The organ of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, O. [Ohio]) 1852-1853, 1852-05-21


eAeailoAsf iAiea3 bal VIlh isaloni3 natalal
i Woulf am 70 mankind. maliciously follow.
ed up this declaration ofopiaion by suggesting
that there was something very suspicious in her
history.
subsequently, learned the Truth from the Iips
of Miriam herself. As she had fors-warned
me,it,was the old story Of disappointed hopesover
which the world has Wept for thousands Of
years, and over which, alas it will ever con.
tinue to weep. Bat there were some incidents
that gave a peculiarly Eastern stamp to the mar
rative. She was native Of Damascus, in Sy-
ria, but had left that city when about the age
Of fifteen, and gone to Constautinople, where
her father set up in business thought my
self transported back to the times Of Haronn
El Rashid, as listened to how this merchant
arrived in the great city how he took a shop
and spread his goods for sale, and how Of one
piece Of gold he made two. .t..t t..t g..
As he spoke, and seemed to cast about in the
deep receSses Of her memory for facts, | made
n curious observation, the truth Of which was
afterwards confirmed. 1t seemed as if she
was older than her appearances at first tes-
tilted, and that sorrow, instead Of having Undue.
ed premature decay, had, as it were, petriiied
her, and caused her to retain through long
succession of years the very aspect she wore
when misfortune fell upon her.
She had little delicaey about telling me
how she became acquainted with him. Posi-
bly,, like many other young girls, in a senti-
mental adventure for its own sake. The OBJ
ject Of her love was youth, less remarkable
for beauty than for a certain prineely demean.
or, certain elevation Of views, certain reck-
less violence Of passion peculiar to himself
He insisted that, for some time, their acquain-
tance should be kept secret from the father
promising when the fitting moment came tC
demand her hand with such circumstances o
splendor as would insure success. When asked
who and what he was, he answered with some
hesitation, that he was the sou Of prince,
king, somewhere in the north; and Miriam
guessed that he came from one Of ths DaBHbiai
princes, which she had heard were Christian. =
Having full confidence in his honor, and con
ceiiing that he must have some powerful mo.
tive for mystery, she abstained from pressing
him much on this subject.
They used to meet in little kiOsque or paVil.
lion in a garden behind her fathers house
near the borders Of the sea. The young mar
used to come in little Caique with single at
tendant, who remained on the watch. Miriam
at first brought faithful black girl as Compan.
ion and protector; but soon disregarded his pre-
caution, and confided herself entirely to hel
lover. Long ard sweet moonlight nights, bright
and balmy days, they passed together, whilst
the old faher was at business, or in bed. II
was the season Of spring, and Nature seemed tC
soften and grow more beautiful to please theiI
young senses.
At length little cloud gathered on the hori-
zon. The father announced that the time Of
marriage had come, and that he had sought for
and selected husband. There is good deal
OF routine in these love affairs. Miriam had
not the courage to acknowledge, and the old
man had not the wit to understand. They were
neither Of them more angelic than the Capu-
lets, and, Eastern ideas aiding, the sad history
of that family menaced to repeat itself. A pow
erful will, however, intervened to force the cur
rent Of events into anew channel.
Two nights after Miriam had communicated
to her lover the proposed marriage, she was sit
ting in the kiosque, looking forth upon the
broad expanse of waves that danced aud kindled
in. the mOonbeams. She had sat there the pre-.
vioussnight and waited in vain for the coming
of what she considered as the star of her exis.
teHce; aud that night tie usual hour had long
since passed. when she beheld a large caiqut
with an awning or cabin approaching along the
shore. She shrunk a little backwards, behind
the shadow Of a myrtle bush, lest her presence
might be observed by strangers. But the caiqut
advanced boldly to the usual landing place
and her lover lesped lightly ashore, and ran tc
meet her. The first embrace over, he invited
her, in wild reckless way. TO come on board
his CaiQue, and enjoy an hour or two on the
water. Not displeased. thnHgh, somewhat puz.
zled by his manner, she went. He took hel
into the cabin, and there, when the crew Of six.
teen men had piled their oars for some time
confessed that he was taking her away from hel
home. She expOstulated at first; but he soou
contrived to console her by promises that hel
father should know Of her safety, and that very
shortly she should behold him again, How
easy it Is for a young girl to believe in The
words Of Ioverl
He took her to palace withNa large garden
surrounded by high walls; and there, having
become his wife, she passed some months in q
happiness which he lacked words to describe
To her this was the great feature, the chief in
cident Of her story. She enlarged on the occu.
patton Of every hour, on the delicious walks and
exquisite meals they enjoyed ;Ogether on the
anguish of his absence that impereeptibly be-
came more frequent; on the bOundless delight
Of his return. Her only real cause Of uneasi-
ness, however, was that by frequent Observa-
ton she, discovered that her lover always con-
trived to retire from her at the Mohammedan
hour Of prayer, the dreadful suspicion entered
her mind that she had given herself up to the
enemy Of her race and faith. a7.t "a.
When this idea first presented itself, It threw
her into perfect agony Of terror and despair
but on contemplating the excessive devotion
displayed towards her, she eontrived, with the
sophistFy Of woman's love, to persuade herself
that she might atone for the sin she had COM
mitted iathus quitting her fathers hOnse, By
rescuing soul from the hands Of Satan. Thus
the very motives Of her shame aud grief fur
nishsd her with topics Of consolation.
Time passed on, and her lover began to pro-
long hisabseences for days together. Sheques-
TONED her servants; but they ell profess
Cd perfect ignorance Of the locality where
thev ware pvszsStona s,ara hronwht davs bsi