Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1922-04-21
PIRATE AT HEART
Present Day Arab a Robber Like
His Fathers.
No Longer Employs Force, But Ger
tslnly Ranks High as a shrewd
Confidence Man"


The Arab is still pirate At heart
Though his methods hhye changed
since the days when the pirate states
OF Barbary dominated the Medlter-
rsnean, he still has his eye on the
next mans purse, The willy old Arab
guide that Mr.. Willard Price tells
about In Travel was In point OF ayarice
and guile worthy descendant of the
ancient corsairs,
One evening, says Mr., Price, while
was In n hotel at Tunis an English
man whom did not know came to
my table. "Dld you know that your
guide is notorious chNracterf" he
asked.
did not know 1t. knew only that
okba, my guide had chest like a
bantam's and step like n peacock S,
you will do well TO keep him. said
the Englishman, "He has such n
klngly manner that he can get you
into places that are closed to other
guides. But don't let him fool you
with any stories"
Then he told me how Okla had be-
come notorious A wealthy English fam
lily had come to Tunis in their private
yacht. The blood of Okba's pirate an
cestors at once began to stir in his
VEINS. He borrowed some magnificent
clothes and CARRIED his imposing fig
ure In them. Then he went to the
,Inh I'm oli cbp,op and fold hin, that ba
was the son of the bey-for the hey
Of Tunis stlll exists as figurehead
under the French protectorate.
"The hey has known of your com
Ing said 0kba, "and regrets exceed
ingly that 1t has been necessary for
him to leave the city. However he
has requested that personally con.
duct you through his palace and show
you the wonders of Tunis."
Anyone may go through the less
private parts of the bey's palace, but
the visitors did not know it. They
were flattered at the thought Of being
conducted through the bey's own man
sion by the bey's own son!
For two days the proud young heir
to the beydom' Toasted his guests in
the best hotels, but never in the pal.
ace. He explained that the bey's
brother had just died and that the
palace was in mourning.
When the Engllshman was about to
depart he said, rs there not some re-
turn we can make for your very kind
ness to usf"
your presence in our city is more
than sufficient return" Okba replied
grandly.
But surely you will permit us to
cover the bare cost of our entertain
ment," and the Englishman preferred
three hundred francs.
Okba was terribly shocked and
palned The Englshman, percelving
how deeply he had pierced his hosts
sensitive soul, made profuse apologies.
The "bey's son" gradually softened.
~ pardon your error" he said at last,
land will let you do as you wish, but
not quite in the way you suggest. For
myself or my father can accept moth
Ing. But my father has chest for
the poor"
The BnglIshman pressed into Okba's
hands five thousand francs "for the
poor"
When the hey learned that Okba
had posed rs his son he sent him to
prison for three years. remember
that when 0kba took me through the
public parts of the bey's palace the
guards continually joked him. Per-
haps they We're inquring after the
welfare Of the "bey's son" and asking
how much the American was to con-
tribute to the poor "chest."-Youth's
Companion.