Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-02-11

words and gestures which might have chanc
OF moving them to permit her to ACCOMPANY
). her brother. Her tears and impIoring look
n fully expressed the meaning which her Ian
guage could not convey, but they were total,
disregarded, and her brother hurried off witt
= his companions. All hope seemed to depar
8 with him, and Aline fell down in swoon.
f Her lnsensibiity, at least TO partial extent
, was OF hong continuance, every return of pow,
ers OF reflection serving only to renew her grief
ana throw her back into state Of lethargy
which rendered her needless of all around her
lara the old negress, meanwhile watched
over her with incessant care When Aline
rega'ned something like composure, she found
herself on board a different vessel, and again
upon the open sea. lara informed her tina. she
had been purchased by an Armenian merchant
ana was now on the way to Smyrna, whence
after taking on board some Circassians, Geor,
gan captives, Achmet, as the merchant was
ea'ied, intended to proceed to Constantinople.
lara Likewise added, that Achmet seemed to
take strong interest in her restoration to
health: This last piece of intelligence was
anything but pleasing to the poor captive; and
her mind was SO heavily oppressed with fore>
boding dread of the fate that seemed to await
her, that she resolved to escape from it at the
cost OF her life. No other way of effectng this
ooject was in her power, save that of starving
herself. 80
For two days she maintained this determine.
ton, and was already beginning to feel her
strength diminishing, when some proceedings
onthe part of lara changed altogether the train
OF her thoughts. The old negress, like many
! OF her race, affected the power of reading the
cards or OF telling fortunes, and she artfuly led
her langud mistress to keep her lost brother
uppermost IN her thoughts. lara used the op-
Portunlty given to her, most dexterously.-
Consulting the cards, she assumed, after a
time, an aspect Of great joy. "Your brother
shall yet be free, and great.-the cards declare
1t; and by you-by you-shall be saved' The
suggestion Of such possibility made an instan-
taneous and striking impression upon Aline,
and raised in her mind new course Of action
She resolved to desist from her abstinence, and
preserve her life, in the hope that whatever
might be her own fate, she might yet have it in
her power to alleviate the suffering of her be-
loved brother.
When the vessel arrived at Smyrna, it chanc.
ed that while Achmet was getting on board
his other captives, he met the French Consul in
society, and mentioned his having with him a
beautiful lady Of French descent. The con-
sui Immediately requested to see her, and after
some difficulty this was accomslished. On see.
ing Aline, Monsieur L-generousIy offered
to purchase her from the Armenian and set her
at liberty.
MY brother" said Aline, "wil you set him, |
too, at liberty!'
"Alas!!' said the consul, "that is not posi-.
BILE. How could he now be found out? The !
intervention of the Sultan alone, fear, could |
avail to discover his retreat, and procure his |
freedom"
"The sultanr' replied AIinc; and for few !
moments she remained in thought.
"Wel'." continued she at lenghth, II cannot, !
and will not, since such is the case, accept of |
liberty myself"
The consul pressed her to alter her resolu-
ton but the generous girl held firmly by the
purpose. The slight hope which existed of her
finding in Constantinople some means of lib
Grating the poor captive of Algiers, kept her
fixed in the determination of remaining with
the Achmet. 1t seemed to her as if some Sc
cret power urged her onward to the Turkish
capital.
But, as she sailed thither, doubts and fears
took possession of her mind. Her whole
chance ofsuccess was founded on her personally
seeing the Sultan, Abdul Hamed, or some great
courier from whom she might beg the life and
liberty of her brother; but she remembered, and
shuddered to remember, that she might be-
come the purchased slave of some rich but OBJ
scure Turk, and might be shut out forever from
The light of day among strangers. With these
these thoughts in her mind, she proceeded to
The presence of Achmet, and assuming firm
and bold tone, she said:
"Armenian, your fortune and mine are now
n your hands. If have observed Alright you
10 not confound me with these POOR ignorant
slaves, who have bodies and no souls. Such as
hese subjugate the eyes, but not the heart
NY character is different from theirs, and so {
will my destiny be. It will be high one
'our fortune shall rise with it. Introduce me
o the presence of the Sultan, and depend on
ny eternal gratitude"
Achmet seemed to be struck by these words q
nd the confident tone in which they were ut. :
cred. Ills manner assumed semblance Of e
aspect very unusual between master and slave,
nd he expressed his intention of gratifying c
he wishes of Aline, If possible. Accordingly, r
'hen the vessel entered the port of Constan. Q
nople, and the party were conveyed to the Q
ouse OF Achmet, he showed his intentions by v
ringing her one of the richest dresses to be I
ound in the city, this being proper prelimin. n
ry step, as he thought to the execution Of her g
esign. But Aline declined assuming the n
arb, and contented herself with one of the Il
lost simple kind. To his surprise, the Ar a
'enan was compelled to admit that her ap. Y
earance was more captivating without than c
18th the rich attire obtained for her.
Though Achmet seemed thus desirous of p
,lfilling her wishes, day after day passed o
way without any approach Of that event on i.
hich Aline rested every hope Of procuring her a
rothers liberation. At last, however, Achmet O
1nounced that it was impossible for himselfto a
troduce his beautiful slave to the presence of O
e Sultan in any way. "But do not despond," b
i'd he. II have sold you, along with lara, to.
aac Aga, son of the old chief Of the old guard. c
e has promised to place you in the way of v
icing the Sultan" Aline at first thought she n
as deceived with false promises, but such was h
Of the case. Isaac Ara was faithful to hia Il