The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-01-25
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his conversation with the Christian tailor. He
began to- Think that perhaps indeed, he was
wearing away his fife u~seiessly in solitude
There was certainly no beauty and no ~satisfac-
ttioh2in that manner o 1being. 1t was better
to take to himself a companion. But where
find her? Amongst all the frivolous daugh-
tters{of TarsRs was there one with whom he
would not be more lonely than with himself
Their mothers had taught them nothing but
love and dress, and love of themselves. How
could their capricious and selfish natures find
pleasure in communion with a man whom this
world had sore tried, and who wished to wait
in meekness and in patience for the world to
come. These Smeditations disturbed Matthias,
but they did not render him more unhappy
They occupied his mind they relieved the
monotony of his. existence; they prevented
him from always turning his eyes inward upon
himself they forced him to look abroad. He
went to the houses of his friends, and once
more studied the PROJECTIONS or imperfections
vEof their daughters. His object was so mani
Ifest, that the joke went round that he wished
to save the Christian tailor from ruin. People
zEjested with the Jew as they brought in their
money to change. But although Matthias
saw many beautiful girls who threw the glances
fof their almond shaped eyes encouragingly to-
ward hin, he saw none that pleased his heart
Land suddenly retiring from society, shut him
self up for q whole year in his. palace, seeing
nobody and taking back melancholy and dis
content for his only companions. At length
| Matthias began to feel the desire of change,
and made it a practice every morning to have
his mule saddled and to ride out to the base of
the mountains; and then putting foot to
ground, to wander until evening amidst the
rocks and valleys, On one occasion he went
so far that he could not return to where he
had left his mule and servant before night-fall,
and lost his way. After going hither and
thither fer some time, he was compelled to
seek the shelter of a cave, and to wait until
morning. Sleep overlook him, and he did not
wake until the suns rays, slanting in through
the cleft of the rock, played upon his eyelids.
He got up, and having said his prayers, went
forth and beheld a beautiful green meadow
stretching along the banks of a stream, which
| came from a marrow gorge at no great distance.
| He did not recognize his whereabouts, and was
| doubtful of finding his way back, until he saw
at the farther end of the meadow, some object
moving rapidly to and fro 1t was a young
girl chasing a cow, that had escaped from her,
and ran with ascord tangled about her horns,
in the direction of Matthias. "AhW said he,
az, Will catch this auaruly animal, and then
make its keeper point OUT to ms the direction
of Tarsus." So he tucked up his robes ; and,
being strong and vigorous, soon came up to the
COW, that was wantonly gaHoping hiLher and
thither, and5brought her to a standstill. "May
blessingslight uponthy sturdy arms, stranger"
exclaimed the girl, running up out of breath,
and unwinding the rope: from the cows horn
E"If Naharah had escaped, they would have
beaten me-" = Il
"And who could 6aa It in his heart to beat
thee, child ~ said the merchant, as he looked
at her. and wondered at her delicate loVeliness.
So fsTba fafha3s.O cha rap1io6 ~nu1linp Naharah
in the direction she wanted to 60 TTriple,
blessings upon thee, again, Say, stranger"
Matthias forgot all.abeatT arsus, and walker
by the side of the girl, asking questions of heI'.
He learned that she was the bond-maid of a
monastery situated in those mountains, and that
her duty was to take out the CONS, and esp e.
ciaily this one, every morning 10 the pasturas ,e.
"Do not follow me" said she, when they cal ne
ito the entrance of the gorge from which I he
stream flowed; "for I am forbidden to t. Xix
with those whom / may meet" Matth las
thought awhile, and then babe her adieu, b .av-
ing learned what path he was to follow, and
returned to his palace full of nothing but the
image of this simple bond maiden.
sVerily,' said he to himself, next morni ag,
az forgot to ask the name of that girl. Ina ust
learn it, in order that 1 may send her a reco M
.pense.h Under this poor p~retence, he noun ted
his mule and rode toward the mountains, and
began his walk at the usual place, and repair ed
to the cave and passed the night there, and was
out on the meadow before dawn. He soon s aw
four or five cows driven out of the gorge, and
the girl following them; leading the frolicsoIne
Naharah.
4eThere Is no need for thee to-day, stranger"
said she, smiling playfully; "unless thou wilt
drive my herd down to the water to drink, and
take care that the. black one goes in first, or
else she will gore the others" Upon this,
Matthias took the branch Of a tree and began
to crv, tsHool hool" like a herdsman, and to
beat the TANKS of the black COW which scamp
cred away, and led him a hard chase round the
meadow; so that he did noteome back until all
the other animals had taken their morning
drink and the givl was sitting on the bank
laughing at him, and wreathing a crown of
flowers to deck the horns of Naharah.
s'Thou dost not know thy new business"
said she, to Matthias, as he. came up out of
breath wherupoa he began to curse the COW
which 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 sid in pleasant talk, aad the merchant
learned that the name of the bond-maid was
-Carine. Saif8 -: m.Tt e].'1d a -
r BY this time he lad quite made up his mind
To marry her If she would have him but al
though, rehec:ine upon his wealth and aer pow
erty, it seemed scarcely probable tnaI she should
refuse, his modesty was SO great that he dared
not venture to talk oflove. They parted early,
and Matthias went away, promising to return
on the morrow. He did SO and for many
weeks continued these meetings, in which, for
the first time since his youth, he found real
happiness. At length, one day, he took cour-
age, and told Carine that he intended to take
her away and marry her, and make her mistress
his wealth. "My lord, - said she, with simple
surprise, has madness stricken the ? Dost
thou not know that I am a bond-maden, and
that there is no power that can free me r, . Sd
: "Money can free thee, child said Matthias.
~ "Not So" replied she ssfor is it an ancient
privilege Of this monastery, that bondsmen
and bondswomen shall forever appertain to it.
If any freeman casts his eyes upon one of us,
and desires to marry her, he must quit his