The Seven Little Sisters Who Live on the Round Ball - That Floats in the Air by Jane Andrews
page 37 of 86 (43%)
page 37 of 86 (43%)
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and rich spices, and the beautiful red and green morocco, of which,
when I was a little girl, we sometimes had shoes made, but we see it oftener now on the covers of books. All these things belong to the Sheik Hassein. He has been to the great cities to buy them, and now he is carrying them across the desert to sell again. He himself rides at the head of his company on a magnificent brown horse, and his dress is so grand and gay that it shines in the morning light quite splendidly. A great shawl with golden fringes is twisted about his head for a turban, and he wears, instead of a coat, a tunic broadly striped with crimson and yellow, while a loose-flowing scarlet robe falls from his shoulders. His face is dark, and his eyes keen and bright; only a little of his straight black hair hangs below the fringes of his turban, but his beard is long and dark, and he really looks very magnificent sitting upon his fine horse, in the full morning sunlight. Abdel Hassan rides forward to meet him, and the children from behind watch with great delight. Abdel Hassan takes the hand of the sheik, presses it to his lips and forehead, and says, "Peace be with you." Do you see how different this is from the hand-shakings and "How-do-you-do's" of the gentlemen whom we know? Many grand compliments are offered from one to another, and they are very polite and respectful. Our manners would seem very poor beside theirs. Then follows a long talk, and the smoking of pipes, while the servants make coffee, and serve it in little cups. |
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