Evening star., 1936-01-05

In u one
rrctended to drive a water truck,
Iadling out great buckets to col
sUmns OF men. He shook his head
1t this and dropped to his knees.
CLEARLY it was night in his minds
eye, and Danakils we're stalking
Ihe canton routes. 1t was patent
shat he clung to all his notions; that
q mechanical force might cross this
horrible country was not to be admit
Red though he knew little the ways OF
White men with machines. One could
mot dispute him or draw him out.
Zones own acquaintance with that
desert extended exactly 20 kilometers
deep on motor cycle and had yielded
nothing but sand and heat, painful
Shill of early morning, and a few
shepherds seen watching scanty f1ocks.
: An hour before the troop train
geached its destination of Diredawa,
at a short halt the Kenjasmaj was
Joined by comrade, the first permit
sted to bide with him since the journey
began. The newcomer was child of
30. sturdy and silent. He was. it was
Clear, the apple of Moulou Guetah's
Eye. The child was dressed like a
man. in white jodhpurs, long white
xhirt slit at the sides from knees to
hips. and, over all. white tunic. His
shoulders were draped in a white
6hamma-the toga virilis of the Ethio-
Bian-and this he continually ar
ranged with unaccustomed swagger
! Newly Elevated in Estate.
: The child was only recently ele-
waited to mans estate because the
clothing was newly white. and had
not been slept in more than 10 days,
Its seeming imma aculateness-really
1llth-was dazzling by contrast with
the horrible dinginesS of the irregu-
lars. He was a nut-headed child. pos
sibly the Kenjasmajs own. Inquiry
elected nothing 1t is doubtful if
the child's mother could have en-
lightened the heavens on such a sub
ject
Moulou Guetah regarded this lad
with great whirnsicality Then, with
sweet tenderness. he had the child
raise his chamma to show the white
imam his accoutrements. The boy was
a reproduction. in little, of his patron
He, too, wore the braided bandolier:
Ii1e, too, had tiny red scabbarded
sword. The old man smiled in foolish
pride. the child bridling in modesty,
sbowing in deep humility and reveal
ing, back of his ears, the ravages of
mange.
! The time had come to depart. Mou-
lou Guetah assumed all the panoply
iof war as the low white roofs of Dire
sdawa, guarding the entrance into
1ssa, shone in the far reaches of sand
sand brush. Painfully we loaded the
sold gentleman with his martial wares.
AT last he was outfitted for his rank,
the general, artiflcer, sharpshooter,
gunner of his brigade 1t was discov-
sered that he had no room for his two
bands OF Mauser cartridges. After
some deliberation, he decided to en-
rrust these to the child. When the
train pulled into the freight yards of
sDiredawa. the two of the disembarked
fs heavily weighted as deep-sea divers.
Z There was a truck standing by for
fhe Kenjasmaj. We stood by the
Hailboard of the camion and saluted.
Erhe old man boosted his favorite lad
Snto the body of the truck. Soldiers
Came running with yellowed skins of
mlllet flour, piling them high. The
Renjasmaj sat upon the bulkiest of
Fhese. his arms heavy with their ac-
Sumulation of firearms. The child,
sitting below him on smaller sack.
cooked in wonder upon the immensity
sof town of 1000 people, all living in
Yhouses OF stone. AS the truck splut-
Iered from the yards, the child waved
TO the white man.
3 There was look about the little
nan which was unmistakable. He
sRas, beyond doubt, the child of the
woman who had kissed the dirty car
pet in the train at Addis-Ababa. He
seVas 10 years old. He was armed to the
Seeth' He was going to the wars with
MS master. The Keniasmai sat for
yard. scanning the fading horizon.
eeCopyrisht 1895. by the North American
Newspaper Alliance Inc and Fox
Movtetone NeWs)