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| DONKEY BOYS IN THE STREETS OF CAIRO - Achmet,
the famous donkey boy of Cairo, who stands on the left in the
engraving, arrived in Chicago on the 13th of April, 1893, and the
next day made his triumphal entry into the Street driving "Yanka
Doodoo" before him. The Arabs came to the World's Fair to make
money, and each of the drivers here seen carried home with him
between five hundred and six hundred dollars, which, in his own
country, raised him to a rank of much consequence in society. To do
this, these people catered to American vanities. In the Temple of
Luxor was an inscription of hieroglyphs, in a cartouche or ring such
as only Pharaohs received, and here the Pharaoh, Gruieer Kleeueolnd
(Grover Cleveland), was spelled out, in the Arabian hope of making
more money. Compliments to America flowed freely in Cairo Street all
summer, and little children rode up and down, from cafe to temple and
back, with Achmet and his fellows chatting and crying "Boom-de-aye"
and "Yanka-Doodoo." "My father he donka boy, his father, he donka
boy, why not? Oh, yes sair; me good man. Me go to mosque fife time a
day. Once, fife clock in morn; twos, seben clock in morn; threes,
twel clock; seen, four clock; seen, fife clock 'gain. Oh, yes.
Tank, sair. Tar-boom-de-ay. Boss danka boy. In my country plenta
people ride Yanka Doodoo, best donka in Cairo, sair. Me run behind
Yanka Doodoo fife hours at time. Yes, sair. Oh, yes." |
