, 1859-08-19

Now at this moment, scenes Of my childhood
are fitting before my vision, as if recalled by
supernatural power. Ny mothers face-it Is
more than fourscore years since beheld It'll
cannot well recall; but her voice, methinks
hear It nowi Oh, they were sunny daysl
"Many years sped rapidly after had escaped
from my fathers home, and from Spain, and in
many lands | wandered. Some chance or desti-
ny at length impelIed me to cross the straits Of
the South, and pass into the land Of the Moors.
Couut Vamba had been placed by his King to
guard all access To- our southern frontier and in
the Gothic fortresses on the African shore (oppo-
site that Ominous steep, now called the Rock Of
Tariff he kept kingly curt. There were
many chiefs, mobiles and warriors in that court;
and among them was stern, tall, strong old
warrior (who retained stately soldiers bearin0
who was accompanied ever by q lean, meagre-
looking priest From the first moment made
overture to the Count to join his troop, and was
accepted, I was brought into daily converse with
those men. The first though at times he excited
in me kind Of awe, somewhat akin to reverence,
was chiefly the object Of my fear and suspicion; F;
the latter, Of my most recoiling abhorrence. No
ono had known from whence they came, but that
they were Goths. We deemed that they were
exiled from their home for some foul offence, and
sojourned with US in secret for while. They
were ever holding dark consultations together;
they would absent themselves from our station
for a time, and then, no one knew whittier they
had gone, or what was their errand, or when
they would return. At sunset, Twas accustomed
to ride forth from our fortress in the cool even
ing air, and once wandered listlesslY farther
than was won't At distance saw two feet
horsemen securing across tho plain; presently
they drew nearer, and found they were Arabs,
and from their few hurried words soon learned
they were in pursuit Of two bandit-ruifians, who
had carried Oft the only daughter Of the noble
chief Of their tribe. u,
al had known kindness oftentimes from tho
wild, generous Arabs, when had wandered in
their own wild deserts in former years; and
therefore, with readiness instantly joined the
horsemen, to assist them in their pursuit.
"Not long were We in suspcnsei let me not
delay to speak il; we overlook the robbers;
they were-that stern old warrior and his priest
As I seized the name Of his fOaming horse, the
old mans ungovernable passion, that glared
forth from bis iendish eyes, would have smote
me to the earth; but the horsemen who were
with me avcrtcd the stroke of his heavy sword |;
and when he saw that he must lose his prize,
the virgin daughter Of the Arab, he drew forth
dagger to plunge il in her breastl Then, oh,
Heaven while in the act to strike-I severed
his right arm with one blow Of my sword
"My heart smote me, knew not why, when
l had done the deed, though my conscience ap-
proved Il Tho mean-souled priest bad instantly
fed. NY comrades took up the fallen Arab
virgin, who had struggled from the onc-armed
grasp of her ravisher, whose single hand now
seized me by the throat with demoniac strength.
With difficulty / extricated myself; for had q
repugnance to use my sword again, or my enc
my's ALLEN dagger-a repugnance l could not
I Lod n,,k dos-n many an anounw
without remorse in merciless combat, but
could not take that old mans life. l ossayed to
address him, but he sprung towards me like
wounded tiger-savage and untamable. Ny
Arab companions seemed astonished at my for
bearance; indeed, understood It not myself;
but they followed my example, and iorbore.
aChristian," they shouted, Eve may not
tarry; follow u.s." And freeing myself from
my antagonist, obeyed, giving rein to my gal
liant stced, and leaving the MANNED and aston
ished man alone on the wide plain.
30 the joy Of the restoration Of the beauteods
Selma to her Arab sirel / shall never forget
that day Il is still one Of the happiest brightest
recollections of my long, long life ! was hailed
as friend a beneisctor. saviour! and many an
aftcr-day Of Joy and festival tarTied with that
simple, generous tribe. That passed. Yet, as
rode from the tent Of the Arab, a fresh woven
garland from the hand Of Selma was the we'll
valued prize that gained. But Iwill not lingcr
thus on such scenes as these
WTime tarried not when / regained once
more nv allotted station In our Gothic fortress,
the fame Of my exploit had gone before me
and Count vsmbas imagined, frowned proudly
upon me- The old warrior and his priest had
been there before me, and had again departed.
They returned not as formerly, at stated times !;
and mcthought there was occasionally an air Of
hal of
Count; for, doubtless, they had never been ia
vorite guests with him.
"From henceiorth had the intercourse Of our
people with the tribes Of the desert grown more
frequent and familiar, and In our neighborhood
those tribes were multiplied manifold With
the tribe Of Selma soiourned so often, and 50
long, that At length became far more an Arab
than Goth.
Returning TO our fortress at the close Of
evening, after day Of unmingled happiness In
the home Of the Arab, ! was suddenly sur
rounded by three turbaned horsemen, and fled
for my life. Ny feet horse alone preserved me,
for one only Of the disguised murderers was
able to follow my flight closely. | turned at
length to meet his attack, finding could not
avoid him; Il was my old inveterate foe, whose
right arm had severed. Though his left hand
now welded his sword, Il was with an iron
energy.
abel diel" he shouted, gnashing with his
teeth, and plunging against me.
"His companions were now in sight, follow.
ing rapidly Heaven kn0weth the pang Il cost
me I sheathed my dagger in his hearth As
he fell, the two remaining rufians rode up-the
priest and hired assassin They turned 70 fly,
seeing the old man had fallen, but first hating .
moment, and gloating on me with his horrid eyes,
the lean and haggard monster shrieked aloud;
"GEsALRIc, YoU HAVE SLAIN YOUR EATHER J
and fed
"Iwas as one thuDderstruck-stif motionless.
almost, as my dead father by my side Ay, 1t
was HEl doubted it not one moment. But
that accursed priest---how knew he me! Did he
1 .la-....al lLnl