The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-08-21
VOL. IX.---NO. 465.
THE STAR OF LOVE.

preservation. We give il entire; -f
There is a moment in every mans existence
on which turns his future destiny. There ara
many such moments; for oftimes life hangs
on a thread, and If the thread il not cut, it
requires but touch to change the whole di.
rection of the future. But in every mans life
there is at least one, and in that Of young
Houssen ii occurred thus:
II was not often in those days that travel
ers crossed the great desert. Few Europeans
come to Egypt, and fewer still went to Sinai.
But there was time when Houssein was
called to Cairo TO meet a noble party OF west.
ern travellers, gentleman aud two ladies, who
were making prilgrimage to Sinai and the
Holy Land, and who wished his protection in
crossing the desert. lie saw but the gentle.
man, and readily engaged to perform the de-
sired service.
1t was not till the party had left the Birke.
tell that he met them, where they were
eFramped, by ts0sal.gilt, on the sand that
stretches away to Suez. AS he spraug from
his mare, before the tent.door, he was startled
by such vision as he had never seen be-
fore, but thought he dreamed OF in his waking
dreams.
She was slight, fair, and, in the moonlight,
pale as n creature of dreams. Was this ono
OF the hours OF his fabed paradise! No; he
rejected the thought, if it rose. There was
no spot in all the Heaven OF Mahommed fit
for an angel like this. Away, like the sand
on the whirwtnd, like the clouds before The
sun, like the stars at day break--away swept
all his faith in Islam, and in an instant the
Shek Houssein was an idolater, worshipping,
rs a thousand greater than he has done, the
beauty OF woman. Perhaps he might have
qnenched his thirst for the unknown at some
other fountain; but this was enough now
lie had found that wherewith to fl the void,
and he was content.
Love was new emotion-a sensation he
had never before experienced; and /, satisfied
him. Did she love him! That was n aues-
lion which never occurred to him What did
he care for that He was not seeking to be
loved. lie was looking for employment for
his own soul, and he had found il; and that
WIS enough.
The tradition goes TO describe his long
crossing OF the desert--how he fingered
among the hills of Sinai; how he led them by
Akaba and Petera, and detained them many
weeks in the city Of Rock; how the fair Eng
Iish girl faded slowly away, for she was diving
when she came to Egypt; and how, weary,
well nigh dead, he carried her to the Holy
CITY, and pitched their tents by the mountain
of the Ascension. And all this time he watch.
ed over her with the Jealous care of father
or brother, and the quick heart OF the lady
saw il and understood il ALL And sometimes
he wonld try, in broken words, to tell her Of
his old belief and his ideas OF Immortality,
and she would read in his hearing sublime
promises and glorious hopes that were in
language he knew nothing of, but which he
halt understood from her upiited eye and
couuteGance.
How he worshipped that matchess eye -
He worshipprd nothing else, Oh earth or in
heaven.
1t was noon Of night unner the walrs OF
Jerusalem; and, in n white tent close by the
hill on which the last footsteps of the as
cending Lord left their hallowlEg touch, an
English girl was waiting his bidding to fol-
low him
Outside the tent, prone on the ground, with
eyes fixed on the everlasting stars, lay group
OF Bedouins, and, apart from them little
way, their chief, silent, motionless-tO all that
was earthly, dead. A low voice within the
tent broke the stiffness of the night, but hs
did not move.
A voice was ulterng again those words, Of
which the sound had become familiar to him
already--the Christians prayer.
"Shiek HoussenF
lie sprang to his feet 1T was her voice,
faint, low, but silvery. The tent door was
thrust aside, and us II hand motioned to him
to enter, he obeyed.
She la, on the cushions, her head lifted
somewhat from the pillow by the arms Of her
sister; her brother, who spoke the language
OF the desert well, stood by her rs the yonng
Shiek approached. His cootea was gathered
around his head; only his dark eye. flashing
gloriously, was visible. She looked up into
it and whispered; he half understood her be-
fore The words came from her brothers lips.
as she told him the story of Calvary and
Christ, aud the cloud that received the King
and Saviour returning to his throne.
1t were vain to say he understood al this
lie only knew that she WAS telling him OF her
hope ere long to be above him, above the
world, above the sky; and his active but be-
wldered mind inwrought all this with his
ancien; traditions, and having long ago re-
| ectrd the creed that did not teach him that
she was immortal, Gs he fell back on the idea
that the inmortas had somewhat TO do with
| the stars; and as he lay down on the groundi
close by the side o. the tent, listening for
every sound from within, he fixed his eyes on
the zenith and watched the passing Of the
| hosts of the night until she died. There was
II rust!ing oi garments, Il voice Of ineXprrssi-
| bic sweetness suddenly silent, low, soft
sigh, the expiration Of saint and, at that
instant, far in the depths of the meridian blue,
a clear star flashed on his eye, for the first
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