The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-07-08
THE sILyERsMITH.oF ACRE.

THE SiLyEKsMiTH.OF ACRE.
1t had been sulry day--one of those
brealhless summer Moons SO frequent at St.
Juan d'Acre during The latter part of July and
beginning of August. The sea lay slagnan
as an African lake, and even the tall branch
es OF trees gave no indication of the slightest
zephyr. Silence legned over the whole town,
save where the sroans of the jever-stricken
iouni dismal echoes in Deaths desoate
rooms.
Djpzzar, the butcher, suinamed also the
Terrible, ruled at that limo over the pashaic
of Acre; and though, even at this very day
his name is nightmare 10 the people of that
parl, in some instances he displayed much
acuteness ard evenhandedness in dispensing
iuSlice among the Christian rajahs under his
! Jurisdiction.
On the day in question, The pasha had felt
remarkably dull and languid; what with the
heat, The prevalence of dsetse, and The con.
sequent paucly Of deIanllers, there was little
or nohins stirring 10 excite and stimulate his
active disposition. Two men had been i'm
paled in the morning for leIony--a revivins
spectacle, which had highly amused his ex-
collency as long as the agony Of the poor
wre'ches endured. llalf-a dozen Jews had
even excited him 10 Laughter by ltelr gro
tesque eXerlions, when, as tied back 10 back
they were overcome by The effects Of emet-
| les previously administered. a baker or Two
had been nailed bv the ears TO The door-posls
OF the audicnce-hal for some short comiuss
in weights. And one hanr in the harem
who was favorile, and consequently much
noticed, having refused 10 dance at the pasha's
bidding, under the plea of burning fever
with deIlrinm, was mildly melted thereto by
being seated upon the burning floor Of the
'Hamman,' which, by the way, produced
very different results from what Djezzar an.
icipated, by throwing The girl into violent
perspiraton, and forthwith dispelIing the ie.
yer.
These summed up the catalogue of that
days civetsion for the pasha, and he was
seated in disconlented and angry mood,
staring out upon the hot blood red sun, as
it dipped in The cool bosom of the western
horizon.
About The same hour in another part of the
town, wearied with hot days honest labor
and toll, Habeeb, the sversmilh, slipped of
the shop.bnard and into his red slippers, with
the intention of locking up and finishing work
Tor the day. To this intent he emptied his
cashbox of the days profits, adjusted his
turban and moustache, and with light heart
and keen appetite, walked briskly towards
his house in The Christian quarter flhe town,
thinking the while of his handsome young
wife, and The capital supper she had doubt.
less prepared far him. Now, Hebeeb was a
well-known and highly respectable trades
man, cunning workman in his art, and on
this accoun, greatly esteemed by the fanati,
cal Turks OF Acre.
Full of happiness the siversmith reached
his door, and knocked loudly, and was in.
stan'ly admitted by the black slave girl.
"Wbere is your mls,ress1" asked the dis
appointed husband, who was generally al.
mi'ed and welcomed by the hands and face
he loved best upon earth.
FMistress!" replied the grinning black,
"why thought she had gone up 10 the shop
she left here soon after dinner"
Here was astounding information for He-
beeb He could scarcely believe his senses
| Search, however, having proved vain, he en-
deavored 10 console himself with the idea
that his wife. being young and thoughiless,
had gone off 10 the bath TO meet some lady
friend, and had been p,eyentcI from re,un,
ing as soon as she expected.
Somehow or other his appetite was gone
tho meal appeared tas,eless, and every
morsel he swallowed appeared 10 stick i'll
his throat. Resolved 10 relinquish the
attempt he proceeded at once 10 the public
baths in search of the truant; arrived there,
great was his CONSERVATION on being
ed by the man who guarded the entrance,
that his wiio had never been there during
the day.
Greatly dispirited, Habeeb returned to-
wards his now desolate home, calling in a;
every friends house 10 make inQuiues after
his wife. Even the nearest neighbors had
seen or heard nothing of her during the at
tenoon. But one ole lady had suggested
that gin had spirited her away. Scomng
10 give credonce 10 such a report, the un-
happy husband came to the desperate con-