The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-05-22
Special TO The Union.
LETTER FROM ABROAD.
An American Newspaper Man in Rather
Bad Plight-Falls in With Resource
full Foreigner-To Naples I'm
der Difaculties-ButG Good
Luck Follows, etc.


star led me to the Toilette, where the American
men Of war were moored, and to the encounter
of the curious character who was destined to
become the deus ex machina of this adventure.
Clothed in seedy, threadbare garments, with
battered derby cooked over his ear, he was seated
In the sunshine on a crate of dried fish reading
the society page of the New YorlcsHerald's Paris
edition and holding between his teeth big
Havana cigar, encircled by a wide gilt band.
Formal introductions not being required in the
neighborhood of La Toilette, l ventured a word
of interrogative admiration with reference to
the perfecto.
Zone of the Yankee officers gave it to me, re-
sponded the smoker with an accent that led me
to suppose him English, though he told me
few moments afterward that he was an Egyp-
tian and that his name was Abdulah Casmir.
For the past week he had been acting as guide
and interpreter for party of American Off
GERS. but now the squadron was about to weigh
anchor for Gibraltar and SO his job was ended.
Strange to say, he too was drifting in the direc
ton of Naples and had only a few dollars in his
pocket, so our community of interests led natur-
ally to a further exchange of condolences. I
was drawn to him from the first moment, but
despite his clean-cut features and frank man
ner of speech, 1 was puzzled more and more as
our acquaintance grew, by his cosmopolitan
knowledge of the world, his surprising lingus
tic accomplishments, and an indefinite air of re-
finement that at certain moments made his
ragged garments seem O masquerade. But,
whatever his real identity, he proved himself
for the moment an ideal, resourceful hobo.
From the instant we decided to join forces it
was he who took the lead in everything, and it
was entirely due to his clever scheming that we
stole march on the Messagerie Maritime Com
pany and made the voyage to Naples for less
than one-third of the ordinary fare. By con-
sulting the bulletins of the various transporta-
ton companies we had learned that no tickets
were on sale for less than 45 trans, and as such
sum was out of the question for either of us we
began to cast about for some other expedient,
spending the rest of the day in a vain endeavor
to obtain passage on coasting schooner or
freighter, and parting that evening somewhat
discouraged, after having agreed upon an early
rendezvous for the morrow. Next morning,
Abdullah Casmir, as he styled himself, was wait
ing for me at the appointed spot.
i've got it all fixed !" he cried as soon as l
hove in sight. "Youcan get your duds together
and prepare to sail at o'clock this afternoon"
He had ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS only knows how
that the Messagerie steamer, Saghalien, which
was scheduled to sail that afternoon for the
Orient with a load of INDECENT returning emil
grants, had booked small private party of first
class passengers for Italy and would conse-
quently touch Naples. The company was under
special agreement to transport the emigrants.
like so many cattle, at Is frances per head, each
one having to furnish his own food. After listen
ing to the details of Casmir's plan, consented
to run the risk and that afternoon we shipped
as Turkish indigents bound for Constantinople.
my companion doing all the talking, displaying
a fluent familiarity with the Greek tongue, and
glibly answering all the questions propounded
by the officer, who superintendent the embark
ment. Once safe on board 1 breathed more
freely, but my mind was not altogether at ease
on the question of 'grub." We had not brought
with US even loaf of bread, and still shudder
| to think what might have become of us if Cas-
mfrs faith in his genius as forager had been
misplaced, but he was equal to the emergency.
1 and not only that evening but regularly there
| after three times day we were surreptitiously
provided. with abundant food Inv on assistant
cook, who stole the viands from the kitchen and
carried them to us in tin pan hidden beneath
his apron. AS a reward for his rascality we paid
him in all 35 cents each, living on tender beef
steak and lamb-chops, while the poor unfortu-
nates whom Casmir was pleased to designate
''our brother indigents,' sadly munched their
stale bread and sailed herring.
However, had neither seen nor heard any,
thing of the first class passengers and early on
the second morning began to be assailed by the
fear that we might after all, be carried willy
nilly into the far east. 1t was my first escapade
of the kind and was far from possessing the
sangfroid of my companion; childish as it may
seem could not even muster up courage to ask
one of the sailors if the boat was going to touch
at an Italian port. think Casmir was secretly
amused at my fears. At any rate the only COM
fort could get out of him was the cheerful
declaration that Constantinople was "just as
nice town as Naples,anyway." Meanwhile the
critical moment was drawing near.
IF the island of Capri appears off the port
bow" said the Egyptian, whom cordially hated
at that instant, lit means that we are headed for
the Bosphorus; but if Capri shows up on the
starboard beam, we will be in the Vesuvian gulf
by o'clock"
The next ten minutes, it seemed to me, were
the longest in my life, as 1 swept the horizon
with agitated eyes and wondered whether my
next step on terra firma would be taken under
the benevolent protection of st. January or Of
st. Sofia. Presently we sighted Mount Solaro to
the right and my suspense was ended.
On entering the bay, however, another COM
plicatiOn arose. The vessel carried no freight for
Italy and did not approach land, simply heaving
to in the mouth of the harbor long enough to
permit its half dozen special passengers to be
transported to shore. But my willy partner
cornered one of the Neapolitan boatmen, who
had swarmed on board with oranges and coral
jewelry, and while all hands were watching the
disembarkment of special party No. l, special
party No. quietly slipped over the rail on the
opposite side. The next day we separated, as
Casmir was in a hurry to claim position which
he said had been offered him as interpreter in a
big hotel at Amalh. He promised to write and
let me know how he liked the job, but a week
passed without bringing any word and 1 was
beginning to regard as terminated an adventure
which had really only begun.
Another short period elapsed and then one
Sunday morning, to my utter amazement, en-
countered my Egyptian on the Via Toledo,
Naples, looking seedier than overland peddling
matches!
What on earth has happened to your" l
managed to gasp, but he was not at all nom
plussed and the only response he vouchsafed
was a cheerful grin, a grin that somehow exas-
perated me. 1t was so thoroughly optimistic, so
self-reliant and out of keeping with his sorry
plight.
"Now amt that a h of an occupation for
man who speaks seven languages !" permitted
myself to cry. whats become of your job at
Amalf2"
1.-THE bloody Frenchman wanted me to act as
head waiter !" he replied with disdainful sniff,
and this answer, to which he appended no further
word of explanation, confirmed me in suspi
cion which had vaguely entertained from the
beginning. Nobody but gentleman born and
bred could have made such response under the
circumstances. Remember. he was peddling
matches and wasn't bit ashamed of that! At
the same time l recollected that, though he
knew my address. he had refrained from ap-
preaching me. Considering the very material
service he had rendered in helping me reach
Naples, he might naturally have looked to me
for sympathy and even for what little substan-
tial assistance was in position to offer. Now
that chance had again brought us face to face,
he asked for nothing and arose several notches
in my esteem thereby. Acting on the impulse
of the moment insisted on lending him SIS.
The sum represented nearly half the remainder
of my cash, but felt morally certain that the
resourceful Egyptian would land on his feet
before the remainder of my funds were ex
hausted. Strange as it may seem, had not the
slightest doubt on the score of his honesty.
On the two following mornings he dropped by
my room before was out of bed to chat for a
half hour and discuss his chances of finding en-
t.