piping times
Of peace he finds material to employ
his pencil in various foreign countries.
and his letters have been considered
fine reading on account Of their pi-
quancy and crisp style. characteristic
of everything the man does.
Those who know Sandy best have
discovered that the war correspondent
has warm heart. and will readily
go out of his way to help one whom
lie counts friend This stout gen
tleman whom he calls Grimes is-so
rumor says-the wealthy owner of sew
eral mines in Colorado, about which
he occasionally speaks. He keeps his
own counsel. however. and any one
who is good judge of physiognomy
would have little difficulty in reading
on his resolute face all the signs that
go to make up a determined charac-
ter.
"Are you at liberty. Barlow? If
80, Id like to have a little talk" re.
marks the silver king.