Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-04-07

garden city of Africa It has
been laid out with that view.
~ The immensely wide streets are
bordered by small trees which
make the hot, dusty expenses of road
way seem dustier and hotter by mock
ing the wayfarer, as II thirsty man
should have a thimbleful of water Of
fered to him. But growth is rapid here.
Before many years are past these sap
lings win spread their Aleafage wide.
and everywhere one will walk beneath
a COOL canopy Of whispering leaves.
At present nobody walks The first
morning | was here made great
mistake. went out for Stroll round
to get an idea of the town. Frankly
I thought 1t was detestable place
There is about enough here" said,
ito make decent-sized village. and
they have spread it over an area big
enough for the site of city" It was
very hot. It was also windy. Dust lay
thick all over except In the very mid
die of the road. saw no white peo-
pie about. came back to the hotol
sticky and tired and In bad temper.
But after a cool drink in long chair
on the balcony looking over the river
and over the great stretch of desert
bounded by fascinating far-off hills. I
reflected and began to understand. In
this dry atmosphere thirst becomes a
habit, and 1t is necessary to drink often
of lime Juice or lemonade. As | cooled
on became more reasonable. no.
ticed the gathering of donkeys and
Of rickshas drawn by small ponies
near the gate of the hotel on the riv-
er's edge. Everybody who went out
took one or the other Since then
have done likewise. and have no fur
Their complaints. There is one walk.
and a very pleasant one. left-handed
along the river toward the point where
the Blue and White Niles meet. keep
ing each its distinctive color for many
miles down, and when the steam ferry
plies to Omdurman on the further
bank. But no one would dream OF
walking even here under the palm
trees until the sun has dropped low.
Rides In the early morning freshness
over the desert sand and lawn tennis
as soon as the shadows begin to
lengthen-that is how we take our ex-
ercise in Khartoum.
The distances would really be diff
cult even II the roads were not so
dusty and hot. You are told that some
place you want to go to is at the end
Of the street" This means at least a
mile, and sometimes nearly two. Yet
the buildings are scattered only here
and there. There is but one good Eu-
ropean shop. There are bits of pave
ment in places, but for the most part
roadway and sidewalk have not yet
been separated. Consequently one has
the sense Of wandering about a suburb
which is still IN the builders hands
and only Just beginning to be occu-
pied. Well, for suburb" read city"
and that is perfectly true Of Khartoum.
It has been planned with an eye TO the
future.
Some day" they said to themselves.
these far-sighted Engiishmen and
Scotsmen and Irishmen, not forgetting
Welshmen. 'some day this vast coun-
try will. instead Of being mostly desert.
be covered with wheat fields and cot
ton fields. Work and water will turn
the barren sand into one of the great
producing countries of the world. In
that day Khartoum will no longer be
the head place of province which is
still looked upon as the Cinderella Of
the British empire and treated accord
ingly.
1T win be the capital of rich and
powerful dominion. Whether it win
be fitted to play this important part
in the world drama. and set an exam