Osman Digna a Horn Frenchman.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 121, 30 May 1885, Page 5

Osman Digna a Horn Frenchman.

It may not bo genorally known that Osman Digna is a Frenchman by birth, and was born in the yoar 1532 in a small hotel in Rouen, His father dying a year or two after, his mother married an Alexandrian merchant in IS'.il, half French and half Egyptian, of the name of Osman Digna, who, tuking a groat fancy to young Osman (ut thnt time named Alphonso Vinot), insisted on having his name changed to his own, and, dying in 18-12, loft him übout 500,000 francs, After tho death of his stopfather ho was loft to the guardianship of Ali Khanu, a kind of half partnor of tho cldor Osman, a Mussulman, who, at tho death of Mine, Digna, in 18_-f took young Osman into his houso. His religion at that timo, being vory much of tho Christian unattachod type, was soon convortod into Mohammodanism. Ali Khana was v very wealthy man, and livod in groat Oriental pomp und splendour, Though intending to bo vory kind to young Osman, his kindnoss was of a vory Spartan ordor indood. He had numerous profossors for various branchos of looming, and would often be examined by Ali himsolf, who, if he did not consider that ho hud mado progress, would havo him severely bastinadood.

At the ugo of 15 ho wus sont lo Cairo to an ox-Fronchoflicor to bo taught tho various methods of European warfare. Capt. Moraio had somo fifty boys residing iv his hous. studying war in all its brunches, two or throo of whom had sinco becomo famous, not least among thorn being Arnbi Pashu, It is strange, ns illustrating tho old saying that "tbo boy is father to tho man," thut both Osman and Arabi distinguished themselves as leaders in the mimic battles fought in the grounds of Capt. Moraio, tho former in a dashing, swooping kind of way, carrying everything before nun, and the latter us a tactican. Tho conscquonco was that a rivalry existed botween the two, both having about an equal number of schoolfellows siding with thorn, Osmau remained hero until his ninoteonth yoar, whon ho wan sont by his guardian to Franco on matters roluting to Ali's businoss. In IS6U ho obtained tho command of his rogimont, but shortly afterward, offending tho Khedive, ho had to leavo Egypt, and had hiß proporty confiscated. Ho then wont to Suakim, and entered business us a ship chandler and coal agont undor an assumed name; but, while on a hunting expedition, ho was captured by a roving bund of Arabs, aud was sold as a slave to tho mon who at presont calls himsolf the Mahdi. The Mahdi wits charmed with his now slave as a man of unbounded learning, and who would bo ablo to train his numerous supporters in tho urt of war. He gavo Osman his daughter in marriage, and has ovor since treated him like a son.—From the "Citizen."