He Told
Me The Dead Man Was His Brother-In-Law, And He Himself The Barber.
I Hoped I Had Not Taken A Liberty.
'Oh, no; poor Malays were proud
when noble English persons showed such respect to their religion.
The young Prince had done so too, and Allah would not forget to
protect him.
He also did not laugh at their prayers, praise be to
God!' I had already heard that Prince Alfred is quite the darling
of the Malays. He insisted on accepting their fete, which the
Capetown people had snubbed. I have a friendship with one Abdul
Jemaalee and his wife Betsy, a couple of old folks who were slaves
to Dutch owners, and now keep a fruit-shop of a rough sort, with
'Betsy, fruiterer,' painted on the back of an old tin tray, and
hung up by the door of the house. Abdul first bought himself, and
then his wife Betsy, whose 'missus' generously threw in her bed-
ridden mother. He is a fine handsome old man, and has confided to
me that 5,000 pounds would not buy what he is worth now. I have
also read the letters written by his, son, young Abdul Rachman, now
a student at Cairo, who has been away five years - four at Mecca.
The young theologian writes to his 'hoog eerbare moeder' a fond
request for money, and promises to return soon. I am invited to
the feast wherewith he will be welcomed. Old Abdul Jemaalee thinks
it will divert my mind, and prove to me that Allah will take me
home safe to my children, about whom he and his wife asked many
questions.
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