Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-02-06
THE STAR OF LOVE.
AN EGYPTIAN LEGEND.

The following story or legend of the
young Sheik HoHssein, is one of the most
beautiful bits of Eastern fiction, and well
worth preserving:
There is moment in every mans ex-
istcnce on which turns his future destiny.
There are many such moments, for often
life hangs on a thread, and if the thread
iSnot cut, it requires buta touch to change
the whole direction Of the future. But in
every mans life there is at least one, and
in that of young Housscin it occurred
thus:
1t was not often in those days that
travellers crossed the great desert. Few
Europeans came to Egypt, and fewer still
went to Sinai. But there was time when
Housscin was called to Cairo to meet a
noble party Of Western travellers, a gen.
tleman and two ladies, who were making
a pilgrimage to Sinai and the Holy Land,
and who wished his protection IN crossing
the desert. He saw but the gentleman,
and readily engaged to perform the de-
sired service.
1t was not till the party had left the
Birket-el-Haj that he met them, when
they were encamped by moonlight, on the
sand that stretches to Sucz. AS he sprang
from his mare, before the tent door, he
was startled by such vision as he had
never before seen, but thought he had
dreamed of IN his waking dreams.
She was slight, fair, and in the moon
light, pale as a creature of fdrCams. Was
this one of the houris Of his fnblcd para
disc! No; he rejected the thought, if it
ro@. There was no spot in all the heaven
of Mohammcd fit for an angel like this
Away, like the sand on the whirlwind,
like the clouds before the sun, like the
stars at daybreak-away swept all his
faith in Islam, and in an instant the Sheik
HOusscin was an idolator, worshiping, as
a thousand greater than he have done, the
beauty Of woman. Perhaps he might
have quenchcd his thirst for the unknown
at some other fountain; but this was
enough now. He had found that where
with to fill the void, and he was content.
Love was new emotion-a sensation
he had never before experienced and il
satisfied him. Did she love him? That
was the question which never occurred to
him. What did he caLe for that? lie
was not seeking TO be loved. He was
lookingfor employment for his own soul,
and he had found it, and that was enough.
The tradition goes to describe his long
crossing Of the deScrt-how he fingered
among the hills of Sinai; how he had led
them by Akaba and Petra. and detained
them many weeks in the city of Rook
how the fair English girl faded slowly
away, for she was dying 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
Ascension. And all the time he watched
over her with the jealous care of father
or brother, and the quick heart of the lady
saw it and understood it all. And some
times he would 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 half understood
from her upliftcd eye and countenance.
How he worshiped that matchless eve
He worshipcd nothing else, in earth or
heaven.
1t was noon of night under the walls of
Jerusale and, in white tent, close by
the hill on which the last footsteps of the
ascending Lord left their hallowing touch,
an English girl was waiting his bidding
to follow him.
Outside the tent. prone OH the ground,
with eyes fixed on tho everlasting stars,
lay group Of Bcdouins, and, apart from
them little way their chief. silent, mo-
tionless-to oil that was earthly, dead
A low voice within tho tent broke the
stiffness Of the night, but he did not move.
A voice was uttering again those words Of
which the sound had become familiar to
him already--the Christian prayer.
"Shcik Houssien."
He sprang to his feet. twas her voice,
faint. low, but silvcry. The tent.door was
thrust aside, and as hand motioned him
to enter; he obeyed.
She lay on tho cushion, 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
aS the ycurg Shiek approached His