Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-16
CRITICS PRAISE
MOLINER'S WORK
Morocco, the Bizarre by
George E. Holt, Proves
Worthy Book.
TELLS OF EXPERIENCES
Mr.. Hollis New Book Gives One Real
Tale of Romance-Author
Becomes Famous

titled Morocco, the Bizarre, which
has won for him universal praise OF
the critics Mcbride Mast G Co. OF
New York City, are the publishers.
Mr.. Holt has been engaged in United
States consular work for some time,
and writes his book from experiences
which he has met with in this work.
Under the caption, Realism and
Romance" the Chicago Record-Herald
had the following to say regarding
Mr.. Hollis work:
Book of Pure Romance.
| AS a relief from stern realism try
romance, the true romance built upon
realty and that needs only the seeing
eye to render it conspicuous. George
Edmund Holt, whose consular expe-
rience lends authority to his vision,
finds rich treasure or such romance
in Morocco, the Bizarre, and joyously
shares them with his reader He holds
the pleased attention from this quaint
opening word:
In memory of the charm of Al Mogh
reb al-Aoksa-Sunset Land.
In memory of full days on the long
trail and the moonlight flooding the
purple Anghera hills.
In memory of sweet-scented orange
groves, and the harbor song of the sea,
and the low-hanging stars.
In memory of those who with me
have heard the kindly voice of Moroc-
co and have understood its joy and its
sorrow.
The spirit so suggested lies back of
all Mr.. Hollis work and explains at
once why this work is so interesting
and why the writer found it compar-
atively easy to understand and inter-
pref the strange oriental nature as ex-
emplified by Turks and Moors and
Jews and all the other eastern ele-
ments that abound in cosmopolitan
Morocco. Almost everybody goes to
Morocco, according to Mr.. Holt, save,
indeed, the American fugitives from
justice who popularity are supposed to
congregate there. The american cit
liens" who do reside in Morocco, we
are told, mainly are natives whose
supposed naturalization or "protec- |
ton" papers may be anything from /,
newspaper clipping to a pamphlet of |
regulations of the Tobacca Workers |
union, local 81, New York City. This |
last document actually was offered |
In evidence by a Morocco Jew, who |
claimed to have been "in NJ York all |
time, seb'nteen years." Mr. Holt in |
this connection tells an amusing anec-
1ote of All Mohammed. who, commit
ed to Jail for various offenses, served
MS term while acting as warden-inci-
ientally making money out of his fell
ow prisoners
Relates Ap,neip1
But, Mister Consul" he said. when
questioned, me good keeper dem
1ere fellers. Me no let one get ont
ALL like me, dem fellers, very much.
Want me to come back Wen | go
way. all say Ali you good man. YOU
come back. You want me to go back.
Mister Consult"
mo, Ali" l answered softly .sI
hink that the government has board
I'd you about long enough. If Won
stayed there another three months
'ou'd be bashaw of the town, and then
'ou and l would have trouble. Beat
t, Ali; beat it,"
The old vernacular brought Joy to
All. who had been cook in a New
FORK hotel
Yes, Mister Consul" he replied.
Me goin' to beat it." He hesitated
moment, searching his memory.
Then he salaamed slowly, low and
and said: "Skiddo f,r
ne, Mister Consul. Broadway an d.
ute lights. Goodyear talks"
But Ali, returning to New York
nee more left the city of his adoption
to make holy pi;grimages to Mekka.
No get drunk no more Mr.. Con-
ul,' he explained at the end of his
ourney. No can drink more after
ray with Mahomet. Me good man
ow"
The only unofficial native-born
merican living in Morocco is Can
ain John Cobb of Casablanca, the
rofane. but well-intended old sailor
no has lived there for forty wears
no curses fiuently in seven Ian
1ages and various dialects, who
,eds American guests on standard
merican foodstuffs. and so manipu-
ties an old-fashioned phonoerapb
lat Swanee River and Old Folks at
ONE float through the mill and out
pom the fiower-laden air OF Shaw
d, or Casablanca district Between
lie craftwork of original Americans
ID Indians and that of the MoroccanI
itives, Mr.. Holt finds many points of
'semblance- The Riff pottery, car
ITS. embroidery leather. basket and
lad work show strong similarity OF
e Navajo and Mok products and the
'ecimens are produced in the same
amer. the only designs available be-
E memorized and passed on by OBJ
rvation and word of mouth.
One of the most frequent designs
r Moorish decoration is the So
He'd "Solomons seal" or Solomon's