AN EGYPTIAN BOOT-BLACK.

BY L. M. F.

I am only a poor Egyptian boot-black, but, for all that, I do not consider myself the inferior of any living being, and feel very proud to own that I am a descendant from one of the most ancient nations existing on the face of the earth. I was born in Cairo, Egypt; so were all my ancestors, and no other land bears the imprints of the soles of their feet, for they lived and died in this sunny land.

My name is Abdullah (i. e., servant of God). I am an orphan; my parents died before I was five, leaving me a waif trusting to the mercy of the world at large. Having no home, and no kith or kin to claim me, I was thrown into the streets to hunt up my own living. I used to wander up and down begging for a para, a piece of bread, or anything with which I could satisfy the pangs of hunger. Thus I passed about four years of my life living on beggary, till one day I noticed a boy blacking an Englishman's boots, and he paid the boy one piastre for doing it. I at once resolved to earn my living that way, and begged the boy to instruct me. He first refused, but on my telling him I was an orphan, he at once taught me how to handle the brushes, and gave me a couple of old ones which he had in his box. I gratefully accepted them. Hastening to one of the stores, I begged for an empty little box, and fastening it to a piece of rope I had found on a dust heap, I slung it across my shoulder proudly, in imitation of all boot-blacks. How could I get some blacking? was my next thought. I entered a grocery store, and said to the owner, "Ya sidi" (i. e., my lord), "I will black your boots for a couple of figs."

"You don't look like a boot-black," he responded.

"I can black boots better than ten boot-blacks," said I, confidently.

"All right," said he, seating himself, and presenting me his foot; "black away."

I tremblingly opened my box, and taking out my brushes hesitatingly said:

"Ya sidi, my blacking is not very good; it is rather dry. If you let me use your blacking, I could make your shoes like a mirror."

"Very well," he unsuspectingly said, handing me a large box of blacking from a well-filled shelf over his head. "I guess mine is fresher; but make them fine, for I want to go to a wedding."

"Halla rassi" (i. e., on my head), I replied, setting to work. It being a very hot day, this gentleman was dressed in a long spotless white caftan touching his ankles. I worked vigorously, and in my eagerness to do the thing well, I got the blacking smeared over my hands, which left large black marks on his ankles, and, worst of all, I had a nice sprinkling of black dots all over his white suit.

"Oh, you young rascal!" he exclaimed, hurriedly, glancing at his condition, "what have you done?"

He was just about dealing me a blow, when I grasped my box and brushes and made my escape. Exasperated that he had missed me, with an oath he flung the box of blacking after me, which hit me on the shoulder. I joyfully clutched the blacking, and ran into another street as fast as my legs could carry me. Breathless, I sat down on a door-step to contemplate my next undertaking, whereupon four professional boot-blacks roughly accosted me, asking how long I had been a boot-black, and to what district I belonged. I replied that I did not belong to any; upon which they began roughly pushing me, and wanted to take away my brushes and blacking; but I fought manfully and desperately for them.

"Hafarêm" (i. e., well done), said one. "You are a ghadah" (i. e., fine fellow). "You can fight well; and as you have no one, we will take you in our company, provided you divide your earnings with us."

Of course I acceded with great pleasure.

The Egyptian boot-blacks have a regular constitution and set of laws; not written out or printed, but not the less enforced.

1. The city of Cairo is divided into about a dozen boot-black districts.

2. The strongest boot-black in his district shall be the Sheik, or chief, until some stronger boy whips him; then the strongest boy takes his place.

3. Every boot-black must obey his Sheik.

4. Always stand by a boot-black, even if from another district.

5. Only Mohammedans are allowed the privilege of being boot-blacks. Any other sects taking up the trade must be put down.

I soon learned all these rules, and followed them closely. The Mohammedans, with the exception of the military men and those in the Viceroy's service, never have their boots blackened. A true Mohammedan looks on blackened boots as on something sacrilegious, so that we boot-blacks are regarded with scorn by our pious neighbors. The boot-black trade is in the European part of the city; that is where we mostly get our customers. We charge no regular price, but take just what we can get. Our worst customers are the military officers and policemen, for they often fail to pay us a single para; and if they are in a good humor, thereby refraining from giving us a kick, they will occasionally throw us the end of a cigar, and we are obliged to submit to this treatment with all humility. The European and American tourists are our genii, for they often give us a franc for polishing their boots. The Christians and Jews who reside in the city do not pay us well. Some of the richer ones give twenty paras (equal to two cents); while others, such as grocery men, pay us in an orange, or a few figs, or a handful of dates. Thus we barely make a living among a population of four hundred thousand inhabitants. Our voices are heard among the first sounds of the early morning, calling, "Boyâ! boyâ! boy-â-â-â!" (i. e., blacking). We frequent the streets where most customers are to be found, and often have a fight with some boot-black from another district who is trying to obtain the best custom.

Once in the year there is a gathering of the faithful followers of Mohammed for a pilgrimage to Mecca. The streets are filled with gay processions escorting the pious pilgrims. All the boot-blacks on that day unite in full force, every Sheik marching at the head of his company brandishing a stick; our boxes are slung across our shoulders to designate our trade; and we all heartily join in making as much noise as possible, shouting, "Boyâ! boyâ-â-â!" as we lead a camel richly harnessed through the streets of the city. There are hundreds of such other camels in this grand procession, led by various parties. Slowly we file through the streets, amid the hearty cheers of the citizens, and wend our way toward the desert, where we leave our camel to the charge of some faithful pilgrim, and return back again to our daily routine of boot-blacking.

I have been a successful boot-black for five years, and I am now the Sheik of my district, which position I gained by being the strongest and most able fighter, and best story-teller, consequently, as a badge of honor, I wear a small turban around my cap. The four boys who first patronized me are my best friends. After a hard day's work, we often resort to some quiet spot on a door-step, and, seating myself, my friends cluster round me for a thrilling tale from the Arabian Nights. Ali sits on my left, resting his weary arm on my knee, for he is the best boot-polisher in the city, and works very hard. Mustapha, on my right, has his only brother Hassan's head resting in his lap. Mahmud is the youngest, and is rather restless. He is fond of standing up, brushes in hand, and trying to see if he can not chance to spy some customer wanting his boots blackened, for he is ambitious to make as much money as possible, as he has an old grandmother, whom he loves dearly, to support.

Not long ago a kind American lady, who seems to have taken an interest in us poor boot-blacks, started an evening school for us. As she had been good to me, and had once helped me out of a serious difficulty, I used all my power as Sheik of my district to make the boys attend. At first it seemed rather dull work to spend two evenings every week in school, but our kind friend made it so pleasant for us that we gradually grew to like it, and now think our school evenings the pleasantest of the week. I am trying hard to learn what is taught us, and hope some time to be something better than an Egyptian boot-black.

THE FAITHFUL SENTINEL.