New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-01
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR AUGUST /. 1903

place to stand near the khelive when the Holy Car
bet start lie know me- and he get me order TO take
you the place the khedvc say the Christians stand
Yes do try to get the permission, else we shall
have to 90 back" answered Mary.
MoharnmeCl dived through the crowd. Soon he re
appeared with a tall rotund Mohammedan for whom
the Arabs made way respectfully When MOhammed
had steered this stately individual around TO the
side of the carriage where Mary sat he SAID TO her
Silt this the sheik of my village. He rule over
forty thousand Arabs He admire much the Amer
lean people and ne say he wish TO the American
Slit and give her the paper from his own hand
THE old sheik who could not speak English, gave
Mary a graceful oriental Salutat1On, touching his
forehead with the palm of his hand, bowling and say
ing something in Arabic all with stately delberat1On
as if to slow music. Mary had asked MOhammed
earlier teach her the Egyptian sautaton She had
found in her wanderIngS in many countries that 1t
covered multitude of omissions to be able to say,
- How do YOU dc" and Thank you in the language
of the people among whom she happened to be Now
in reply to the sheik 5 COurtIer like greeting she
bowed and said with great COrCiialitY NdYdkSdIdd.
The sheil smiled and showed his perfect white
teeth. Marys pronunciation OF the musical Arab
greeting barbarOuS, but her soft <lteCtlOnS, her
Southern warmth, and her pleased interest in him
self made insinuatng amends for her linguistic sins
The old sheik looked like picture, and Mary gazed
at him frankly as if he really He wore an
underClreSS of blue satin this a soft creamy
robe draped artstically; silver sword and sill
Yer pistol swung from richly embroidered belt; a
dark blue mantle of velvet gold braided, fell over
his shoulders to the ground.
Mary would have been surprised had she known
that the sheik behind the mask of his oriental calm
was finding her as interesting to look at as she
found him: that ne had noted her lavender paraSol,
her white dress the bunch OF violets fastened
within her gold belt While she had been thinking
that the sheik made picture delightful TO look at.
the oriental rejecting that the American woman
ought to 4 veil TO hide her beauty. He looked
pleased when Mary, through MOhammed expressed
her thanks to him for the pass.
Silt, SAID Mohammed the sheik my village say
he be very proud YOU take coffee with him his house
sometime. lie live close by Great Pyramid"
Say to your Shek for me, MOhammed, that he Is
very kind and hope it will be possible for to
have that pleasure before leave Egypt" answered
Mary thinking that when she returned with her
friends Cairo it would be interesting partake of
a sheik's hospitality. When Mary answer had been
interpreted TO him. the shek made another
salutation and withdrew.
THE driver now at Mohammeis order turned the
horses and drove by a CIrCuitOuS route to the OPP
poSite side of the court Here policemen held back
the eNcitable Arab mob lest it might approach too
near to the Holy Carpet which stood outside the
court under pavilion built specially for it The
shek's paper. however. shown by Mohammed
opened a way for Mary 5 carriage IT even admitted
her into the nClOSe court where later the Holy Car
pet was to perform its spectacular parade before
starting for Mecca Mary found there in the space
allotted to onookers, a small aSSenblage of English
and Americans
She could now under the pavilion opposite.
the cause of all this stir 1t not a King, nor
Pope, but merely dark brocade embroidered in
silver and gold and fitted square frame with
pyramdal top-the Holy Carpet or Mammal
Yet it holding a roval levee Rich Damascus
rugs covered the steps leading up to the HOLY Car
pets temporary throne Up and down these steps
moved the gOrgeOuSly robed officials who had the
great privilege OF approaching near the carpets
majesty long line of sumptuouSlv CapariSOned
CameS stood in front of the pavilion twisting their
long necks and tossing their little heads up and down
The space between the court and the pavilion was
dense with pushing, maddened Arabs whom only
vigilant police guards restrained from rushing upon
the Holy Carpet.