Burlington tri-weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1852-1855, 1855-05-23
From the Little Pilgrim
THE ENGLISH MERCHANT AND THE
SARAtEN LADY.
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

In tie reign of Henry the First Of England
called Beauclerc, or fine scholar, for he was
actually 50 learned that he could write his
own name great attainment for a king in
those days there lived IN London q ch
young merchant named Gilbert Beckett.
In that simple old time the wonders Of
science AMI art among which we walk an |
live just rs if they had always been
like the trees, the flowers, the sky and thu
stars--were never though. of or dreamed of
except BY the great poets, who, may be with
their prophetic eyes, looked away into the
far future, and saw them looming up above
the coming ages like mountain peaks in d dis
tance Of a landscape. Then the great ocean
could keave and swell and roar and rage,
and toss its mad froti ing waves up at the
sky, as if 10 defy the great God-and then
obediens to His will, grow quiet and smooth
again. year after year, without one single
ship ventuying over their vast expanse--to
be made afraid OF Their violence or tattcrcd
by their calm and all the commerce Of the
world was scarcely equal to that of the small
est and poorest kingdoms of our times. Then,
going to sea, was considered more perilous
than going to battle; yoyagers never failed
to make their wills and set their worldly af-
fairs in order, before they weighed anchor
and set sail for foreign parts. TO be sure it
has lately seemed very much as though we
was going back to those old doubtful dam
gerous times those dark ages Of navigation
and that after all our wonderful improve
ments and discoveries, We can count very
little upon safe and prosperous voyages.
But to return to Gilbert Beckett. He
was thought 4 brave and adventurous man
,vb ha tof, b,o T., t.,
and sailed for the Holy Land, to trade with
which he meant to bring to England and
sell at great profit. He probably calculated
by this speculation to double his fortune and
perhaps be able to buy a title and so become
one of the mobiles of the land. and live in a
brave castle, where he would receive the king
and court, and entertain them in princely
style. But alas! titles and royal guests were
not for him, and all the Castle he was ever
to lay claim to was such n ''castle in the air''
as any one Of Us may build. He was taken
prisoner By the Turks, robbed of his shin.
sold as slave, fettcrcd and set 10 work in
the palace gardens Of Alahmoud, terrible.
fcrce-eyed, black bearded, big-turbaned
Saracen chief.
1t was very hard fortune that Of roor
TIL night, digging and spading, ! Ian, ng and
wedding, and all the while with the dlsad-
vantage OF not knowing much about the gar
den business, aid Of having heavy chain
dragging and clanking at his ankles. You
may depend he felt If he could get safe back
to England he would never more aspire to
castle and titles, or trouble himself If the
king and court never should eat good din
ner, Or shake their heels Mt hall again.
But often out Of our greatest misfortune
comes our hes, good and happiness and hope
aud JOY often follow times Of fear and sor.
row, as beautiful rainbows are made out of
storms that have just darkencd the sky and
beaten down the flowers. One evening just
as the muezzein was calling all pious Mussul-
men to prayers, Gilbert Beckett stood lean
ing against palm tree, resting little from