Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-26


ana a bloated negro face she wed framed
: IN the square aperture.
Inc messenger from All Mobam,,. Al
OF the Suk en-Nahhasin," said IN !.
croaky voice. Conduct me to tho I,aav
Shahmarah" -1"~'
SHOW her SEAL" answered the
eunuch. '"'
a. gave him the ring SO fortunately
discovered In the tarbush Of my friend
the merchant Within a collouuy tooh
pace IN which a female voice took mart
ihen the door was partly opened for INV
admittance-and l found myself In tho
gardens of the hey.
girl completely mufied up in manv :.
rueo shawls and scarves. SO that her
red slippered feet and two bright eve.
Eeavily darkened with kohl were the
only two portions Of her persons visible.
stood before me.
FOLLOW me quickly. mother" said
the girl
followed her In silence. noting that
sre pursued path which ran parallel
with the wall and lay wholly in its
shadow. We skirted two sides of tho
palace. There we came to the entrance
10 Kind OF trellis-c covered walk mosaic
paved and patched delightfully."- with
mystic light 1t terminated before a
small but heavily and nail studded door.
OF which my guide held the key. A few
moments later 1 found myself In a
chamber of barbaric beauty and in ths
presence OF the celebrated Shahmarah.
The apartment. save for one end
being wholly occupied by magnificent
mushrabiyeh screen, was walled with
what looked like Verde Antico marble
or green serpentine. An ebony couch
having feet shaped al those of a leonard
and enriched with cleaning bronze,
having the skins Of leopards cast across
IT, and, upon the skins. silken soft
cushions wrought in patterns Of green
and gold, stood upon the mosaic floor at
the head of three shallow steps which
descended to pool where a fountain
played, softly musical. Upon this couch
Shahmarah reclined. and I perceived
Immediately that her reputation for
beauty was richly deserved Upon her
head she wore a rabtah, or turban. of
pure white, secure ard decorated in front
by brooch of ancient Egyptian enamel
work. probably fourteenth dynasty and
for which I would GLADLY have given her
100 pounds. II I have forgotten what
else she wore it may be because my
senses were in somewhat Of turmoil
as l stood before her in that opulent
npartment-which l suddenly recog-
nized, and not without discontinue, to
be the meslakh of the hammam.
Fixing her wonderful eyes upon me-
You have brought the veil?" she said
The merchant Ali Mohammed Or
dered me to convey to him the price
agreed Upon. O jewel Of Egypt" I
Taumhled. ''ere yielded up this. a poor
mans only treasure"
Sahmarah sat upright upon the
couch.
THE veil!" she cried imperiously.
ri will send the merchant Ali Mo-
manned An order on the treasury Of
the Bey."
oh moon Of the orient" replied,
"Oh ravisher Of souls. am but poor.
anca Of beauty and lovelineas. Would
you ruin one SO old and feeble and
helplessf must have the price
agreed upon; let it be counted into
this bag"-and eonceaiing my tell
tale hands n much as possible. bent
humbly and placed . leather wallet ..
upon a little table beside her which ,
bore fruits. sweetmeats and . long ,
necked gold nagon. ;
Il might have you cast into ,
dungeon beneath this palace" she ,
Missed at me. bending lithely forward ,
and extending . jeweled foreHnger. ,
mo one would miss thee. o mother ,
Of afliictions." \
In that event." I crooned QuAver- +,
ingly. % tree of pearls. the veil 9
could never be thine: for the mer- =
chant Ali Mohammed, who awaits me =
At the gate. refuses to deliver it up q
until the price agreed upon has been I
placed in his hands" I
She extended the jeweled hand to- i
ward the girl who stood behind me =
and who. having loosened her wraps, 9
proved to be q comely but shrewd- =
looking Assyrian. Let the money be I
counted into the bag" she ordered. t
From . locked closet the Assyrian
girl took . wooden Golfer. and be- i
fore my gratined eyes began to count q
AVSNm fhA lttt1A tnhln uAtA~ -~yA =