packed the folks out of it, and I fairly did the chores as if I had been
the hired help. I've seen no more of that temple of Abou-Simbel than if
I had never left Boston; but, my sakes, I saw more dust and mess than
you would think they could crowd into a house the size of a Newport
bathing-hut. From the time I pinned up my skirt until I came out with
my face the colour of that smoke-stack, wasn't more than an hour, or
maybe an hour and a half, but I had that house as clean and fresh as a
new pine-wood box. I had a _New York Herald_ with me, and I lined their
shelf with paper for them. Well, Mr. Stephens, when I had done washing
my hands outside, I came past the door again, and there were those two
children sitting on the stoop with their eyes full of flies, and all
just the same as ever, except that each had a little paper cap made out
of the _New York Herald_ upon his head. But, say, Sadie, it's going on
to ten o'clock, and to-morrow an early excursion."

"It's just too beautiful, this purple sky and the great silver stars,"
said Sadie. "Look at the silent desert and the black shadows of the
hills. It's grand, but it's terrible too; and then when you think that
we really _are_, as that dragoman said just now, on the very end of
civilisation, and with nothing but savagery and bloodshed down there
where the Southern Cross is twinkling so prettily, why, it's like
standing on the beautiful edge of a live volcano."

"Shucks, Sadie, don't talk like that, child," said the older woman
nervously. "It's enough to scare any one to listen to you."

"Well, but don't you feel it yourself, Auntie? Look at that great
desert stretching away and away until it is lost in the shadows.
Hear the sad whisper of the wind across it! It's just the most solemn
thing that ever I saw in my life."