The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-07-13
WHOLE No. 244.

at the present che mists of sorrow 0bscureo
the sunbeams Of beauty, but Zohara was liz,
the waier-liy, which is ever The loveliest in
lis tears; a. the young man quilted the roo
10 which he had now restored the happiness
he felt that an arrow was in his heart which
he sought not 10 pluck out
i Mohammed had studied like moulah in
the colleges for which Schamachie has so
long heen famous, and the boasled science OF
the Franks were no more than atoms in the
beams OF his knowledge but from this time
forth he sheathed the bright spear Of study in
the breast OF Incidence, and wandered during
whole days beside the streams Of the valley.
or beneath the shadows of the forest boughs,
weaving sweet fanoies Of which the bright
Lohara was ever the brilliant subject.
Such passion as this could end only in
marriage and il was long ere Mohammed,
the sou of the wealthy Ali, asked for his
bride the daughter Of The pennyess 1ismah
whose worldly possessions would not have
loaded the weakest camel in the city. Il,
is not difficult to imagine how he was an
swered; and while the mother Of the young
man MAS prepared 10 receive the wife OF her
son, he passed Whole hours beside her,
gazing an her fresh cheek, where noture had
crushed It's roses to paint the iairest skin that
ever flushed al praise and into her deep
| eyes, where the llght seemed ID slumber
save when his smile called forth living fire.
Graceful was she at the f~ai, and fawn.
like as the lighi.fooed maid-ns Of Singol
while her voice was low and sweet as The
night-wind among the tombs OF the early
dead.
Rechid Aga was the friend Of Moham-
med they chung together like double pome-
GRANTEES; and, in the exuherance Of his ioy,
the unnary young man poured into the ear
of his chosen associate, the tale "f his ap-
preaching happiness. Richid listened, and
wild wish grew in his soul, and poisoned
it like the breath of the upss The painted
wings Of vanity were folded about his heart
and as he curled his dark and glossy beard
over his fingers, began to ask himself where
fore the feech of Mohammed had shed a
light upon his path which had been denied
him! II the maiden was so lair as the eyes
"f his friend had made her, she must be
banished pearl. condemned 10 visit earth for
time. and TO he won by mnrtal-why then
should he not be that favored one! And as
Ebis thus prompted him, vague thoughts and
hopes grew into shape and tsnginllty within
his bosom; and he resolved To learn all that
the trusting friendship of Mohammed might
lead him to reveal; Selling, therefore. with
The hand of sport. the skirts of confidence
he smiingly asked Thousand questions, to
which his friend replied with unsuspici,us
frankness; and thus the poverty Of 1iinsah,
and the ohscuri,y Of his position became
known TO him, as well as the beauty Of 70
hara, and the story OF her rescue.
Rechid Aga left the presence of his friend
with treachery in his heart. His fancy had
been taken captive by the glowing picture
of her PEERLESS beauty 50 soon to be bride
and he resolve tina, should she be but hall
so lovely as she had been painted to hin.
she should be his, il craft or violence could
win her. .*.t, t. .s
As the steel hearted leopard springs on the
trembling channels, so rushed the trcachero..s
Aga on his prey! The house of the sum-
herring Tillsah was fred at midnight; and
the shriekng Zohara borne through the flames
only 10 be placed on swift horse, encroled
bv the arm Of its rider, and painting with
alright.
AS day dawned, the horseman reined up
his rapid steed, and springing 10 the earth,
drew after him his pale and shrinking bur-
den
1t was a glorious morning and their halt
was in valley whore happy hearts, blessed
in each other, might have been content to
dwell forever Much time was spent in re-
storing the maid to consciousness, for her
swoon was long and heavy; and as Rechld
Aga hung over her, and hathed her pale brow
with the pure water Of mountain stream.
and crushed in her small hands the aromatic
blossoms Of the henna plant, he felt the words
of Muhammed had been weak in painting
her beauty. He had laid her down beneath
the tall bouehs Of maple tree, at whose
roots the fresh moss grew ranklv, clustered
with blue violets and when the fair Zohara
at length opened her eyes, and beheld beside
her The friend of her affianced husband, she
tla> ped her hands in a transport Of joy and
gratitude for she guessed not that he had
stained the skirts of his honor with the de-
Elements of treache,y, but at once believed
that he had preserved her from the flames in
friendship for Mohammed.
As The Aga caught her meaning, he eager
" encouraged the delusiun; and spreading
before her some dried fruits. with which he
had come provided, he urged her to par,ake of
them ere they pursued their way back TO the
city. The gentle Zohara, grateful for his
care, smilingly obcyed; and as her false
hearted companion FASTENED TO the stream Ia
procure for her draught Of its refreshing
waters. she looked eagerly and admiringly
about her, on the fair scene amid which she
was seated.
The clouds, those graceful cup.bearcrs OF
the sky, overriding like snow flakes upon the
clear blue bosom OF space; on every sac
bloo,ned clusters Of bright and many tinted
flowers, worthy 10 he the envy OF the conS'e',
lat,ons; the sun, heaven inspired painter
had ske,ched thousand beautiful designs n
their leafy tablets; and swee,er man 'ne
musk Of 'Tar,ary was the perfume which nc
companied his touch. he forest n"ugns