The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1850-01-08
From tho Odd Fellows Offering.
HOPE.
BY JOHN MILTON sTEARNs.

" Hope springs immortal in the human breast,
Man never is. but always to BE-, blessed"
AMONG the legends of the East, is record
ed the story of Amilcar, the Bedouin,-
wild in incidents, yet sober in the truthful
ness of its moral teachings.
al have come at last to die" said the ven
cradle patriarch; land the angel of hope,
that has cheered me in lift's rugged paths.
is still my soother and comforter" 1t was
all the sick man could say. He lived III a
cottage a few miles from Mecca, the sacred
city of the renowned prophet. A youth,
who claimed the relation of grandson, was
standing over him, administering TO his relief.
Expiring strength revived for moment, and
he seemed restored, as it were, in his facul-
ties and, in a gentle voice, he thus address
ed his attendant -
Young man, how shall l repay your
/ kindness and affection? You are, indee1,
making blessed beginning of life, when it
is my lot 10 leave it. But, when | am gone,
will YOU continue thus constant in virtue: or
will you forget your own better example,
and pursue the temptations Of d deceiving
world A knowledge of my experience
shall repay your kindness, anil forewarn you
of dangers. God be praised, who shall give
Inc strength to tell it you.
81 am child of the desert. My earll-
est memories are its ocean of SAND, its burn
ing DAYS, and crimson evening skies. The
names of father, mother, friend, were but
traditions of my earliest years. only knew
that they were not, and that their bone;
wbitened the desert in some lost way. Suci
was my youth-a lonely, friendless orphan
toiling for bread with those who loved hin
not, nor had kind words o. smiles 10 cheel
him ut his task.
" For years thus lived on; so poor. in
deed. often asked myself the object of my
existence? The past was but 4 blank
and in the future hung no bow of hope
But how should / escape? / knew not :
but the desert sure imposed no prison-walls
And when the night came, put sack O
bread upon nv shoulder, and by my side
; ooatskin filled with water, and rambled a
way, till the rising sun found me sorry DO,
! alone in TIE pathless desert. / found we
{ with camels' tracks around, and looked an
e saw the last of a caravan, about to pass fror
5 view, beyond a ridge of rocks that stretchc
5 to 4 considerable distance to the right an
: left. I gave a howl, such as the desei
n traveller regards, as from strangers voice
n A youth, who was seated on a camel, turn
ed and rode back inquring who was an
4 what wished. l told him l was poe
n boy, who wished for freedom and to see th
r world and if the caravan were not too m;
r ny for its means, begged lis protection
n The company consisted of about hundre
they were merchants trading from Egypt
IS India, and Bagdad was proposedto to be take
II in the route. Seeing that had good SUI
C ply of provisions, my request was readi
granted and few days after, parted the
of company, before the walls Of the famous al
It renowned Bagdad.
l. This was a new world to me. | locke
l. about 10 see what adventure might subser'
the purpose had fixed, of getting rich ar
s. rising in the world. An eastern merchan
ul in the India trade, made me bis servant, the
v, his scribe. and then the factor OF his trad
le and treasurer and banker of his funds.
at few years were sufficient to pass me throu.
le these grades, and then was a merchant f
u myself. and went TO distant cities, and r
as turned laden with wealth, and goods of ri,
and costly workmanship. India and Chm
ut claimed to be my friends, and all the wor
ne could give claimed TO have acquired. as m
j. king up the richest fortune ;hen possesst
le in Bagdad. Bat the sunlight ef my hop