are seven, my son; you have become a man, my son. Today you enter school;
you will study and strive and spread your learning over the roof of the world."
When the two arrived here, the father asked for me and was told I was away; so he asked to see the president, and went in to him, saying with pride: "I have brought you Samir, and I have not brought the school fee. But I am confident you will take him free. You know I am a poor man, and that Samir will be my pride, and the pride of this school — nay, the pride of the world, God willing."
The president fixed the peasant and his son with a look that had little admiration in it. Then he returned his eyes to the papers on his table and answered: "You are no pauper; you have a valuable piece of property. Besides, the school's rules do not allow us to take anyone free except orphans. Why do you not sell your property, if you believe your son will become the pride of the world? I am busy; I must go and see the director of education." Khattar was silent a moment, then answered: "I own no property to sell; the vineyard is my son's property as it was my father's. I shall come back tomorrow and see the director." And he took his leave and went.
On our way back toward the house the boy began to cry, and the father soothed the child's feelings and said: "Do not be afraid, my son. The president has refused us, but the director will not refuse us. He is my friend; he is kind-hearted
and noble. Do not cry — trust your father. I shall get you into the school, God willing."
The next day I was in the courtyard when the president summoned me, pointed with a pencil at the list of pupils, and asked me in anger how I dared enter the name of Samir al-Shaarawi among the pupils who do not pay. Then he threatened: "I shall report you to the school's trustees. You have broken its rules by accepting a pupil who is not an orphan."
I answered: "I have not broken the school's rules. Have you not heard that Khattar al-Shaarawi killed himself last night?"
A storm of applause bursting out in the school hall cut the director's story short, and we went in. There the president announced that the celebration was being held in honor of the pupil Samir al-Shaarawi's winning of the first prize at the painting exhibition held in Beirut. And the president unveiled the winning canvas: it was an artist's picture of an enormous steamer riding in a harbor, held fast to the sea's floor by an anchor which none sees unless he peers into the picture. The canvas was signed "Samir," and its title was "The Anchor."
I went up to Samir al-Shaarawi and asked him what his picture signified, and what had inspired it.
He answered: "My father. My father killed himself so that I should become an orphan, and it would then be easy for me to get my education free. He is the anchor: it drowns itself so that
another may ride at rest."
You say, my dear Atiyah, that you have heard of Zahleh, and Aley, and Dhour el-Choueir, and have never heard of "Ain al-Burghush." And I say to you that you will hear of the engineer who is studying in Denmark, and you will never hear of his father the baker.
You tell me you have come back from Alexandria. I wager you saw the steamers there, and did not see their anchors.
Let me know when you are coming to Lebanon, and I shall meet you at the airport.
Your brother, Hikmat
Alka-Seltzer
Excess acidity? And a headache too?
To remove them at once, this is what you must do
Excess in eating and smoking, in work, and many worries may cause excess acidity in the stomach and headache.
Take Alka-Seltzer with its pleasant taste: it contains what neutralizes the action of the acids in the stomach, and a soothing agent that removes the pains, so you find ease and refreshment.
Alka-Seltzer is not a laxative; using it several times will not harm you. Take it at the first sign of these pains, then take it again after half an hour if you have not found complete relief the first time.
Ask for Alka-Seltzer at the well-known pharmacies.
Alka-Seltzer
MILES LABORATORIES LTD. BRIDGEND, WALES, U.K.
Sada Lubnan (Announcement of a Forthcoming Newspaper)
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Sada Lubnan
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Mohammed al-Baalbaki