Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-01-10
The English Merchant and the
Saracep Lady. Sea la


. . Scholar, for he was actually so learr
ed that he could write his own nam
"a great attainment for a Kin
in those days-there lived in Lor
don young merchant named Gil
| bert A. Beckett.
He was thought to be brave an
adventurous man when he left hi
comfortable English home and saile'
for the Holy land to trade with tn
rich Syrians for satins, velvet an,
gems, which he meant to bring t.
England and sell at great profit
He probably calculated by this spec
ulation to double his fortune, ant
perhaps be able. to buy title, an(
become one of the mobiles of the lan(
and live in castle, where he would
receive the king and court and en-
tertain them in princeiy style. But
alas! titles and royal guests were moi
for him, and all the castle he was evel
to be able to lay claim to, was such q
"castle in the air" as any one of. us
may build. He was taken prisoner
by the Turks, robbed of his ship, sold
as a slave, fettered and set to work in
the palace gardens Of Mahmoud,
terrible fierce eyed, black bearded,
big-turbaned Saracen Chief
It was very hard fortune, that
of poor Gilbert. He was obliged to
toll from morning till night digging
and spading, planting and wedding,
and all the while, with the disadvan-
tage of not knowing much about the
gardening business, and of having a
heavy chain dragging and clanking at
his ankles. You may depend that he
felt as if, could he get safe back to
England, he would never more aspire
to castles and titles, nor trouble him
self if the King and Court never
should eat good dinner or shake
their heels at ball again.
But often out of our greatest mis-
fortune comes our best good and hap
piness, and hope and joy often follow
times of fear and sorrow, as beautiful
rainbows are made out Of storms
that have just darkened the sky and
beaten down the flowers. One even
ing lust as the AIuezzin was calling
all pious Musselmen to pray, Gilbert
A. Beckett stood leaning against a
palm tree, resting a little from his
daily toll, and thinking longingly of
his country and home. Just then a
young Saracen lady of marvellous
beauty called Zarina, Glanced that
way onher evening walk, and was very
much struck by the appearance Of the
stranger. In truth, as Gilbert stood
there leaning so gracefully against the
palm, with his pale face cast down,
and his soft auburn hair half yelling
his sad eyes-to say nothing of his
long golden eyelashes, and bis curling
silken moustache, he was very inter-
esting and handsome young man,
and in spite of his gardner's dress and
slavish chain looked as proud and
noble as prince.
Zarina thought so, and though she
was so very modest and timid, drew
near to speak few kind words to
him. He looked up at the sound OF
her light step, and for the first time
in many months, he smiled, gladdened
by the sight of her beautiful innocent
face.
The ballad does not tell just now
how the two become acquainted, but
it is certain that they grew TO De eA-
cellent friends, and managed to meet
often, and have long walks and talks
in the shaded bowers of Mahmoud's s
gardens. They first talked OF the
flowers, then Of the stars, and moon
light. then of love; and then OF God.
Gilbert told Zarina of the christian S
blessed faith, and related all the beau
tiful and marvellous stories OF our
Lord Jesus, and Zarina wondered and
wept, and believed.
Gilbert had learned to speak the
Saracen language and spoke It we'll
but Zarina did not understand English
at all. The first word that she ever
spoke was, syes.' which Gilbert haa {,
taught her to say whenhe asked nerlf
she would be his wife, whenever he
could gain his freedom. But months mont !.
a whole year passed by, and uiiDert
was still captive.
One day, when Zarina met her