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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (March 15, 1919)
Like the rest of his poetic brethren of all ages, he had that human failing of falling desperately in love with a beautiful maiden. The happy lady who won Antar’s heart was his cousin, the beautiful Abla, for whose sake he fought many a desperate battle, and suffered such humiliation as no war rior of his spirit could be expected to tolerate. It was for her sake that he always forgave the unkindness of his people, as in shown in the fol lowing poem, which also proves Abla’s beauty: “The wind that comes from the di rection of "Alummnu Serdy” (i. e., the home of Abla and her tribe) cools the burning love and yearning in my heart; and makes me remember a peo ple to whom I have always been good and kind, but who yet bear no grati tude nor love for me. Had it not been for a beautiful girl dwelling in the tents there, I would never prefer their neighborhood to my solitude. Oh, how beautiful she is. The magic of her glances is such that if she spoke to a dead man, he would arise from his grave. As the sun was set ting in the west he pointed to her saying, ‘When the world gets dark, let the beauty of your face take my place to bring the light again;’ and the bright moon, too, told her; ‘Take the veil off your face, because it is like me—perfect, bright and cheerful.’ She turned her head shyly and took off the veil, showing the roses on her cheeks in their full bloom, and from within her eyelids she drew a sword as cutting and sharp as that of her father. Even if that sword of her glances is sheathed with its scab bard, yet her eyes closed will pierce the heart all the same. Never before has it been found that a sword could cut while in its scabbard. The home of the “Miskh” (English, musk—an Arab scent) is beneath her veil, be cause it needs her breath to make it pleasanter still. And her forehead be neath her black hair is beautiful like the dawn peeping through the dark ness of the vanishing night. Her j smile like the best wine will make you , swoon. Her breast complained against i her necklace (he means her skin is so soft and gentle that even a neck- | lace would hurt it). What would I ; not do for her who possesses such j charms? Will fate be for once kind | and let me see you again, beloved one ? i For your sake I will forgive my people anything, even if they shed my blood, j and will suffer patiently any hard- j ship to win you.” The translation has been very lit eral in order that a proper idea might be formed of the highly imaginative mind of the Arabic poet. Abla’s father would not, at first consent, to give his daughter in mar riage to Antar, because hg wanted to secure a richer son-in-law. There were many noble emirs who were very anxious to win Abla’s hand, but An tar’s sword always put an end to their aspirations and to their lives at the j same time. There is an interesting poem of Antar in which he complains instead of having Abla he has to meet a new foe: “How often is fate going to bring me an enemy to fight instead of my beloved to love?” Professor Leon has rendered this portion of the poem thus: ‘‘When I hunger for love, as men hun ger for bread, Fate to me is unkind, for it gives me instead Of the one I desire, a fresh foe then to fight. Will the day ever dawn, will it ever be light, Will I ever possess and fast clasp in my arms The maid whom I adore, who enslaves by her charms ? ‘Oh, list to, Allah! as I now to Thee pray, That on me soon may dawn all the joys of that day.’ ” At last nobody dared cross swords with Antar, and he won his beloved Abla. All throughout his poems Antar proves himself a warrior, bold, brave and generous in the extreme. The fol lowing are a few sentences from dif ferent poems, and give an idea of his thoughts and poetry. In one of these he describes himself when he is under the influence of wine (because it is said that wine shows the true character of a person, because under its influences a man cannot hide his real nature.) He will squander his money right and left, but his honor is unstained as ever (thus he emphasizes that this is always his first consideration and that even wine will not make him forget his duty), and he goes on to say, and "when I am sober I am still equally disposed and ready to give away what I have to others” (that is to say he is not, like some, only generous when he is drunk, but it is his habit to be gen erous. This form of poetry is very pop ular in Arabic, and is known as "Ihtras,” (i. e., caution), that is to say you make a statement, and fol low it by another