The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-12-15

z I1AAI
upon the occasion of one OF his
visits TO the United States had great
influence with Kitchener, and deter
| mined TO call on him and make n
strong personal appeal. Before call
ing l prepared a list of twenty queS-
tions that I thought the great War
Lord might be willing TO answer be-
ing careful to make them nearly all
Of a military character, so that he
might not reject them on the ground
that he was a military man and not
| q statesman.
When 1 saw this eminent publisher
he was extremely cordial. but, like
everybody else, seemed to think there
was very little hope for me Finally,
however. he said:
Il will do what I cen for you. |
will personally see Kitchener and
urge him to do it, but that is all |
can promise you. OF course. II you
had your questions prepared IN ad-
vance SO that he could look them
over it would improve your nance
Of getting an interview"
Questions Looked food.
Out came my list of questions. and
after hurriedly skimming through
them. my last hope said cheerfully:
Il see no reason why he shouldn't
answer these. In fact, I will III
him to do so, and if he agrees ! will
let you know when you are to see
him"
This sounded awfully good. but
somehow I could not get elated over
it. You see, I was pretty we'll con-
vinced by this time that while I
might do a lot Of things in London,
interviewing Kitchener VAS not one
Of them.
AT a small informal dinner a few
nights later. as l was introduced to
one of the guests, he grasped my
hand very cordially, and said:
CT am 60 Glad fO moot Won hacanSe
/ understand you are going to inter-
| view Kitchener
Secret Had Got Out.
For a l was petrltied with
astonishment: Who was this man
and now did he know / was going
to interview Kitchener? Just how
nearly I came to leaping on him and
choking the W from his throat
he will never know.
Somehow [ controlled myself and
managed to stammer out some. inane
remark about counting chickens be-
fore you made a rabbit stew. first be-
ing careful to kin the eggs. Then it
came out that he knew the gentleman
who had promised to help me, and he
had casually mentioned it in conver-
sation.
Oh, of Course.
: But Of course you are going to-
said my new acquaintance, because
t Mr.. - (mentioning the name of
the publiSher) can get very nearly
t anything he goes after in London"
Again my pulses leaped and l felt
a queer, giddy sensation in the head.
Now, when you see Kitchener" ne
continued
I wished he wouldn't talk tina way.
It made me jump like touching a sore
tooth.
when you see Kitchener / wish
you would show him this letter and
ask him to tell you all the circum-
I%stances of his writing it. I think il
is the finest letter ever written. ]
have often wondered what the kha-
lifa thought when he read it. I have
only seen it in print once, and [ have
ALWAYS carried a copy Of it."
Kitchener to Abdhla.
Then he handed me the manu-
script, Here it is:
To Abdula, son of Mohammed
E~l-Taaishi, Head Of the Soudan:
Bear in your mind that your
evil deeds throughout the Sou
dan, particularly your numbering
t a great number of Mohammedans
l.. withou cause of excuse, besides
r oppression and tyranny, neceSsi-
e tated the advance of my troops
for the destruction of your
S throne, III order to save the coun-
s. try from your deviliSh doingS
IL and iniquity.
" InaSInuch as there are many in
e are held responsible-innocent,
I your keeping for whose blood you
is old and infirm women and chill
d dren and Notwithstanding you
l. and your government, who are
guilty of nothing. and because
we have no desire that they
Of should suffer the least harm, We
at ask you to have them removed
,e from the Sem to a place where
the shells of guns and bullets
Pr of rifles shall not reach them.
1 If you do not do SO the shells
and bullets cannot recognize
er them, and will consequently kill
st them; and afterward you will
" be r~esonpsible before God for
their blood. Stand firm, you and
your helpers, only in he field Of
e. battle, to meet the punishment
iv prepared for you by the praised
1T God. That If You find your
De emirs incline to surrender {, pre-
r. yonf hJon1 ha;p0 chad We cHaD