The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1911 A MOROCCAN ROMANCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 30, 20 September 1911, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1911 A MOROCCAN ROMANCE.

A writer in an English contemporary remarks that very few people are aware how easily and pleasantly the Morocco question conld have been settled more than two hundred-years ago. Going into the matter ho tells v.s that the Shereefian throne was then occupied hy the redoubtable Mulai Ismail, who succeeded in obtaining Tangier back from the English, drove out the Spanish from a number of cities, including Earache, and was only mortified because, after a siege of twentynine years, ho had to abandon all hope of capturing Ceuta. In 1G99 he succeeded in concluding a commercial treaty with France after long and arduous negotiations. It was in the

course of these negotiations, in 1690, that the happy chance alluded to of settling the Morocco question occurred. The ambassador ■ entrusted with the pourparlers in Paris wag a certain Abdullah Ben Abul, a man of great imagination and fine address, who, moreover, had a tenderness for his head, which lie was certain to lose if. the negotiations proved fruitless. One day, being in great despair at the dark prospect of his mission, he conceived a brilliant idea. A divine princess, he wrote to his master, the daughter of King Louis XIY. and widow of Prince Conti, had fallen in love with Mulai Ismail’s portrait, and was desirous of ■marrying him. Would Plis Majesty object to ■ such au alliance with the House of Bourbon? Louis XIV. was certain to give his consent, as ho would bo only too glad to offer some reparation to the Mahometan world which had had to suffer so much from Prince Conti; on the. other hand, Mulai Ismail would at once get the coveted commercial treaty in addition to a consort the like of whom had never been seen in any harem. Mulai Ismail, on the receipt of this remarkable message, in which was enclosed a portrait of the Princess, at once fell in with the it!rhy of his ambassador. But would not the Princess ho disappointed on seeing him? Abdullah Ben Abul soon dispelled his doubts by pointing out that in France everybody was painting Lis face, and that in consequence Ismail’s skin could bo made as white as desirable. Accordingly the beat white paints wore imported from Spain, and as His Majesty’s taco was in the habit, of perspiring, a number of salves wore trained to fan it. The climax of the gallant adventure was reached when Mulai Ismail decided to send the Princess an autograph letter offering his heart and his throne. “The report of your beauty,” ho wrote, “has reached the stops of my throne. Like a butterfly which only i'md,". its fate when joining the flame that has boon attracting it, so shall T only find my test in your embraces. I will accord you the highest marks of my imperial favour, and you shall he carried about in an open chair In the sound of trumpets and tambourines.” Alas! the cruel Prin-

ccss Conti turned a deaf car to the eloquent appeals of the Shcrcofiaa lover, and lie died in 1727 without having married into the House of Bov.rho: and apparently .Morocco has been moror loss a source of trouble to Enronever since.