to make your mean ing absolutely clear. He had a beau tiful way of emphasizing the meaning of a statement by another: "My people will remember when a foe is knocking at their door, and it is in a dark night that we miss the moon.” Antar is particularly famous as a poet of “Sher Hamasy,” i. e., warlike and inspiring poetry: “Let your sword be always ready to strike; never stay in a land, if you are not properly respected. If a coward advises you to run away when the battle is severe in order to save your life, do not listen to him, but plunge yourself in the hottest con test and reach a place to elevate you, or die a glorious death beneath the shadows of the swords. The strong est of strongholds will not save you from death, if it is your fate to die. It is better to die gloriously than be the slave of captivating eyes. If I am considered a slave my deeds will elevate me to the highest sky; or if the warriors of my tribe deny my lineage, the sword and spear will ad mit it. I have reached my glorious rank by my strong arm and sword, and not by my birth and the influ ence of friends. I will drink poison rather than 'the water of life’ if I have to bow to anybody. To live in hell is better than in Paradise, if in Paradise you have to suffer humilia tion.” Antar always had the greatest con- j tempt of danger and death: “If death presents itself in battle I I will be the first to challenge it; j and whenever I enter a fight I never regret having done so after the fight is over.” His death was as noble as his life. \ Though mortally wounded, he rode his horse and faced the foe single-handed, j to give time to his wife to escape to | their trible. None of the foe dared J to attack him, and after some time ! when they ventured to approach the ' place where he was they found him | dead: “God bless thee, brave warrior, who ' defended his women folk alive and dead.” Such was the remark of his admiring foes when they found him dead and still seated on horseback. Dr. Leon has rendered the lines thus: “God bless thee, brave Antar,” then j they one and all said, “Thou protectest the weak, even tho’ thou art dead!” _ I AMERICAN INDIANS PAY DEBT TO NEGRO MISSIONARY A debt contracted by the Wyandotte Indians of Ohio 100 years ago has just been paid with interest by the St. Regis Indians of northern New York. The creditor was a Negro. He died in 1821 in the Wyandotte seetlement in Upper Sandusky. With the debt, the debtors or the creditor, the St. Regis Indians had no connection. Nevertheless, when approximately 14,000,000 people undertook to cele | brate the one hundredth anniversary j of the Negro’s first visit to the Wyan dottes by raising a fund of $105,000, 000 for world reconstruction, at the beginning of this year, the St, Regis ! tribe doubled the amount asked of them toward the world fund. The Negro creditor of the Wyan dottes was John Stewart. Stewart was born of Baptist parents in Pow hatan county, Virginia, in 1784. At 34 he w'as leading a dissolute life in Marietta, Ohio, when he was con verted at a Methodist Episcopal mis sion, and heard a call to carry Chris-1 tianity to the Indians. His first visit to the Wyandottes was the founding of the missionary work of the Metho dist Episcopal church. The celebartion of the one hundred th anniversary of that visit is the centenary movement of the Methodist Episcopal church in the United States. The St. Regis Indians are partici-1 pating in that celebration through the St. Regis Indian mission in Hogans burg, N. Y. Louis Bruce, himself a St. Regis Indian, graduate of the Uni versity of Pennsylvania and for a time a professional baseball player, is the pastor of the mission. When the centenary celebration be gan, January 1, 1919, the St. Regis mission was asked to provide $2,500 to the world fund. The mission had never been asked to do anything for self-support. In 1917 the gifts to the church through the mission totaled $28. But when the centenary program in cluded it, and it was asked in honor of the Negro who had carried Chris tianity to men of its own race a cen tury ago, to pledge its share of the $105,000,000 fund, the response was immediate. In two days, $6,100 was pledged in 1 amounts ranging from 10 cents to $2 a week. Indians are speaking in be half of the centenary movement. Twenty-seven Indians of the member ship of 70 have pledged themselves to give one-tenth of their income to the chuhch, in pursuance of the bibli cal titheing plan. The final cancellation of the debt j of the Indian to the Negro, who was the first Methodist missionary in America, came when it was found that the St. Regis Indian mission was the first church in the Methodist North ern New York conference to complete the centenary drive for the world j fund. BEAUTIFUL HOME AT BARGAIN Arranged for two families; will rent the year round for $45; can be bought on small cash payment, and $30 per month; property all clear; 12 rooms,1 two-story frame. Nimrod Johnson, agent. CHICAGO POLITICS SEETHING Chicago, March 13.