Democratic Sentinel, Volume 21, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1897 — Night in the Desert. [ARTICLE]

Night in the Desert.

R. Talbot Kelly, the English artist who illustrated Slatiu Pasha’s “Fire and Sword in the Soudan,” lias written a paper for the Century, which he calls “In the Desert with the Bedouin.” Mr. Kelly has drawn a number of striking pictures for the article. A bit of this description is as follows: Night in the desert is very solemn. Surrounded by these sandy wastes melting in the gloom, the silence of nature is almost painful, and the occasional howl of a jackal or neigh of a horse only serves to accentuate the succeeding stillness, while the wonderfully rare atmosphere makes the stars appear of such unusual size and nearness that one feels oppressed with a sense of lonely- littleness. I am often asked how I occupy my time in the desert; my reply is, “Painting.” Everything is paintable, anil the desert is always beautiful. Infinitely varied in texture and local color, prolific of wild flowers and insect life, its interest is unending, while its trackless expanse undulating to the horizon seems like an ocean suddenly petrified into absolute rest, and impresses the mind with a sense of vastness and repose which nothing, in my opinion, can equal. Again, as the effects of varying weather pass over the silent land, how perplexing are the quick transitions from gray to gold as passing sunbeams play hide-and-seek among its billows, or when the white heat of day gives place to the violets and yellows of sunset! Added to the intrinsic beauty of the desert itself are the innumerable “subjects” always ready to hand—now a goatherd watching his flock, or a party of .nrabs exercising their horses; about the tents domestic duties in full swing; a negro slave roasting coffee over a fire of cobs; black-robed women flitting from tent to tent; or a group of gaily dressed children, the girls playing “knucklebines” in the sand, the boys, as usual, indulging in the mischief readiest to hand. Everywhere a picture! An artist’s paradise, indeed, the only drawbacks of which are one’s utter inability to accomplish a tithe of the subjects surrounding one, and the discomforts aud hardships of its life. There Is more catarrh in this section of the conntrv than all other diseases put together, and until the last few years was supposed to lie incurablo. For a great many years doctors pronounced It a local disease, and prescribed local remedies, and by constantly falling to cure with local treatment, pronounced It Incurable. Science has proven catarrh to be a constitutional disease, and therefore requires constitutional treatment. Hall’s Catarrh Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney & Co.. Toledo, Ohio, is the only constitutional cure on the market. It Is taken Internally In doses from to drops to a teaspooijful. It acts directly on the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. They offer one hundred dollars for any case It falls to cure. Send for circulars -md testimonials. Address, F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O. BF~Sold by Druggists, 75c.