Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-07

Matthias forgot all about Tarsus, and
walked by the side of the girl, asking
questions of her lie lrarned that she was
the bond-maiden of "A monastery situated in
those mountains, and that her duty was to
take out the cows, and especially this one,
every morning to the pasture.
DO not follow me, said she, when they
came to the entrance OF the gorge from
which the stream flowed for | am forbid
den to talk with those whom may meet
Matthias thought awhile, and then bade
her adieu, having learned what path he
was to follow, and returned to his palace
full of nothing but the image of this simple
bOnd-maiden.
Verify, said he to himself, next morn
ing, Il forgot to ask the name of that girl
| must learn it, in order that | may send
her recompense
Under this poor pretence he mounted his
mule, and rode towards the mountains. and
began his walk at the usual place, and re-
paired to the cave, and passed the night
there, and was out on the meadow before
dawn. lie soon saw four or five cows driv-
en- out Of the gorge, and the girl following
them, leading the frolcsOme Naharah.
There is no need for thee to-day, stran-
ger, said she, smiling playlully, unless
thou wilt drive my herd down to tho water
to drink. and take care that the black one
goes in first, or else she will gore the 9TH
ers'
Upon this, Matthias took up the branch
of II tree and began to cry, Hoo hoo
like herdsman, and to beat the TANKS OF
the black COW. which scamPcrcd away, and
led him II long chase around the meadow
SO that he did not come back until all the
other animals had taken their morning
drink, and the girl was sitting on the bank
laughing at him, and wreathing II crown
of flowers to deck the horns OF Nahirah
Thou dost not know thy new business,
said she. to Matthias, as he came up out OF
breath whereupon he began to curse the
cow which had led him that dance, and to
think that he had made himself ridiculous
in the eyes OF the girl. However, they
were soon sitting side by side in pleasant
talk, and the merchant learned that the
name of the bond maiden was Carine.
BY this time he had quite made up his
mind to marry her, if she would have him
but, although rejecting upon his wealth
and her poverty, it seemed scarcely proba-
bic that She should refuse, his modesty was
SO great that he dared not venture to talk
Of love. They parted early, and Matthias
went away, promising to return on the NOR
row. lie did SO ; and lor many weeks CON
tinued these meetings, in which. for the
first time since his youth, he found real
happiness. At length, one day he took
courage, and told Carine that he intended
t. take her away and marry her, and make
her the mistress Of his wealth.
My lord, said she, with simple surprise,
has madness stricken thee DOst thou
know that am a bond maiden, and that
there is no power that can free me =
Money can free thee, child said Mat
thias.
Not So : replied she, for it Is an ancient
privilege of this monastery that bondsmen
and bOndswomen shall forever appertaln to
it. If any freeman casts his eye upon one
OF us, and desires to marry her, he must
quit his state and become slave, he and
his descendants forever, to the monastery.
! This is why | was not married last year to
! Skandar, the porker, who offered twenty
pigs for my freedom, but who refused ~
| give up his liberty
Matthias internally thanked Heaven for
having given an independent spirit to the
! porker, and replied smiling
believe me, Carne, that the fathers
love money-they all do-and | shall pur-
chase thee as my wife
1T is nonsense said she, shaking her
head, they refused twenty pigs
i will give twenty sacks OF gold, baby,
cried Matthias enraged at her obstinacy.
Carine replied that she was not worth SO
much and that, il she were, it was OF no
use talking Of the matter, for the fathers
would not sell her
lie was mistaken. The monastery of
Selafka was the richest in all the East, and
the head of it was the most scll-wiled Of
men. lie cut short the propositions Of the
merchant-who went straight to him that
very day-by saying that on no account
could the liberty of Carne be granted.
IF thou wouldst marry her, said he,
looking, as Matthias thought more wicked
than IA demon, thou must give up all thy
wealth to us, and become our bondsman.'
With this the lover went sadly away, and
returned to Iarsus, saying to himself
1T is impossible for me to give up, not
only the gains of all my life, but even my
liberty, for the sake Of this cowgirl. |
must try to forget her.
50 he went back among his friends, and
began to walk in the bazaars. When the
Jew saw HIM, he cried out
Hail, oh wise man, that will not burthen
himself with the society of a woman -
But the merchant irOwned black upon
him, and turned away and, to the surprise
ol all the neighbors, went and sat down by
the side Of the Christian tailor, and, taking
his hand, whispered to him
Close thy shop, my friend, and lead
that may see, as thou dldst promise, thy
wife and thy child
Which child . said the tailor, Il have
now three, Gorses Lisbet, and Hanna.
An of them said Matthias and alsC
the ebony black girl, Zlrileh.'
'Oh :! said the tailor, i have set her
free, and she is married to the pudding
seller, round the corner
, 1T seems, said Matthias to himself that
3 1t is the law OF Heaven that every one shal
marry
p The tailor shut up his shop, and tool
) the merchant home and showed him his do
8 mestlc wealth-that Is 70 say. his pretty
y wife, his three stout children, and Goa
; black girl called lara, who was kneadin,
, dough in the courtyard.
; My friend, said Matthias, what woulds
< thou do, II the powerful were to say &
r. thee, thou must be deprived OF all this, d
else lose thy liberty and become slave -
e Liberty Is sweet, replied the tailor
g struggling his shoulders yet some Inv
d without il, but none can live without love
r. Upon this the merchant went back to hi
o palace and mounted his mule and rode
i the monastery, where he found the cour
r yard full OF people. Il am come, said he I
d one OF the fathers whom he mot in the gat,
!, way, to give up my liberty and my wealt
d for the sake OF Carine'
d 'lC is too late, was the reply; Skanda
t the porker, has driven IN all his pigs, and.th