The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-10-02
fllaneous.
0 U A D A
4 STORY OF THE DESERT.

OLD SADEM, who was the Sheik or
Chief of the Arab tribe encamped in an
Oasis of the Desert, had daughter
whose hame was Ouada she was so
beautiful that she was surnamed the
Star o f the East. She always appeared
veiled, and passed for n Peri in the
imagination of the poor Arabs. Her
father idolized her, and she loved her
father above all things, after Allah.
The old Sheik had often been asked by
the sons of the Sheiks of the most vali-
ant and richest tribes for the hand of
his daughter, but he had as often re-
fused, for how could he make up his
mind to part with his beloved Ouada ?
1t was she who made him happy in his
old days, it was she who prepared his
houka and helped him to sorgo and
other cordials, which impart renewed
strength and vigor to old age. On his
return from Journey in the Desert,
and under the burning sun, it was
Ouada who wiped the dust from his feet
andprepared therefreshing bath. When,
at the close OF the day, he sat in front of
his tent on his Persian carpet, with his
legs crossed under him, enjoying the
evening breeze, his beloved Ouada
either read to him from the Book OF
Wisdom, or delighted him by the
strains of her melodious voice. In one
word, Ouada was the pride and happi-
/ nF fit hn oh Ira ar
of the tribe had exhaustedall the figures
of their rich and imaged language to ex-
press their admiration of her.
One day deep gloom settles down
on all the tents of the Oasis. The old
men, women and children are seen run
ming about with anxious looks and
tears in their eyes, and one would have
asked if some pestilence was not decim-
mating the tribe; if the waters of the
cistern had not been dried up by the
dog days or else, if the Simeon had
not destroyed the harvests. But there
is no pestilence ravaging the tribe, the
dog days have not dried up the waters
of the cistern, and the harvests have
not been destroyed by the Simeon.
Whence comes the mourning of the
tribe? Alas! the flower that adorned
it is dropping and going to die! The
beautiful and gentle Ouada is attacked
by mortal malady. One remedy alone
can save her; the physician which the
unhappy father sent for as far rs the
great city of Cairo, said. "Unless you
can have for your daughter some Of the
pomegranates which grow in Said, al
Karnac, near the ruins of ancient The
bes, she will die Tomorrow"
A cry of surprise and stupOr rose from
the weeping crowd which surrounded
the venerable chief, for it would be JUS
as possible for Il man to fly through
space to the stars as to go over twice il
one day, the distance which seperatei
the tribe from the ruins of LuXOr-tha
distance being one hundred and swentS
miles.
"Allah Allah !" cried the old man
tearing bis turban from his head throw
ing, in depair, his yatagan at his feet
"cursed be the day that | was born o
must my daughter die? o my friends
save my daughter! Who among yol
has the fastest horse or the swiftes
camel |? Let him speed over the on,
hundred and twenty miles of desert
and in gratitude | will give him all h,
} asks my leather purse with all my gold
my good Damascus blade ="
A mournful silence is his only ans
wer every face, with cons'ornation de
pictcd upon it, seems to say that such ,
short time by any man, let him b.
mounted on the fastest horse or tn
swiitest camel
"Ah" adds the old man, sobbing, Z"
will give all my horses, or, if he pre-
fers all my camels. If he wishes it,
viii give him my most precious treas
ure, my daughter If he brings me pom
egranates which are to cure her."
Saying these words, Old Sadem spran
! TO the bedside of his dying daughter
!, and taking her hand shows it to his pee
e pie, who are all moved to tears.
!. A cry pierced the crowd. 81 shall go!
. and youth suddenly appears befor
9 the Sheik, painting for breath, and wit
his face male with emotion II W.