—With the plac ing of the name of Governor Frank Lowden of Illinois, a son-in-law of the late George M. Pullman, as a candi date for president of the United States, the field in the 1920 republican contest has taken on new breeze, and the political leaders have begun to get busy in laying their plans for the final count. In many quarters of Chicago, it is stated that Mayor Wil liam Hale Thompson, if re-elected April 1, will become a candidate for' president. Mayor Thompson is an avowed friend of the Negro, and was accused publicly by one of his op- j ponents this week, State’s Attorney Hone, of “not only demanding the j rights of the Negro, which he de serves, but having him think that he j is better than the white people.” This statement has caused an ocean of com- j ment in Chicago, but not any more ! so than the announcement by the friends of Robert M. Sweitzer, the j democratic candidate, that Julius Ro senwald, the philanthiopist, who has always been a republican, that he will support Sweitzer for mayor. Rosen- j wald is highly regarded by the Ne gro population, not only in Chicago, but of the entire country, and it is stated that his decision will influence a large number of Negro voters in behalf of Sweitzer, the democrat, who at any rate, has a tremendous per- j sonal following among Negroes. That! the remaining days of the campaign will sizzle with activity is not denied by anyone acquainted with the Chi-1 cago game. In the meantime, nationally, friends of Warren G. Harding of Ohio, James E. Watson of Indiana, and Myron T. Herrick of Ohio, are busy trying to send out the “big idea” and the national game is warming up much sooner than many had anticipated. FOR RENT Five-room cottage, modem except heat, $20; vacant about April 1. Nim rod Johnson, agent, Webster 1302. THE MARCH CRISIS The cover of the March Crisis is a reproduction in colors of “The French Colonials Attack.” The edition is an Overseas Number. It contains an ar ticle on “The Black Man in the Rev olution of 1914-1918” and a memoran dum to M. Diagne and Others on a Pan-African Congress” by Dr. W. E. Burghardt DuBois. Three poems ap pear in the issue; “The Brave Son" by Alston W. Burleigh; “Go, Give the World,” by Otto Leland Bohanan; and “Two Poems—War and Peace,” by Lucian B. Watkins. Florence Samuels, representing War Camp Community Service, writes of-a “Clean-up Day” for the community. There are pic tures of M. Diagne, of Senegal, com missioner general of Black French troops, and of the returning troops of the New York Old Fifteenth. BUYING OR SELLING If you want to get in or out of business see Nimrod Johnson. Web ster 1302. PAY FOR YOUR PAPER The really cheap man or woman is the one who takes a paper, reads it and then runs when the collector calls to ask them to pay for it. Do you patronize The Monitor ad vertisers ? When you fail to get your paper, don’t holler. It must be that you owe something and haven’t paid. It takes some folks a long time to learn that a newspaper isn’t exist ing upon air. BUY A HOME Will help those who will try to help themselves. Will advance any person who hasn’t the required cash pavment up to one hundred dollars without any interest if you will buy from this firm. Homes in all parts of the city at your own terms. See Nimrod Johnson, agent, Webster 1302. AFRICAN TIMES AND ORIENT REVIEW A monthly Review of Africa and the Orient, $1.50 per year. Monitor office or 158 Fleet street, London, E. C. 4, England. Smoke John Ruskin cigar. LA GRANGE, TEXAS H. L. Vincent, Agent f ' Mrs. Ada Davis left last neew for Port Arthur, where she will join her husband. Mrs. Coffee, wife of Rev. Dr. I. D. Coffee, is visiting friends and rela tives in Houston. Dr. L. D. Cook and assisting physi cians pel-formed an operation on lit tle Willie Harris for appendicitis last Monday. Mrs. Hattie E. Hatten is visiting out of town this week. Miss I. V. Sutton left last Saturday morning for Eagle Lake. Misses Elliott May Dobbin and Sal lie Williams are enjoying a much needed vacation after closing their school work. Rev. J. H. Napier, P. C., of St. James M. E. church here, is continu ing his series of sermons through this week. Sick—Messrs. Willie Harris and James Mosby, and Mesdames Julia King and