The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-02-04


rlously:
Look here, Mrs. Mills. You must
be most particular In visiting the de-
scendants and next of kin of the old
Begun Sona.bee in Lucknow. She is
failing fast. Her pension is fine
one, and half of it goes to her grand
daughter. Have you ever seen herr
NO ! replied; / had not ! had
seen her two sons--beautful boys. 1
had visited the old Begun regularly.
She liked me, we were good friends,
but somehow | had never once en-
countered her granddaughter. Either
she was i'll, or she was away visiting
her own people up in the Puniaub,
And this has gone on for five
years? he said, and he was angry.
That is not the way to carry ont your
duty Your DUTY is to see these pen
sioners. so as 10 swear TO their lden.
tity. You must be resolute; don't al
low them TO hoodwink YOU. or we
shah have to get some other person
to deal with them, and YOU lose your
fine post
Yes, and | would lose my bread,
and my children would starYe, ! knew
that; and | resolved to be determined
when | went to Soma Begums
Il went home and asked a neighbor
and a friend TO have an eye 10 Dora,
my dear little girl. She was Il;
Ernest was at the Martiniere college
Then / drove away TO the palace, very
determined indeed. | felt that ! had
everything at stake, and would never
leave till ! had either seen this prin-
cess or her dead body.
Il had an immediate audience with
her highness, and told her my errand
civilly and as pleasantly as could.
She at once flew into a terrible pas
sion. She was the latest woman
ever saw, and | thought she would
have a fit Her face seemed to swell,
her eyes nearly jumped out Of it, and
her voice-oh, it was just one long
scream
"All | said was, Bring me to see the
Princess Notice only for one moment,
and l go; otherwise l stay mere al
ways
Il was hustled away into damp,
low room looking into a courtyard on
the ground floor, and left there alone.
No one came near me for hours-but
they peeped and whispered outside to-
gether. | remained there all night,
and ] ate some bread, and got water
ut the fountain in the court; but could
not sleep for the rats, and for the
fear that someone would come and
strangle me, you see. | was alone
one woman combating a hundred
The next morning | was again
taken to the Begun, and she was now
all good nature and affection. But
this is foolishness, she cried. Take
this, and she offered me splendid
diamond and emerald belt. 1t is for
thee, if thou wilt depart and say that
all is well. Il have seen her highness,
the Notice Mahal granddaughter of
her highness the Begun"
but that would be false, ! an
swered stoutly. 1 do not accept
brides.
Then accept hunger' she scream
ed. Hunger and death.
with this threat ringing in my ears
once more | was hustled down to my
quarters below, where | remained Tor
three days, almost starving. Once an
old bag crept in, and whispered, The
end is near! Huzoor-the ends at
hand
But what end? My end?
"As | was thinking of lying down
on the fourth night | suddenly saw
glimmer of light. and a pure white
woman. in rich native dress, entered,
with a lamp in her hand. She was
tall, slight. and delicately fair
"'Dost desire to see me- she asked,
with a look of surprise in her blue
eyes
The Notice Mahal?' inquired.
Yea.
The mother of sons, and grand
daughter of the Begun?
Yea, Art content
Her face was pale and colorless |
from lifelong seclusion, but her hair |
was a sandy shade, she had a dlmple !
in her cheek, and was the type OF En- 4
one sees by scores.
Then the Begun sent for me. and |
said. Now, behold, thou hast scent
he Pearl Princess Notice What of |
ler?
" She is a Belaite' (which is En-.
,lish), answered boldly-'more En-
slish than L.
Yea. and since all is known, | will /
ell the truth. My daughter. now 4
lead. had no children. though she 1
vearied the shrines with her prayers
At last a child was born-oniy girl! I
she was happy; but. be-
lold. in a moon it died. and she was
Is one distraught. Therefore ! sent
and found a babe like a
,earl, and put it in her arms. and she
lursed and loved it as her own. II
vas the child of soldier gone to the
var. the mother dead She. the Prin-
ess Motse. hath no knowledge of this
The believes herself TO be of my race
knowing how stern and foolish are the
,ension rules I hid her. for I love her
Is mine own Nay. she is my own
uckled at my daughters breast.
When thou tellest the tale. be wise.
ipeak not OF the white woman with
elbow hair; but say To- there was a