Middletown transcript., 1907-03-30

how much OF an impression IS
made upon him BY Olneyor
you.
I think I'll get two dozen tarts,
answered Statira, with mis-
chievous smile.
Come in, Oh! she called, some
moments later, from the side.
door.
What you want ?
Come in and take off your fan
nels and sweater. You're TO ac-
company me to town.
You are entitled to one more
guess, replied Olney Sloane, keep
ing his eye on the bounding
tennis ball, and not on his sister.
I'm going to the Womsn's In
dustrial Union, continued Statira,
with another OF the satirical
smiles which she had bestowed
upon her mother.
The career of the tennis ball
was suddenly stopped by down
ward stroke Of the racquet, and
a sheepish grin on the young
mans face responded to his sis
ter's smile, I'll go you. was all
that he said.
When Mr.. Sloane and Richard
returned with their guest and
relative at the luncheon hour,
they carried green bags, from
mere force of habit, though not
moments work did they mean
to do until after the holidays.
The luncheon table was set with
out a cloth, the richly.grained
wood relieved by centerpiece
of drawn-work upon which
rested a silver epergne, with a
fern in the middle surrounded by
detachable dishes, filled with
olives and bon bons-while at
each persons place a handsome
plate dolly matched the center.
piece.
A fine fern, remarked Uncle
Chester, relieving the strained
silence while Katy was deftly
changing the plates for the sec
ond course.
Very fair specimen of Bostoni-
ensis nephiolopsis eraltdta, said
Richard.
I do wish you would leave
Latin at the Office, Dick ex.
claimed his mother. It's sword
fern, Chester.
Chet knows more about swords
than ferns, chuckled Sloane.
Oh, Uncle Chester, do tell US
about your campaign in the Sou.
dan cried Olney, manifesting for
the first time any interest in the
conversation. Pardon me, folks,
but this occasion is as quiet as a
meeting of cemetery corpora.
ton in the healthy season
Yes, do, Uncle chimed in Sta.
tira.
A melancholy smile played for
a moment across the bronzed
features of the gray haired guest.
That campaign is ancient his
tory in these stirring days, he
answered lightly, and my part in
it was small, but it was my first
opportunity to attempt any OF
the great things I had hoped to
do. You know, Robert, that ]
was sent across by my paper to
get in touch with General Cor
don's army, in his advance into
the Egyptian Soudan against the
Mahdi, twenty years ago.
Who aDas the Mahdi obtruded
Statira.
A sort Of Mohammedan Mes
siah, answered Chester Sloane
The idea seems to have grown
out of the Jewish belief. Devout
Moslems expect that from among
the descendants of Ali. the cousin
and adopted son of Mohammed,
will arise a leader Of their faith
who will conquer the whole world.
There have been a number Of
pretenders to the Mahdiship, the
most formidable being the one
with whom the English had to
deal in the So1dan campaign OF
1904 and fQ2E
l reached Egypt early in the
spring of 1884, and followed the
army of Gordon into Khartoum,
just before it was besieged. On
the 18th of March the place was
entirely surrounded by hordes OF
bowling, blood thirsty fanatics,
and escape, even had 7 thought
| of it, would have been next to
impossible. I remained with the
doomed garrison until the final
storming of the city, on the 26th
of the following January, when
saw poor Gordon's bleeding head
borne on as spear, and escaped a
similar fate by the merest chance.
rTJt - a. nl..7 a.15 1l,r5