The Van Buren press., 1870-06-21
MISCELLANY.
MULEK.

was travelling to Egypt, With him were
his wife and three children, and two Other
merchants. They rode upon their cam
els, and camels bore their merchandise
In their way they were to cross the Ly
bran Desert, their business being below
the tropic.
AT the close of the hot sultry day,
worn, weary and athifst, the party reach
cd the small oasis OF Loboo, which was
nearly in mid desert There they found
water for their camels, and an ample
place for repose. The tents were pitch
ed, and the beasts secured in their feed
ing places, and after this the evening
meal was prepared.
Yezid had gathered his family about
him and read u chapter from the Koran,
and his wife and youngest child retired
for the night. He sat, with his two elder
boys discussing some mercantile matters,
when the tramp of horses feet was heard
on the sand. Startlng.Quickly up, he has
tened to the door Of his tent, and looked
forth upon the desert
"What is it, father?' asked the eldest
son, who had also arisen.
There comes a band of horsemen,'
returned the merchant, pointing off to
the westward.
"Aye-and they are of the wild lib
bous, too.' the son rejoined, the dim
moonlight revealing the quaint garb OF
the coming party ave are in danger. p
Yezid at once sprang from his ten
az d aroused the other merchants, but he
was too late. The Tibbous, eight in
number, came dashing up, with the pale
moonheams reflected from their bright
cimetars.
Mulek, the youngest child Of Yezid
heard the loud din, and in sudden alarm
he left his couch, and crept out beneath
the back Of the tent. How long the noise
lasted. ere he awoke he knew not, nor
did he have any time for thought, fol
hardly had he feached the open space
when he saw some men untastening the
camels. He stopped only to see that
they were of one of the tribes ofTiDbous
and then he crept back into the tent fol
the purpose of giving the alarm. He
searched for his father, but could not
find him. He then went out by the front
way, and was just in season to see tho
Tibbous driving off the camcls.
The boy he was only fourteen-would
have given some alarm, but at that mo.
ment his eye rested upon PROSTATE
form close by his feet He stopped down
aud turned the pale, cold face OF his
elder brother to the moonlight. His
hand touched something warm upon his
brothers shoulder-he looked-it was
blood
Father father" the boy cried
But no father answered him. Then he
arose, and found another PROSTATE form
He bent over it, and saw that it was the
body of his other brothcr--and this one
was dead too At q short distance another
form lay--a female-his mother. lie
found his father, too, and the two Other
merchants-but dead--all dead Tho
Tibbous has murdered them every one
and carried Off everything of value save
the tents.
Poor Mulek wept and tore his hair
and rent his garments in twain. He had
loved his parents and his brothers, and
he was frantic now When he had be
come weak from excessive grief he threw
himself upon the blood stained grass .and
there he lay for hours among the dead
with the moon-heams resting upon hi'
pale cheek and glstenng upon his tears
Finally the boy started to his feet, ans
gazed once more about him. For LONG
while he stood thus, and then he raised
his claspcd hands towards heaven:
"A poor child is left alone upon The
wide desert His life ha, been made darh
in its early morn, and all he loved hav,
been stricken down in death Ny moth
er, where art thou? Ny father, where
art thou2 My brother--oh what has
befalen ye? Dead dead dead And
who hath done it2 The chief of til,
Tibbous has been here with his men, ano
this is the work Of their hands !!
Having spoken this in mournful i'm
passioncd strain, the boy moved to the
side OF his dead mother and kissed her
He did the same to his father and broth
ers, and then he started up and claspcd
his hands again. This time fierce fir,
burned in his eye, and his fine form wa,
sternly erect
"The Tibbou chcftain hath done it,
Mulek alone, Of all his family, is lett to
tell the story. Shall he tell that he fed
from before the face Of the murderer, OF
shall he tell how he revenged the deed
Observation-Disclosures you shall ho
revenged if Mulek lives /"
With narrow tent-spadc, which had
been left behind, Mulek digged the hours
in the work the sun arose and set again
ere it was done. But the last prayer
from the lips were said at length,