attend it regularly, that all of the rising generation might be taught to read and write Arabic, and to cast accounts. Yakûb much regretted that he was unable to do either, and was too old to learn. I am told that this school has been established, and is called the Shellabi School, in memory of Yakûb's visit to England, where he had learned to set a very high value on book-learning.
He did not, after all, marry little Anithe. She was not old enough to be his bride immediately on his return, and another arrangement was consequently made, as the following curious specimen of Oriental correspondence will show. It was a reply to an inquiry concerning Yakûb, and is a true and literal translation of a letter from Priest Amran to E. T. Rogers, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty's Vice-Consul, Hâifa:
"To the perfection of energy, the most virtuous, and unsubornable, the presence of the most praiseworthy brother Khawadja Rogers, the illustrious. May God Almighty lengthen his days! Amen.
"After heart-felt prayers for your preservation, I beg to inform you that I was honored by your bountiful letter, dated the 17th of June, of Western calculation, collectively with Daûd Tannus,[1] and we read with pleasure of your preservation, and we thanked the Almighty, who hath vouchsafed that you should think of us. Your sweet slip [a postscript] which was inclosed in said letter I have read. I find that you ask me whether Yakûb esh Shellabi is married or not. My Lord, he has been married ever since last year to a very pretty partner, who is exceedingly good. Her name is Shemseh (Sunny); and last Thursday, the first day of Western July, she gave birth to a male child, who resembles the moon, and they have called his name Emîn [Faithful]. Please God that this may happen in like manner to you. I have given you this glad tidings, which is all that is necessary in petitioning you to honor me by
- ↑ The principal member of the native Protestant congregation in Nablûs.
