Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-07
Nj | sc ELL A n Y .
The Merchants Heart-An Eastern Tale.

The Merchants Heart-An Eastern Tale.
Matthias, the Levantne merchant, h I'd
spent his whole life, from his boy-time up
ward, in travelling for the sake Of gain, to
the East and to the West, and to the Isl
ands of the South Seas. He had returned
to his native place, Tarsus, in the full Wig
or of manhood, and was reported to have
amassed great wealth. His first step was
to make prudent call upon the governor,
and to present him with purse and IA
string of pearls, in order to bespeak his
good will. lie then built himself "a spacious
palace in the midst of u garden, on the
borders of a stream, and began to lead a
quiet life, resting after the fatigues Of his
many voyages, Most persons considered
him to be the happiest of merchants but
those who were introduced to his intimacy
knew that his constant companions were
thought and sadness When he had depart
ed in his youth, he had left his father, and
his mother, and his brothers, and his sisters
in health, although poor but when he re-
turned, in hopes to gild the remainder of
their days, he found that the hand of death
had fallen upon them every one, and that
there was no one to share his prosperity .
and blight came over his heart.
The gossips in the bazllrs soon began to
talk of his case, and it was then that Han
ma, the Christian tailor, one day said in
low voice, to his opposite neighbor, the
Jewish money changer, Il will lay the value
of my stock that the merchant Matthias
will find consolation in marriage /; that he
will c loose the In ost beautiful OF our maidens,
and that he will found Il family which shall
be celebrated in this city as long as its pros
pcrity endures.' To this the jew replied :
wv hat is the value Of thy stock Three
jackets returned upon the hands, rusty
pair Of scissors, an old stool, and some bum
dies of thread Verify, the risk is not
great The Christi an said a prayer or
two to himself, that he might not curse his
neighbor, and then answered Il will throw
in Zlriieh, the ebonv-black girl whom |
bought last spring to follow my wife when
she goes out with the little Gorges to the
gardens. What says thou now
The Jew pondered awhile, lean ns his
grey beard ON the breast of his caftan. -
lie remembered that forty years before. he,
too, had returned from travel with his
money bags and had found his house desc
late; and that he had devoted himself ever
s'nce to moody reflection, and to the heap
ing Of mdhJ0ub upon mdhboub. The
thought had therefore become liked in his
mind that when the middle time of life
comes, there can remain no affection III the
heart, either of Christian, or of jew, Or Of
Mahomcdan. but for gold. So he SAID, Let
the odds be equal. will venture five hun
dred pieces against thy five hundred pieces,
that within five years the merchant Mat
thas does not take to his bosom IA wife. -
Agreed cried the Christian. The neigh
bors were called in as witnesses, and every
..,I e In Il
Matthias was not long in learning that
a wager had been laid upon his future life;
and in passing through the bazaar he stop
ed one day and said, sternly, to the Christ
ian tailor Son of rashness, why hast thou
risked more than thy hayings upon a uat-
ter which is only known to heavenl
have looked upon all the maidens of my
people and no emotion has stirred within
me. Verify thou wilt become prey to
this jew
My lord, replied the tailor, smiling, 1T
is impossible for Il good man to remain all
his life alone. If thou wilt come to my
house and see my wife and my little Cor
ges dancing in the arms of the ebony-black
girl, Zirifeh, thou wilt surely relent, and
seek at once to be as | am. Perhaps thou
hast not well looked around thee. Tn ere
il Miriam, the daughter Of our baker, who
is of majestic presence, being as big as thy
self. She will suit thee to u hair; and, il
thou desirest, my wife shall make propos
ais for thee this afternoon Matthias
laughed and frowned, and went on and thu
Jew, chuckling in his beard, said %
Hanna, for how much wilt thou free thy
self from thy wagerl Wilt thou pay hun
dred pieces and let all be said'' But the
Christian replied; In five years Saint Phil
otea wore away stone as big rs this stool
with her kisses and tears in five years Tia
heart of this man may melt,
Matthias went not ON hls way unmOvc
after his conversation with the Christian
tailor. He began to think perhaps. indeed
he was wearing away his life uselCssly il
solitude. There was certainly no bcaut
and no satisfaction in that manner Of being
1t was better to take to himself II compan
ION. But where find her Amongst al
the frivolous daughters Of Tarsus, was thcr
one he would not be more lonely with tina
with himself Their mothers had.taught then
nothing but love Of dress and love of them
selves. How could their capricious an
selfish natures find pleasure in communo
with man whom.this world has sore tried
and who wished to wait in meckness am
in patience ior the world to come.
These meditations disturbed Matthias
but they did not render him more unhappy
They occupied his mind, they relieved th
monotony of his existence; they preyente
him from always turning his eyes inwar
upon himself they forced him to look 4
broad. lie went to the houses Of hi
friends, and once more studied the perlec
ions or imperiections Of their daughters
lhs object was SO manifest, that the iok
went round that he wished to save Il
Christian tailor from ruin. People jestt
with the Jew as they brought in their mol
ey to change. But although Matthli
saw many beautiful girls who threw glanc
OF their almOnd-shaped eyes encouraging
towards HIM, he saw none that pleased h
heart; and, suddenly retiring from soclct.
shut himself up fora whole year IN h
palace, seeing nobody, aud taking baC
melancholy and discomfort for his only col
panlons.
At length Matthias began to feel Il
desire Of change, and made it practi
every morning to have his mule saddle
and to ride out to the base of the mpu
tains; and, then putting foot to ground,
wander until evening amidst the rocks al
valleys. On one occasion, he went 50 +
that no could not return 10 where he h,
lett his mule and servant before uightfl
and lost his way. After going hther al
thlther for some time, he was COMPEL,
to seek the shelter Of cave, and 10 wa
until morning, Sleep overlook him, al