Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-06-29

| they may have mistaken the source Of his hap
piness, supposing it to be wealth
When Yusof attained the age of seventeen
years, his father, who had noticed in himself
certain symptoms of decay, and who knew that
he had already reached the average age which
is allotted to man, called him to his side, and
said, MY son, it is now good for thee to take
wife, in order that may be assured that our
race shall not perish. Perchance it may begiv-
en- to me once more to nurse child upon my
lap, to teach it its first words, and to feel its
little fingers clasp my thumb rs walk it across
the room, These are delights which are fitting
an old man, and pray thee therefore to look
around and choose among the maidens Of thy
people one who shall please thee Yusof kiss
ed his fathers hand and said, "Thy wishes arc
commands. But give me yet little time for
reflection. This is thing of which l have not
yet thought" t..-
Then he went away, resolving in his mind to
be swift in choice, so that he might gladden. the
heart of his father. But, instead of going to
the house of his UNCLE where many maidens,
his cousins and their friends-bcautiful girls,
with almond-shaped eyes and slender forms
were to be seen, he shut himself up in his room,
or wandered alone into the country, sitting by
the banks of rivulets, under the shadow of trees,
and began to imagine in his heart an object Of
love. He placed himself at once under the IA
tality of poets; for who is there in this world
who, not satisfied with the creatures whom God
hath given, does not endeavor to frame a heart
companion for himself; who endows her with
all the beauties and the graces which his fancy
can create; who separates from her all the
failings which are incident to humanity; who
makes of her spiritual being more fit for deyo-
tion than for companionship; who does not
share, to certain extent, the fruitful misfor-
tune of the sons of song! Nearly all the I'M
happiness and disappointment which we meet
with in this life, may be traced to the extrava-
agant aspirations in which we indulge in hours
of idleness and hope; when we frame the flu.
ture according to our desires, and disdain to ac
commodate ourselves to possibility. Somebody
has said, or rather, everybody says, that no one
loves, who does not love at first sight Th(
meaning of this is deeper than we commonl,
believe. He who loves at first sight has, unit
then, been occupied with other thoughts, ha
not framed to himself an ideal mistress, and ha'
not, by anticipation, exhausted all the emotion
of his heart in fictitious life in some fancifu
castle or cottage, which he has built for tn
dwelling of some fanciful creature. Thos
who, like Yusof, by accident or temperament
are led to fix their affections on being of thei
own creation-a being which, if they could cal
into cxetence, would not satisfy them long
prepare for themselves great unhappiness.
In his solitary hours, Yusof had ever presen
to his mind the injunction of his father; but
instead of looking abroad among the maidcns c
his people as he had been told, he thought
necessary in the first place OF make up his min
as to what qualities and what beauties his viii
should possess. By degrees, without his know
edge, he created for himself an object of lov
such as it was not probable he would find anon
the daughters of the Copts, nor among til
daughters Of any other nation on earth. Wher
therefore, after month had passed, Han Han
ma again called him to his side, andsaid, " NJ
son, hast thou made thee choice o. the youn
man could only reply that he had meditated an
had framed for himself an ideal of lovelnes
'Well, )" said Han HANNA, folding him in h
, arms, q this is something. No transaction ca
be brought to good end without serious dell
Grafton. Now, look around thee, and choose
, hast framed and fear not but that will o.
tain her for thee"
t Yusof did as he was bid, and looked at h
cousin Lisbet She was fair to see, and mar
4 were the youths who aspired to her. Her ey
n were piercing, her lips like the bow of Cupi
d her skin like the inner petal of a new-blov
d rose but her stature was greater than Yus
t had dreamed of, and he was obliged to raise h
y modest eyes dsagreeably to admire her. A
!, the fuults she had, therefore-and who Of us
n there without fault were at once apparen
r and Ynsof turned away to look upon the lit
d IIennena But she was much too stout /; al
d though cheerful and pretty, with voice
= sweet as singing bird's she found no mer
h with the young critic, who said to himself, :"
Y would be better to live on without compani
@ than to take this stumpy thing" Many 9th
d girls were judged of by the same standard, al
r condemned; SO that Yusof began to imagi
e that there was no one good enough in this wor
e for him. This wasa a very painful reflection
& not that he was himself impatient to choose
If wife, but he desired to comply with his fathel
injunctions. One day, therefore, being mu
If perplexed in mind, he went to an old dame
h was supposed to know things, to look into t
'e future, and to explain hidden events. She
/, ceiyed him in dark room, and took him by {
d hand, and said, 81 know thee thou art s
c son Of Han HANNA, and thou art in search
u Miriam the Shadow. Seek and thou wilt find
|, Then she suddenly dismissed him.
is For several days Yusof wandered, from MOI
n ing until evening in the fields, wondering