The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-11-25
Ayesha's Love Test.

Persians, and other dwellers in towns,
are not aware of the numerous ex-
ceptions which exist to the general
rule Under the tents of the Arab
and other wandering races, and not
least where these have come in con-
tact with European civilization or
lives of far greater freedom; they
are admitted far more to companion7
ship and equality with men, and
they even occasionally approach the
" fast" style of modern times as far
as the desert may compete with the
Boulevards. Such was the type-but
we say it with all respect fer her
of the heroine of our tale, the fair
Ayesha. She belonged to a some
what scratch tribe, in the south
of Algeria, which does not bear a
very high character for purity of
blood, nor (to speak truth) for
the probity of its men or the
prudery of it's women: the
Welled eel Blank, we will call it.,
hoping to offend no susceptibilities
thereby. Ayesha was the daughter
of wealthy Caid of the tribe; he
v
wealthy friend, who died lmmedi-
atelv, and so she became a child
widow of ample property. Such at
fractions would have been alone sufh :
Gent to engage in her pursuit a host
of admirers; but Ayesha, had, be-
sides, the very finest pair of eyes on
this side the Sahara, was clever and
busiuess-like. could sing the dreariest
of Arab songs in the most approved
melancholy style, and tell no end of
long stories to amuse the harem or
the encampment by night. Her nu-
merous admirers were driven to dis
traction by her scoldnesss Edivers
among them began to mediate on the
d-fashioned process of abduction,
and were only restrained from it by a
wholesome dread of the French exec
utive. But Ayesha went her way, in
different and Independent. She pre-
ferred a life of freedom. sans pear,
and, for aught we know, sans reproche
to the house orient of master.
Aysehas soon became acquainted
with the doughty feats of many a
wooer, as recounted by themselves
how many cavaliers one had JUNIORS
ed, how many lions another had slain !;
nor was she unfamiliar with the
merits of the steeds of one chief of
her tribe, the. camels of another, the
coined money amassed by third, all
of which she was assured every day
were entirely at her disposal, together
with their owners This sutton had
no wife and was ready to VOW that
she should remain for life sole mis-
tress of his harem. That sutton had
three wives and would engage that all
three should be placed at her feet as
servants, or dependents. Ayesha's
imagination seemed little affected b.
vaunts of prowess or of, opulence, OF
by the most magnificent Of promises.
But among those who crowded
around her whenever she gave OPP
portunity for approach there
was one youth whom she learnt
to distinguish from the rest, even
by the eceentricity of his demeanor.
For if the others spoke of themselves
too much, Sidi Abdallah never spoke
at all. He only gazed at her inces-
sanity with those dark, passionate
eyes. Sidi Abdallah had lived a good
deal with Euro peans, and acquired a
certain outward polish by no means
common among his kindred. And at
the same time, by an unusual combi-
nation, he was very religious and a
strict observer of the commands of
the Prophet, which procured him a
certain amount of respect, though the
Benz Welled-el- Blank were apt to
be of a slightly free thinking turn.
But, with these merits, he was bash
full and reserved to a distressing ex-
tent. Ayesha could not fail to detect
his silent but ardent passion. She
went thereupon through the usual
stages of emotion. At first she voted
him fool, then got interested, then
piqued, and at last found herself I'M
willingly, but irretrieVably, in love
with him. She gave him every OPP
pOrtunity, but speak he would not.
To propose to him was as impossible
to get him to propose as difficult
a task as to young lady embarrassed
in all the artificial coils of French or
British education.
At last she took a resolution, She
contrived to let it be known that She
had determined on changing her con
dition, but thatshe wished to do it
with all the deliberatron which so
important a step required She was
open 10 negotiation. And Heaven
knows the amount of advantageous
offers which now poured in upon her
from all quarters except that oneeeto
which alone her desires tended. She
would accept none of them. She
would be gained by no man who
would not become absolutely hers,
and show it by some deed of unhesi-
tating seH-devotion which could
neither be cavilled at nor surpassed.
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