Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-10-25
THE POWER or BEAUTY

NOt laf from tllC BANKS OF the DrOntCS,
and aloof from any other habitation. stood
Syrian cottage, where dwelt peasant,
his wife, and only son. 1t was the daily
employment of the latter to lead the few
sheep of his father to the hills, where the
wild and sweet notes of his Syrian pipe
often cleercd the traveller on his way
the caravans travelling from Damascus to
Bagdad sometimes passed by, and pur-
chased of his fathers flock and nothing
could exceed the JOY of Semid when he
heard the camel bell, and the mournful
chant of the Arab driver, and saw the
caravan winding Up the mountain path
One night there arose violent storm The
Orontes overilowed its banks. the blast
came wild and furious from the desert
beyond, and moaned through the lonely
group of fig trees around the cottage with
sound as of destruction Amid the
darkness and beating of the rain was
heard voice of distress that seemed TO
implorc admission and shelter. Selnid
arose, and on opening the door, a vcnera-
bic man entered, whose green turban and
toll-worn features proclaimed him to be a
descended nearly to his girdle and over
come by fatigue and the violence of the
storm, he threw himself on the coarse car
pet which was spread for him, and hung
over the blazing fire and when he had
drank the coffee presented to him, his
faded looks frightened with joy, and at
last he broke silence, and gave the hlcs-
sing Of a Hadgi, and adorcd the goodness
of Allah. The storm was hushcd, the
moonlight came through the lattice win
dow of the cottage; the pilgrim knclt,
and folding his hands on his breast, he
prayed, fixing his eyes on the earth with
intense devotion he thrice pressed Ii;
his forehead on the ground and then
stood, with his face to Mecca, and invoked
the prophet.
Selnid gazed OH the stranger; he could
he no wandering derviS; his aspect and
manner were far superior to the poverty
of his dress, and on the hem of lis gar
mcnt was embroidered that passage from
the Koran, fit only for the good. The
next and several following days the Ilaigi
was still welcome guest: he had been
long and restless traveller, and when
Scmld was seated by bis side in the rude
portico of the cottage, As the sun was
setting on the UronteS and the wild
mountains around, and he had given the
chiboque into his hands, he drank in with
Unsuitable delight every tale of wandering
and peril on the wave and in the wilder
ness which the other related. At last
the day of his departure came, and Sc
mid wcpt bitterly as he clasped the hand
of the stranger, who during his short
stay, had become deeply attached to him,
and who now turned to the father and
mother, and raised his right hand to hca-
ven, and attested his words by the name
of Allah. Il am alone" he said, ''in
the world the shaft of death has strick-
en from my side relative and friend; |
have behcld the Euphratcs rush on its
solitary course through the wild, that
once flowed through the glory and light
of the bowers of Eden. Yet suffer your
son to cheer and brighten my way, and |
will be to him both parent and counsel
lor he shall partake of my wealth, and
when three years have passed over our
heads he shall return to bless your de-
clining years.
1t was long before the parents of Sc
mid would consent to thi, proposal but
at last the prospect of their son S advance
ment, Of his return, endowed with know
ledge and wealth, wrung u reluctant
assent.
The suns rays had not penetrated
through the grove ofiig trees that shadow
cd his home, when the youth and his
companion directed their course across
the PLAIN, and on the third day entered
the thick forest which terminated it,
sleeping at night beneath the trees around
the fire they had kindlcd. One night,
overcome by fatigue, and the excessive
heat of the day, they had sunk to sleep
in the wood, without taking the precau-
ton of kindling fire. In the middle of
the night Semid was awakened by a
piercing shrek, and fastening to his
companion, found he had been bitten by
serpent, whose wound was mortal !;
already the poison began to circulate
through his veins, his limbs tremblcd, his
face was flushed with crimson, and his
eyes had fatal lustrc. He clasped the
hand of the youth convulsively i'll his
own, and pressed it to his heart. 80,
my son, he said, g Allah has called me
at the midnight hour, and the angel OF
death has put his cup to my lips ere
thought it was prepared; and thou art
left solitary, like bride widowed on hel
marriage morn thy friend and guido
torn from thee, what will be thy fate 3
and the wealth that would have been thine
will now be scattered among strangers. !"
He paused, and seemed lost in thought
the young Syrian supported his dyin: