The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-06-15
THE Gorgeous GROTT0.
AN ORIENTAL rKMpITIoN.

ioag have gone. snd is then great and
mighty city, over whose site new sweep the
sands at q desert. there lived poor but
ambitious msa, whose name was Asalph.
Theambition Of this man was not to be
great or good. hersic or famsss, but mere
ly to be rich. And 10 be rich, not for the
uses he could make Of wealth. bu, simply
for the love Of gold. and jewels. aud pre-
c.ous stones--the miser's 1--we of boarding,
handling. feeling. and knowing them to be
his.
But as Asalph grew Older. year BY year,
toiling daily for hisdaily bread. he gradu.
ally grew less sanguine of. achieving the
sale wish Of his hesrt. Poor he was, and
poor he must ever remain. and never for
him would be born the miser's Joy Of hand
ling gold and precious gems.
One soft, summers evening, while re-
turning 10 his humble cot from his labori
aus toll. with his head bowed upnn his bo,
sem and his heart despondent. he was sud.
denly startled BY Wild, piercing cry, Hs
locked mp. aud before him was haIffsn
tic mother. running To overtake and save
her daughter, who was making all haste Il
plunge herself into the dark waters Of th,
derp still river that wound around th,
great city. and repeated many dome
minaret and spire in its CLASSY depths.
Save my child. oh. save nv child |"
screamed the asonized mother-for mother
have been the same in all ages. countrie,
aud tongues-beeause love is the elemen
tsry principle thar binds the parents to th'
ahsPring. and aR elementary principle cat
never change.
There ~ere many spectators Of the scene
some of whom cculd have checked III,
fight Of the girl by the mere putting fortl
OF the hand bat they chose not To inter
feie, aud the nert moment she was beneati
the dark waters. and the almost maddene,
moiher stood upon the brink Of the gul
that now hid her darling from her font
oyes. shfieking in such prayers for succo,
as might have moved q heart of stone.
Up 10 this moment hsalph had RENAME,
Q mere spectator like the rest, thinkinl
that ssme one near the girl would have th
heart TO save her from the death Of sui
eide; but no sooner had he become awar
that her life would depend on him alone
haa acting from noble impulse. he bound
ed forward. plunged into the water, seize,
the drowning girl. dragged her to The shore
and restored her 10 her nearly frantic mo
ihsr. receiving his reward in the conscious
ness Of good act, and mothers invoca
tion that ell the gods would bless him an,
make him happy.
"Ah. me only gold can make me hap
py-gold and gems !" sighed Asalph, as b
slowly wended bis way TO his humble home
thinking how great change there nigh
have been in his lowly cot. had the girl b
had saved been the daughter ot noble
man generous enough TO reward him wit
what he coveted.
But hsalph was conscious OF having don
good deed; and over his frugal meal tha
night he remembered that good men ha,
said that good deeds were 10 have their &c
ward after death, which was az least some
thing to hope for. though not at present Q
tangible as gold.
That night. after all his family had re
tired TO rest. Asalph remained up, brood
ing over the misfortune Of being poo
man. when thousands of others, no bette
Than himself. we're rich aud he said in hi
neart. he would almost be willing to sci
his soul ior gold.
Suddenly he became aware that the roou
vas growing dark. with . strange kind Q
aarkness-not like that Of the sudden 20
ins outoi an artificial light. but rather lha
o. 70. coming ia Of a supernatural gloom
ana then . sense Of heaviness and oppres
s,on, allied to fear, began to steal over him
ne made an effort to spring up and sseer
tain the cause bot found, 10 his horror. h
was immoyable iu his seat--hsld there b,
some unearthly, invisible pswer. He woul'
nave shrieksd forth his aceumulating ter