The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1855-02-22
SELECT STORY.
From Gleason's Pictorial.
THE DAUGHTER OF BEN HANNIM.
BY MATURIN NJ. BALLoU.

ICuSIIOuS III lno udbddIS VI NOUStduluO
pie. His counters and shelves were heavy
with rich silks and other costly vestment:
from the far East, that had traversed the
deserts with the caravans, and had avalue
for their rarity besides their intrinsic
worth. Laces and wells Of golden textures
were there in abundance, and the old
Turk sat with imperturbable gravity, par.
ting now and then with his goods for their
equivalent in gold at enormous profits
But with Ben llannim himself we have
not so much TO do as with Esther, the
lovely daughter Of his favorte wife.
In their harem, which hung over the wa
ters of the Golden Horn, among a score oi
lovely creatures, from across the Black
Sea, with those unmiStakable characters.
tics of voluptuousness and beauty that
stamped them as Circassians and Geor.
gians, Esther was the star; all acknowl
edged her pre.eminent loveliness, her
sweetness Of disposition; and no one
wondered at the influence she exeried
over the wishes and feelings Of the stout
old Turk, her father. Never did poetry
paint fairer or more fairy.like figure
never did artists chisel trace features or
from more classic and graceful 10 behold,
| Strange TO say, though the pet and &C
knowledged mistress Of all the household,
her mother being dead, Esther was not
spoild by the universal admiration be.
slowed upon her; she seemed 10 be a
good angel in all that thoughtess group
Of females. and having more by her own
incinalions than any suggestions from
others been taught music, and divers wo.
manly accomplishments, her society was
courled by all the harem, the inhabitants
of which were idle, indolent, and uncul-
livated yet not without those powers Of
perception which enabled them 10 admire
cultivation in another.
knowing the peculiar instructions Of
the Mahomedan faith, and the national
characteristics of the Mosem race, one
could not look upon Esther, realizing her
sweetness Of character, her natural in
telIigence, and remarkable loveliness.
without sigh to think that she was des.
tined 10 be the playlhing of some bearded
follower of the prophet, and counted a
wife with some score or more Of others.
But was this TO be the fate Of Esther?-
w as all that lovelineSs to be thus sacri
feed? Our task it is to reveal The facts
OF her after story.
1t was one of those soft and delicious
evenings that you may look for in vain,
save in Italy or the East. The full moon
was almost dazzling in its play upon the
bay OF Constantinople as far as the eye
could reach, e'en to its losing itself in
the Sea OF Marmor. The city OF tbe
sultau was still; the opium smoking TURKS
we're sleeping off the effects of their ia.
vorite narcotic; the lights were gardually
disappearing one BY one in the windows
of StambouI, and even the gay, dancing
lights of Seraglio Point were gone, all
save those in the guards chamber and at
the entrance Of the golden gate. In short,
it was nearly midnight, and the capital
of Turkey was sleeping.
The household of Ben Hannim, like
the rest, were dreaming, and pebble
dropped from the overhangng balcony
of Esther's apartment into the still wa
lers Of the Golden Horn, might have been
easily heard. The tall minarets Of To
keni cast long and delicate shadows over
the water, and their gilded SUBMITS spar.
kled like the sea in the soft lunar beams
of the night. Twas witching hour
the very period for love and romance
As the silver bell of the Seraglio sounded
the midnight hour, and its musical notes
hoated over The fairy scene, deIicGte,
high proved caique shot out from the
landing Of Stamboul, and keeping within
The shadows of the shore, was pulled BY
stout arm towards the Sea of Marmora;
but suddenly, as it came within the shad
ow of Ben Hannims house, it became
stationary.
The peculiar notes of bird, initiated
by some one in the boat, was signal
enough to bring Esther quickly 10 her
balcony window, and moment more a
tiny rope.ladder. constructed for The pur.
pose, was affixed 10 the sill, and the young
girl, descending couple of yards, wa
sc ated in the caique beside 4 young Ar
menian, at a signal from wh h the single
oarsman in the bows of th Caique piled
his muscles with such gooH will that the
tiny egg.shell CART shot @e an arrow
down Tie waters, until having reached q
goodly distance from the spot Of embar
kalion, it sought the middle OF the bay,
when it hoated seemingly altogether un'
guided, while the oarsman sank his
breast, and gradually fell asleep. Esther
and her lover, for such he evidently was.
with arms enlwined, WHISPERED TO each
other, and drank in Of the gorgeous beauty
OF the scene around,
Almond Druf' was interpreter, attach.
ed to the English mission at the court OF
the Sultan. He was young, and an or
phan; but with a large degree of in
tellipence, and ambitious Of honorable
distinction, he was person 10 make him
sell felt in the world. By some chance
he he'd casually, some four months before,
met with Esther. and a mutual regard
had a, once sprang up between them
But those who know the prejudices OF the
Mahomedans against the Armenians oil
Turkey. will at once see the prominent
, difficulty that existed against any public
intimacy between the daughter Of Ben