The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-12-02
xayas, Or ehs Wen . Trn,n.

In the beautiful and fertile valley OF
Roses, cooled BY the ever rflowiug water
IF the Euphnates. dpek Zaydi-brigAt Is
the evening star and gentle y she Wind
that signs amid the fresh blown vielets.
Sixteen summers had scarce tDuched With
their y arm breath her glowing checks,
get. zaydi joyed in the spjles Of s~eet
infant. Nature had blessed Il with
thousand charms, health bloomsd on its
cheek and gamboled ia every limb: beau
ty had clothed it with her everschancinQ
robe Of loveliness--and genius circled its
fair forehead With undyiug halo.
Happy, happy days! Zsydi aud her
young child rose With the morn, light fell
neir footsteps over the fragrant dews. and
eve ssill faund them bounding With an
untired delight, bat, alas one day, when
gszing With . mothers fond and innocent
pleasures on the .sou.hfm Aae, Zsydi
perceived faint. black spot in the center
of her darline's forehead. Trembling
with alright. she flew to the sage Abeo
thenon, and beseech him to come to the
relief of the little sufferer. Abeothenon
listened to her prayer, aud fastened to
the child. While observing her, be be-
held the spot deepening and videaiog un-
til II almost overspreAi her whole FORE
head. With stern look. turnipg to the
affrighted mother he said
"Wben, by the blessing of the great
and merciful All b, you first clasped your
Ame, then an infant, in your arms, pray
ed you foe the presence of the good Ben
pethi, to sprinkle it, fair forehead with the
pure and limpid waters of the we'll Of
truth -
Blushing with shame and confusion
Zaydi svered:
Ooh, mighty Abeothenon eIaled With
the joy OF mother on clssping her fret
born. | forgot the benifcent fairy; and
beholdiug my child endowed with so
many bright and glorious charms, awoke
not the recollection Of my guilt ill thou
hast recalled it to my memory"
Rash WOMAN said the sage, ",oo
soon wilt thou read the reward of thine
error, and turning from tie weeping
mother, he slowly retired.
Heavily passed the hours to Zsyai. No
longer Joylng in the chase. she lay list.
less and languid oa her raised and fra
grant mats, gazing upon the suffering
Anne. Each day the black spot deepened
In hue. Stupg With the recollection of
her guilt, ard wrought almost to madness
Aaydi threw herself upon the ground, and
prayed, with an almost broken heart, that
the plague spo. might be- removed from
the forehead Of her darling child. Rising
from her devotions, she bebeld a mist mo
wing on the bosom of the water, and as
she watched the phenomenon with a Ian
guild and careless curiosity. il slowly un-
furled, and Sigh. and beautiful form
stood before her; in sweet and plaintive
voice, like the soft murmurings Of hid
den stream, it said:
Behold, Zaydi, | have listened to thy
prayer; by repentance and long travail.
thou mayst obviate the guilt which has
plunged you into such an abys. OF misery.
Joyfully Z4ydi welcomed The good fairy
for she knew it was Bennethi, the guar
dian OF the well Of truth.
Kind and generous Benneihi," said
Zaydi, 'by what deep pen.ncs may
atone for my folly? Think not that /
will shrink from its performance. On. |
blessed Allah have ! not sorrowed with
more than mortal grief? Speak, Bennethi
the wretched Zaydi en,reats thy m srcy !"
MANY and dangerous are the spares
that viii surround you. .'ssid the good fai. |
y "but If, with firm and penitent heart. |
Jou persevere IN the path Of duty and re-
pentance, like the cool stream to the fain,-
ing traveller, will the reward of thy toll |
restore Thy drpoping soul.
The we'll OF truth lies many thouss nd lea.
CUES beyond you-hIgh aud rocky noun
AIMS nust be travefsed, aud vail 10 dark
nd gloomy to the sight; ye. shrink NOT.
nor turn tfom thy path. though pleasure
with her ever changing garb beckon you
rom shadr groves and glittering palaces
Yam illusions. shadows OF the imseioa.
lion. heed them not continued the good
airy, placing on Ziydi's finger a plain
crystal ring but in the hour OF troubte
md despair. gaze on this talisman end re.
peat ~het is theron recorded with . firm
md trusting heart. And now take the
'cnng ch'ld BY the hand, delay no.-each
moment will increase the evil. Go and /
vii meet the we'll OF truth"
On saying this the fairy disappeared
mid the deepeding shadows of the even
ag' liydi, clasping Ame's hand, COM
neoced her periIous journey Rugged
vas the way; yet zayi, dropped no. : she
e I'd at night the roaring of ravenous
casts and the shriil scream of the hYens:
tut undisma,ed she toiled Oh, nor turned
sue y through fair and fragrant groves
'eo with the sweet notes Of III ,usano
'fds' met her bot and heavy gaze
'o"ci''nes fro n the bosom of some .hadv
pot groups OF young maidens, wreatbed
nth roses invited with welcome cestura.
'e weary traveller. Zsydi looked 4 IN
hid and passed on. After menv mor,h. 7
toll and anguish, Ams and her ..en;. 3
mt mother threw themselves beaeath
'e shsdow Of noble tree, endsavossd "a /
1afch lev mJWont9 ,renooa. ~ i