True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-12-19
without.

without.
Zillah's apartments had been fitted up
by her doating father with every luxury
and adornment that affection could devise
and wealth procure, and was totally unlike
the simple Swiss habtations of that day.
The ceiling was painted in arabesque, with
flowers falling out of gilded baskets, SEEM
ingly threatening rosy shower upon the
lovely occupant of the room. The walls
were covered with rich hangings of velvet,
and the apartment contained two of those
highly polished plates of steel, which then
supplied the place of the mirrors of the
present day. The largest sized were lux,
ury too expensive for the use of any but
mobiles of the land. Delicate stands of
carved ivory were placed about the room,
on which were crystal bottles filled with
the most delicious perfumes, and costly
vases, with flowers from distant climes,
shed their fragrance from various parts of
the room, their culture being the greatest
delight of the fair Zillah. They were like
the faces of familiar friends she had breath
ed their perfume when child in Eastern
climes, and with their beauty and fragrance
was associated in her mind the image
of her mother, upon whose grave many
were now blooming in that bright distant
land. Persian carpets covered the floor,
and, on pile Of magnifcently embroider-
ed cushions, half reclined the beautiful
girl, seemingly lost in thought, her head
resting upon her small dimpled hand.
Zilah retained her Eastern costume, as
we'll as tastes, and the catan Of gold bro
cade, fowered with silver, well-fitted to
her shape, showed to admiration the beau
tiful proportions Of her waist and bust.
Her drawers were of pale pink her waist
coat green and silver ; her slippers white
satin, finely embroidered. Her lovely arm:
were adorned with bracelets of diamonds
and her broad girdle set round with the
same precious gems. On her head she
wore q rich Turkish handkerchief, Of pink
and silver, her own fine, black hair hang.
ing in long tresses and on one side of hei
head were some bodkins of jewels, present
ing to the eye as radiant picture of love-
illness as could be imagined.
Into this chamber her lover wildly rush
ed, beseeching her to fly. The startled
girl sprang from her couch terrified, sht
knew not at what.
81 come to snatch you from destruction
Zillah Your people, all, all !" cried he
shudderingly, as he thought of her possible
fate, "are devoted to bloody death an,
we must fly! Even now hear their cries
and the work of destruction is going on !!
"My father! where is he! Z" exclaime
the horror-stricken girl.
81 would save him, too, but know no
where he is, and time is prec ious. w
} must not linger. Do you not hear thei
!, savage cries approaching nearer and neal
er!" And, seizing her in his arms, woul
have borne her from the room, when h
, found his arm gently grasped by the ol
rabbin, who had entered unperceived.
Whittier would you fly. young man, wit
, a daughter of my hated race! We ar
! hemmed around by your cruel people; an
i, as we'll might you ask mercy for the lam
from the hungry wolf, as hope to escap
: through their ranks with the despised Jew
= ess. Either leave us or follow me at ono
e there is still one chance of escape"
!, And as he spoke, he led the way into
s small, dark chamber in the rear of Il
e house, which overlooked the Limmat, upC
b whose bank the edifce was built. A fe
n hundred yards lower down, the river ente
r. ed the lake from which the town took
|
n, name. 1t was always covered with nul
s. Der of small crafts employed as lighters
l. the ships anchored in the lake, many
he which, being owned by the Jews, offered
ed better chance of escape than Earlach Q
IL ticipated.
1y Ben Hassen looked anxiously through
o. narrow slit in the wall out upon the boz
ue lying lazily upon the water, and then str
ing portion of the wall with his hal
as pressed spring, and small door open
lr- showing narrow flight of steps.
He motioned to Earlach and Zillah to desce
* and quickly closing the aperture, Il
in CROPPED their way in silence and darkn
old to the bottom of the fight. He then b
ed them quietly remain in the same spot VI
his return and, as he turned an abr
j." angle Of the wall, they could hear his ft
up steps again descending much longer fiiG
habit having made him perfectly fami
ln- with the secret passage.
i'd 4, In d few moments he returned with
i'm, lantern, and they were conducted BY
do through short gallery to another fligh
nts steps, which they descended, and 70
Z, themselves in a, large cave, eVidentlym
lm- improved in size BY, the hand of ,
,nlt Piles Of merchandise were placed arc