The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1868-03-21
o U a D A..
d S.OFy of ihe Desert.

Oasis of the Desert, had a daughter
whose name was 0uada she was so
beautiful that she was surnamed the
Sar ofHe East. She always appear
ed veiled, and passed for Peri in the
imagination Of the poor Arabs, Her
father idolized her, AID she loved her
father above all things, after Allah
The old Sheib had often been asked by
the sons of the Sheiks Of the most val
liant and richest tribes for the hand of
his daughter, but he had as often rclus,
cd, for how could lie make up bis mind
to part with his beloved Ouada ? 1t
was she Hho made him happy in his
old days it was she who prepared his
houhd, and helped him to Sorgo and
other cordials, which inpart renewed
strength and vigor to old age. On his
return frorl a journey in the Desert,
and under the burning sun, it was Qua.
ia who wiped the dust from his feet
and prepared his refreshing bath. When
at the close Of day, he sat in front of his
tent on his Persian carpet, with his legs
crossed under him, enjoying the even.
iug breeze, his beloved Ouada either
read to him from the Book of Wisdom,
or delighted him by the sweet strains Of
her melodious voice. Ia one word, Gu
ada was the pride and happiness of her
old father, and the children of the tribe
had exhausted all the figures Of their
rich aud imagcd language to express
their admiration Of her
One day deep gloom settles down
on MI the tents Of the Oasis. The Old
men, women and children ale seen rnn
ming ABOUT with anxious looks and with
tears in their eyes, and one would have
asked if some pcs.ience was not decim-
ating the tribe If the waters of the
waters Of the c,stern had not been dried
up by the dog OR else, if the 81
moon had not destroyed tho horvosts
But there is ne pcstilence ravaging the
tribe, the dog days have not dried up
the waters Of the cistern, and the har
vests have not been destroyed by the
Simoom.
Whence comes then the mourning Of
the Tube? Alas the flower that adorn
ed is dropping and going to die Th(
beautiful and gentle Ouada is attacked
by a mortal malady. One remedy
alone can save her: the physician
whom the unhappy father sent for as fal
as the great city of Cairo said, " I'm
less you can have for your daughter
some Of the pomcgranatcs which grow
in Said, at Karnac, near the ruins o
ancient Thcbes, your daughter will dit
Tomorrow"
A cry of surprise and stupor aros'
from the weeping crowd which sur
rounded the venerable chief, for
would be just as possible to man to fl,
through space to the stars, as to 60 owe
twice in Que day the distance whic!
separates the tribe flom the ruins o
Luxor, that distance being one huudreC
and twenty miles.
"Allah Allah :" cried the old man
tearing his turban from his forehead
aud throwing his yatagan at his feet
"cursed be the day that | was born o
must my daughter die ? o! N
friends, save my daughter. Who am
ong you has the fastest horse or tn
swiltest camel Z? Let him speed owe
the one hundred aud twenty miles @
desert, and in gratitude l will give hir
all he asks, my leather pusc with a
my gold, my good Damask blade -
A mournlul silence is bis only an
swer every face, with cOnsternatio
depicted upon it, seems to say that sue
a distance connot be travelled over j
such a short time by any man, let hir
be mounted on the fastest horse G
swiftest camel.
"Ah," adds the old man, Sobbiug
81 will give him all my horses, or if b
prefers, all my camcls. If he wishes
l will put him in my place as Sheik, @
else l will give him my most preciou
treasure, my daughter ! if he brings m
the pomcgranates which are to cure her
Saying these words, Old Sadol