The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-21
IN Eastern Love Story.


of Arabic and Of the Arabs in those days,
hat the only marvel is that | did not return to =
europe a good Mahometan and the husband /,
IF two or three wives. But never changed ,,
siGhcr my religion or my habits Of living, ex-
,ept In hose outward matters which are as
easily laid aside as ones clothes.
I'VE lived in the prettiest little Moorish
house in the world, having court open TO
-he Sky, with light gallery running round,
ard fountain oyerhung By banana trees in
lhc midst. The walls were white as snow,
and the pagements of tiles painted with all
sdrts Of flowers and arabesques, and the Sit
ting rooms were furnished with dvans and
carpets from Tunis, and gay lamps surmount-
ea by silver crescents. We had a nice, good
negress, named Zerah, to cook for
us, and a pretty little Arab boy, named Alix,
t5 run on crrands. What more could any
Reasonable people desire? The only draw
back TO my wife's happiness was that ny
daily attendance at the court Of assize left
Her much alone l. therefore, tried my ut /.
most to find some pleasant people with whom
She could spend her time, whether French or
Arab. OF course this task had little diff
duty about it. My wife's sweet face and
gracious ways soon cHdcared her to aH those
those affection we cared for, and, by and by,
She became as enthusiastic lover Of the Arabs
is myself.
Our kindcst and most intimate friends were
The family Of rich, cultivated aud most ama-
Die Arab gentleman, whom l will call Sid
Ianan bcn-Abdmahman. OF lis wife | feel
hardly able 10 speak, since, after an inter-
course Of years, my only recollection Of her is
a pair OF black eyes, pccring over a white
muslin veil, and Il shake of fat friendly fingers,
deeply dyed with henna But the children
#werc charming, especially Hanyfa, whom l
knew from the time she ran about unveiled, a
tdark-eycd,. lively little sprite of five years till
ishe became the bride of my young friend,
Il Ahmed ben-Zontia.
T! Hanyfa was just fourteen when I brought
my wife from her quiet home in Brittany to
the unchanged land Of the Thousand and One
/ Nights. Of transparent, pearly complexion,
| with soft, dark, aImond-s6aped eyes, and a
mouth OF wonderful sweetness, this young
Moorish girl seemed to US ike some beautiful
princess, of whom Scheherazade had told US
IN or childhood. OF course | seldom saw
her in those days, and schooner still unveiled;
! but European, especially European five
/ and-thrty, is considered a different sort Of an
/ lmai altogether from a manageable young
. Moor of fifteen, and, dare say, knew Ha-
/ nyfa's features better than any man related to
! her, except her father and brothers. How Of
i. ten, alb, how often, when talking to Sid Hanan
!. or bis sons, a sound Of musical, girsh laugh
! ter has come across the open court, and, look
ing up, | have caught glimpses Of dainty lit
/ tie fairy, dressed in crimson brocade and white
gauze, playing with her little negress or feed
ing her goldfish
Hanyfa's brothers were handsome boys OF
all ages, who learned French of me, besides
receiving a comprehensive and polished edu-
! cation at the public Arab school in tie city
They spoke French with singular purity d
accent, and delighted in The books my wife
lent them from time to time, such as the sto
rics Of Emile Souvestre and Lamartine The
elder, Omar, graceful youth Of sixteen, was
soon to be sent to Paris to study for the bar
and the younger ones were alike growing "
with ambitions to see the world and make mel
Of themselves. Nothing could be a pretiie
sight than to see Sid Hanan surrounded BY
= his boys They always stood in his presence
though each talked quite unrestranedy, from
Omar down to little Mustapha, who was still
Z in the nursery, and whose little dimpled hand
5 and feet were dyed with henna.
I We had been settled in our little Moorish
home about six months when rumors Of Hany
: ta's approaching marriage reached our ears
my wife was soon informed of this BY madam
-, Hanan herself, who not only invited her to tn
! wedding bu5 graciousy permitted her to Sc
D the preparations for it. Ii a French or Eng
: ISL wedding is terrible affair, what Will B
=. said to a Moorish one? Marie, my wife, VIII
liked weddings and all kinds Of rejoicings j
general, came home more than once in teaI
/ at The martyrdom poor Hanyia had to IN
dergo.
;, 'Would YOU believe it ~ she said on III
= eve Of the wedding, &" for two whole days Tia
!, nyfa has had to sit like statue, dressed u
, till, what with chains, silk, paper and pain
3 you can hardly see her eyes, and she won't b
? out Of purgatory till tomorrow evening.
wonder Sid Hanan allows it p
I " You forget that Sidi Hanan only does a
n all the world does, my dear; Hanyfa doesn
: consider herself a martyr, depend on it."
: ooh, she docs, though. She owned to m
i, Yesterday that she had much rather see lie
p betrothed before marrying him, though sh
! has perfect trust in her fathers choice"
II The next day the wedding took place, an
! late in The evening Marie and her negress cam
Il home, The former laden with sweetmeats an
n cakes and dcafcncd with the music that ha
# attended the ceremony. She had herse
J danced, and was thoroughly tired, though nc
n too tired to tell me the particulars Of tie da
5 from beginning to end, dwelling, most woman
5 like on Jhe toilctes Of tie ladies'.
n Alas by reason Of my sex | was not fate
c to witness that gorgeous pageantry Marie de
# scribed so well, otherwise | could better te
S how the ladies Of the family arraycd them
q selves in vests Of crimson and purple silk
# heavy with gold lace in garments Of linen
I, finer than gossamer; in slippers Of pink AM
+ yellow kid, embroidered with silver; in neck
t Iaces and bracelets Of gold, of amber, and Q
{ all sorts Of Jewels, and how they feasted ant
s danced together, and how the bride walked t
: her apartments, attended BY her mother ant
: friends and band Of music, and how TIL
bride and bridegroom drank water from eacI
Others palms, and were solemnIy united ii
! the name of Allah. All these things ar
: nothing written down, but seen in a Moorish