The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1908-04-03

The little holes which scanned his
rugged Berber face had given him the
title Of the Father Of Smallpox, which
heater the fashion Of his country
men, who take all, rain, wind, sun,
good and bad fortune, wounds, prison,
mutilation, even death itself, as being.
actual and direct manifestations Of the
Will Divine-had cheerfully accepted,
and bore as uncomplainingly as he
had born the illness. from which he
took his name.
Half pagan, half Mohammedan, after
the fashion of the race from which
most. likely sprang St. Augustine, al
though he thought himself firm be-
lever, Blu Gidri was employed as sol
der in the British consulate at Fee.
Dressed in the Arab clothes which rare
" suit a Berber, for the two races are
as distinct as are the English and the
French, he stroye, though mean Of
stature and appearance, to look
Swaggerer, and had grown the two
long locks on either temple which are
the outward visible sign of the official
Of the court. His pointed fez and
sword cooked uD behind in the Arab
style gave him an air as of monkey
on barrel organ. Such was his out
ward mien. but those who knew him
knew that he was brave. stanch. obsti-
nate as mule, and one of those able
to knock nail into a plank by beating
on it with his forehead. and then, If
the necessity arose. to draw it with
his teeth.
Withal, Blu Gidri was an honest and
conscientious man. one that no gold
could buy, thing unknown among
the Arabs, with whom key Of gold
opens all locks. Slow-wdtted, but to-
nactous of ideas when once they fl
tered through his skull into his brain,
those who employed him knew him for
y man to send upon desperate errand
should the necessity arise, certain that
he would reach the place to which they
sent him, or die upon the quest.
One Closed Door.
Though, as a Mussulman. one por-
ton Of his life was shut from all man
kind, as with all of the Arabs, with
whom frank exterior serves as a star
tight bulkhead between them and the
world. At times. when asked about
"his house"-the formula employed by
Mussulmana when asking after one an
others families-he would launch into
details and say that 'she" was we'll,
and then, pull himself up and stammer
and drift off into praises Of his little
boy, who he averred. with the limo
cent faulty of fathers, Mussulman and
Christian alike. was q wonder
To the outward eye, the marvel was
a dirty little boy in torn yellow
shirt, barefooted and black-eyed and
with a little, close-shaved bullet-head,
on which you could have struck
match had it not here and there been
spotted with white eruption, nau-
seous to behold.
But, for his retiCence about his fam
lily affairs he quite made up by his
garrulity about certain little pacing
pony that he had bought in the Ait
Yusi country. and which he swcfe
could go from Fec to Tangier in three
days, and that so smoothly that he
could carry in his hand glass of wa
ter and never spill a drop. This
equine paragon was a cow-hocked and
fiddle-headed beast of a light cream
color with black points, and had an
eye bloodshot and dangerous-look, ng,
which did not in the least belle his
temper, for to APPROACH him was to ex-
pose ones self to be kicked or bit
ten, or to receive blow from his fore
feet, which, If it carried home would
have been fatal, for rising up he used
to launch his feet into the air, just as
a boxer hits, and scream with fury, if
he did not know his man. Once saddled
and the Moorish bit jammed home be-
tween his yellow teeth. which opera
tion usually entailed tying his feet
together with rope. or putting on a
twitch, he then became as gentle as
sheep, after the way of many horses
in the East.
His master during the daytime gen.
orally sat inside the doorway Of the
British consulate, looking at nothing,
now and then drinking cup Of sweet
green tea favored with leaves Of