Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-01-10

Q
in a low, gentle voice, and with tend,
eyes cast down, @I am aehristian no,
u dear Gilbert; l pray to God mornin
e and night. Thou knowest I am a
/ orphan. Hove no one in the worl
e but thee; then why should Istay herr
g Why wouldst thou inger long
! bondage? Let us fly to Englant
: God will guide US safely over th
wide dark waters, for we are chris
! tians, and need not fear anything.
S will meet thee tonight on TIE sea
| shore, and bring gold and jewel
enoughto purchase a vessel and
! skilful crew, and when, o, my Gilbert
, we are aAoat on the broad blue Sc
sailing towards thy home, thou vii
bless me and love me-wilt thou not?
The merchant kissed the Maiden
hand, promised to meet her on thu
strand at the appointed hour, and ht
did not fail but long he walked The
lonely shore, and no light-footed
Zarina came fitting through the deer
night shadows and stealing to his side
North, south, east, and west he looked
but all in vain. ia'i ii'
The night was clear; the wind
whispered low, the little waves stood
ON the shining shore and seemed to
invite him to sail away over them to
the great seas beyond-but the stars
overhead twinkled so merrily and
winked so knowingly, that he had al
most fancied they had betrayed the
story of his Zarina's love and intend
ed flight. AT length he heard a
quick light step, and sprung forward
with joyful cry. Alasl it was not
Zarina, but her faithful nurse, Safe,
who came to tell him that Zarina's S
love was discovered, and that her
kinsman had confined her in a strong
guarded tower, and that he must es-
cape alone. She sent him casket
of gold and gems, with promise that
as soon as possible she would make
her escape and come to him in Lon
don. 5
There was nothing for Gilbert A..
Beckett to do, but to accept Zarina's
casket of jewels and follow her adj
vice; so, after sending her many love
farewell messages by Safe, he went.
He had prosperous voyage and
reached London in safety, where he
gave his friends joyful surprise, for
they had given him up for dead,
Year after year went by, and he
saw nothing, heard nothing Of his no
BILE Saracen love, Zarina, and at last
he grew to think Of her very sorrow
fully and tenderly as one dead. But
Zarina lived, and lived for him whom
she loved, and who had taught her to
love God. For years she was kept
imprisoned in the lonely tower near
the sea-where she could only put
her sorrow into mournfhl songs, and
SIGH her love out on the winds that
blew towards England, and gaze at
the bright kindly stars, and pray for
Gilbert. But one night while the
guard slept, the brave Zarina stole
out on the parapet, and leaped down
many feet to the groundSbelow. She
soon sprang up unframed, and made
way to the strand, when she took pas
sage on foreign vessel for Stamboul.
Now, all the English that this poor
girl remembered were the words Gil
bert and "London." These she said
in a sad, pleading, inquiring tone to
every one she met-but no one knew
what she meant.
From Stamboul she went on her
weary, wandering way, from port to
port, and from city to city, till she
had .iourneyed through many strange
countries, repeating everywhere the
two words in EngIish-but in vain.
Every body had heard of London,
none knew Gilbert Yet the people
we're very kind, and gave her food in
return for the sweet songs which she
sung. s ii azs sI Es8 "a.
At length, after many months OF
lonely and toilsome wandering, she
reached England, and found herself
amidst the busy throng Of London
She gazed about her.. bewildered and
almost despairing at finding it so large
a place-it would be SO much harder
to find him. Yet still patiently and
YEARLY up and down the long streets
she went, through the market places
and square, past churches and pal
aces. singing mournful songs, speak
ing softly and more sadly the one be-
loved word-"Gilbert." ;"