The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1917-12-25

''"''' oSA0 W DctiiloSCUS, WIiSIG II was
exposed to contempt in mosque. AL
though the Moslems hold the story of
the crucifiXion to be a fable, they
honor the name of Jesus. The cross
Later was sent as a gift to Isaac, the
emperor of Constantinople. There
is also curious story of Frank sol
der who undertook to find it on the
field of Hittin at the spot where he
had buried it with his own hands dur
ing the battle, but after three nights
digging he gave up the search. Pre-
sumed fragments of it have been en-
shrined in various cities of Europe.
Saladin Never Fought
Many pleasing tales of knightly
combats between Saladin and Rich
ard have been told, only to be denied
by historians. The world has taken
its idea Of Saladin from Sir Walter
SCOTS novel, "The Talisman." One
thing that Scott caught excellently
was the spirit. But Saladin was at
this day more than SO years old.
Richard, who was about 80, always
was to the fore in battle, thunder
ing like a wild boar" and taking
heads as an Indian takes scalps.
Nor was Saladin behind hand. He
often rode between the front ranks,
with the arrows flying about his head
and only a couple of grooms with
! spare horses as his escort. Sometimes
1 he would take priest with him to
say prayers. But it was not his habit
to fight in person, and he certainly
never encountered Richard on the
| field of battle.
Trials of Skill.
Perpetual skirmishing went on be-
| tween the armies, and the soldiers on
both sides became so accustomed to
these little affairs that they would
sometimes break off in the middle of
an encounter and fall to talking.
When they were tired of skirmishing
they diverted themselves with pitting
| boys of each side against each other,
that they, too, might share in the
fun, and the lads had a furious tus-
sic while their elders formed a ring
in strictly sportsmanlike manner.
There were times when a solitary
rider would emerge from the lines Of
the crusaders and challenge a Saracen
to single combat. Sometimes the
challenge was only to a feat of skill.
A brawny Englishman would ride
out, unsheath his sword and with a
mighty blow slice a bar of iron or a
suit of armor into halves. Then q
Saracen cavalryman would ride out,
bare his slender arm and brandish
his curved and narrow scimiter of
Damascus steel. Undoing a sort of
veil that he wore, he would Law the
filmy stuff double along the edge of
his sword. Extending the weapon
edgeways in the air and drawing it
suddenly through the veil, although
it hung on the blade entirely loose,
1T would fall into two parts, which
fioated away. Thus would he prove
= the extreme temper and sharpness of
his weapon and his own dexterity.
Richards Matrimonial Strategy.
! What he could not win by conflict
. Richard attempted to gain by diplo.
macy ENJOYS constantly passed be.
tween the two camps. 1t was like
the frank soldierly character of Ricn.
ard to wish to meet face to face tbs
man with whose courage and great.
ness of heart even the Christian
camp was ringing But Saladin de-
, clined, fearing, perhaps he would be
! won over by his knightly opponent
In THE Talisman" Scott imagines
meeting between the two. But the
meeting that really took place was
between the English king and Sala.
!, dln's brother Saphadin. Richard at.
tempted to arrange a marriage be.
tween his sister Joanna and Sapha-
din. Thus he planned a new kingdom
of Palestine over which an English
woman would rule The banqueting
and exchange of costly presents came
to naught, for this Christian widow
refused to wed a Mohammedan or live
IN a harem. Then Richard tried to
marry off his niece with the same
result. Another of his schemes was
to make Saladin a Christian and let
him keep the Holy Land.
Friends, Though Enemies.
The conduct of Saladin, in whom
were found the best traditions of
Moslem culture, was at times almost
Quixotic. In the heat of the battle
of Jaffa Richard and his knights fell
upon the Saracens with Incompatible
fury, cleaving heads and chopping off
limbs in every direction. His horse
was killed. Suddenly Turk rode IN
to him on a foaming charger, lead
ing another, seeing the king un-
mounted Saladin had sent him two
swift Arabian steeds, thinking it a
shame that so brave warrior should
fight on foot. Richard accepted them
in the same spirit, and the battle
went on. At a later time Richard.
sick with a burning fever, craved
cooling fruit and Saladin constantly
sent him pears and peaches and re-
treshlng snow from the mountains.
But to all appeals for cession of
Palestine Saladin remained obdurate,
replying on one occasion: