The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1922-04-07
Pirate AT HEART
Present. Day Arab a Robber Like
His Fathers.
No Longer Employs Force, But Ger.
tainly Ranks High as a Shrewd
"Confidence Man." :

The Arab is still a pirate at heart.
Though hiss methods have changed
since the days when the pirate states
OF Barbary dominated the Mediter-
ranean 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 a~varice
and guile a worthy descendant Of the
ancient c~orsairs.
One evening. says Mr.. Price, while
I was in n hotel at Tunis an English
man whom l did not know came to
my table. did you know that your
guide is n notorious characters" he
asked.
/ did not know it. I knew only that
Okha, my guide had n chest like a
bantam's and a step like q peacock's.
you will do well TO keep him." said
the EngliShman. "TIe, has such Il
kingly 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 10 Tunis in their private
yacht. The blood Of Okba's pirate m
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
rich Englishman and told him that he
was the son of the bey-for the hey
Of Tunis still exists rs a f~igurehead
under the French protectorate.
THE hey has known of your COM
ing said Okba, land regrets exceed
ingly that ii has Deer 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 w son!
For two days the proud young "heir
to the beydom' Toasted his guests in
he 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 Englishman was about to
depart he said, '"Is there not some re-
turn we can make for your very kind
ness to u.s."
your presence in our city is n more
than sufficient return" Okba replied
%grandly.
But surely You will permit us TO
cover the bare cos of our entertain
ment," and the Englishman proffered
three hundred francs.
Okba was terribly shocked and
panied. The Englishman, perceiving
how deeply he had pierced his hosts
sensitive soul, made profuse apologies.
The "bey's son" gradually softened.
IL pardon your error he said at last,
land I will let you do as you wish, but
not quite in the way you suggest. For
myself or my father l can accept moth
ing. But my father has a chest for
the poor"
The Englishman pressed into Okba's
hands five thousand francs "for the
poor"
When the hey learned that Okba
had posed as his son he sent him to
prison for three years. l remember
that when Okba took me through the
public parts Of the bey's palace the
guards continually joked him. Per-
haps they were inquiring after the
welfare of the "bey's son" and asking
how much the American was to con
tribute to the poor "chest."-Youtl's
Companion.