Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-10-29

mitted without difficulty in the presence OF the
women in their private apartments, and my Sis.
ter's veil will be removed before her." mo,
answered Zobeir, II shall adopt better plan;
will 90 myself. will assume the garb OF sell
er of aromatics, and with my box of perfumes
in my hand shall obtain free access into the
tent, and shall behold the countenance OF your
sister" immediately after this conversation,
Zobeir ordered his slaves to keep his tent closed
for three DAYS, that none might discover or sus-
pect his absence; he dressed himself as an itin-
Grant merchant, took under his arm small box
of aromatics, and, barefooted, his loins grt with
a large leather belt, he issued unperceived from
his tent before sunrise, and bent his course to-
wards the encampment of Amrou. Scarcely
had he departed in disguise, when Themadour
concealing herself in turn from the drowsy slaves
under the garb of warrior, issued from the
tent, united the swiftest courser belonging to
her husband, and, galloping at full speed IN the
direction of her fathers camp, passed without
being recognized, the pretended trader IN per-
| fumes and arrived before him at the tent OF her
mother. Without losing moment she impaired
to her father and brethren the plan she had con-
ceived for vindicating the honor OF the family.
She placed them in ambuscade under the shadow
of wood of date trees in the close vicinity OF
the camp; told them to hasten at her CALL ana
surprise Zobeir unarmed in the tent; to chain
him to the pillar in the centre, and not to re-
store him to liberty until he bound himself by
oath to pay to her father Amrou, the value of
his daughter. Then, laying aside her male at
tire. Themadour covered herself with the virgin
veil. and waited the arrival of the false mer-
chant 'sEnter, seller of perfumes" !" cried aloud
the mother, as soon as she perceived him hover
ing like fox round the tents; "thou shalt set
forth thy stores before my daughter Themadour,
who delights in the sweet scents of Yemen.
At this name of Themadour, Zobeir began to
believe firmly that he had been deceived by
Amrou. "Have you, then, another daughter e
demanded he of the mother. "Yes" she replied,
tive had second, called Klida, much less beau
tiful than Themadour. We changed her name,
and gave her. under the pretended denomination
of Themadour, to Zobeir, to revenge ourselves
of the insult he had offered to our family by ac-
cepting from us q wife without offering in re-
turn her value. We have kept with US the true
Thenadour, the wonder of all our tribes, to be-
stow her at the highest possible price on war
rior of Yemen.
| Zobeir, at this avowal blushed with indigna-
ton and shame. Forgetting his assumed char
acter of merchant, he began to think of carry
ing off by violence the beauty of which ne had
been deprived; when, suddenly, Amrou, his sons,
and brothers, rushing forth from the wood OF
dates towards the camp fell like herd of lions
upon Zobeir, bound him hand and foot, and
stretched him, but without wounds, on the car
pet of the tent. Themadour his avenged wife,
dropping then the veil from her fee, smiled with
pride, mingled with tenderness, on the captive
Zobeir, and gloried in having beaten clever
stratagem by stratagem. Zobeir, humiliated,
but at the same time happy that he had been
conquered by his wife alone agreed to bestow
upon his father-in-law, Amrou, one thousand
camels, twenty thoroughbred horses-bearing
round their necks the genealogy of the races
they were descended from-ffty male slaves, and
an equal number of young girls to wait upon his
wife. On these terms he was set at liberty, and
reconducted with all honor by the family OF
Amrou to his own encampment.