Ella Phearse, and Miss Thelma Leah Sanford. The seventh anniversary of Pastor Tillman will be celebrated at Ebenezer Baptist church Sunday, March 9 at 11 o’clock a. m. Rev. S. A. Tillman preached at Eagle Lake Sunday and Rev. I. D. Coffee at Bethlehem A. M. E. church Sunday. Regular monthly services were held Sunday and Sunday night at St. James M. E. church by Rev. Napier. Collection $20. Last Saturday night friends of Mrs. Dr. V. D. C arson met and surprised her with a social party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Dobbin. Mrs. Car son leaves for her home at Forrest City, Ark., next Monday evening.. The infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Lee died Saturday night, and was buried Monday. Rev. Napier of ficiated. Mr. John Killough left Monday last for Houston to receive treatment for his eyes. MOVES IN OWN HOME Mrs. John Drewey, 938 North 27th street, will move in her beautiful home at 2217 North 27th avenue about : April 1. The home is modem, with heat. The deal was made by Nim rod Johnson Investment Co. ALL TO BE HONORED ALIKE No Distinction in Headstones Ovsi British Officers and Men Whs Died in the War. Kpeaklng of the resolutions adopt ed by the imperial war graves com mission, a writer in the London Times j says: “From the first it was laid down by the commission that no dis-1 Unction should be made in the form or character of memorial to officers and ; men lying in the same cemetery. It j was felt that what was done for ons | should be done for all, and that all, whatever their military rank or post | tlon In civil life, should have equal ■ treatment so far as their graves wert concerned. Were the erection o! monuments left to individual Inltta tlve, probably those of the well-to-do I would overshadow those of their poor- ] er comrades, to the loss of the who!* sense of commoD sacrifice and service. The place for the individual rnonu | ment, it was thought, should be at home. Therefore the creation of In j dividual headstones of a single uni form pattern has been decided upon. These headstones will bear the badge j of the regiment or unit to which the j soldier belonged, together with the name, rank, regiment, and date of death. They should be easy of ldenti j flcation, and will perpetuate the pres ; ent effect produced by ths wooden crosses. As a central monument In each cemetery a cross and memorial stone are to be set up, simple but im pressive In character. An Inscription for the stone has been selected by Budyard Kipling.” ———— War Horrors. Two women were talking on a 1)01. “My hair became so gray during th* war.” said the first woman. “I hop* It will be all right after awhile.” “I can understand," said the second woman. “It was enough to make any one’s hair gray. I am sure you won't add any more gray hairs now that peace has come.” “Oh," said the first woman candid ly, “It wasn't exactly because of *b* war that my hair became gray—that Is, It wasn’t because of worry; but, you know, the preparation I used te use—was Imported—snd during th* war I couldn’t get any of It. I had to let the gray hairs have their way— but now I hope It will be different," she ended brightly. “What Mattere the RoadT Now and then in Brittany one seea an East Indian, lithe aa a panther peering In at the open door of a cathedral with wistful Interest. As Krishna said muny hundreds of years ago: “What matters the road If It leads to GodT”—Nina Larrey Duryea In Harper's Magazine. Mangrovta Destroying latand. The Island of Aldabra, near Mada gascar, Is being wiped off the map hy the action of the mangroves that grow along the foot of the AlfT. They eat their way Into the rock In all direc tions, and Into the gaps thus formed the waves force their way. pTREAT’EM RIGHT1 Our soldiers finished their job quickly and thoroughly. In stead of two million more going j over, two million are now com- | y* j ing back. J BRING ’EM HOME Uncle Sam still needs money to do this. Won’t you lend it? ! BUY W.S.S. r ^- ' --- K== U ‘ ' *1 Thompson, Belden & Co. The Fashion Center for Women Established 1886 I—i • • - «m ...— . GOOD GROCERIES ALWAYS J C. P. WESIN GROCERY CO. Also Freak Fruits and Vegetables. ! MM Casiif St. Telepkons Dsnglas IMS I » . ........ ....« i; Protect Your* You Need a Dep*ntf* i. riuicui iuui able sick and Acci. * i self, Your dent In8Urance- j X LI-«. ..J The Best Feature of i HOm • ailU Our Policy It That | | Your Family DEPENDABLE | GEORGE WELLS PARKER | X 933 North 27th St. 304 Crounsc Block. Phone Harney 5737. !j! fro0»»»»0»»0»00000000»0»»0»0»»»»»00»00»0»»»»0»»»»»»»»0 H. 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