Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-09-25
CECTT,E,

AIBlcIS 10 bu0 VI A1I1C6, VI
rather, not portion of Africa, but a
part of France, that had been created
by the armies in times of peace as it had
been conquered in war by the French
armies. Algiers is Paris, of course, but
in becoming French it has not lost all
its oriental peculiarities, and in this it
is as much more attractive than Paris as
romance is to real life.
When I was ordered to remain in AL
giers with my regiment coming from
Marseilles, I came with most delightful
anticipations. 1 was a young Heuten-
ant then, and my success with the fair
sex in various garrison towns where 1
had been gave me most brilliant ideas in
regard to the adventures that would be-
fall me in Algiers. -,Houris, with eyes
like stars, enveloped in cashmere, COW
cred with dimonds, living in palaces
with fountains of rose-water, and bowers
of orange flowers, rose before me. In
deed, the officers talked so much and so
eagerly about the charms of the Eastern
women, their passion and their devotion,
that felt ready to risk my life to obtain
a sight of one of the lovely creatures
who haunted my dreams.
Now this was to be the romance of my
life. The reality was already all ar
ranged and settled in Europe-and to
CC1l 11O u utI1,
was in Algiers, my heart was in France
with the girl to whom 1 had been be-
trothed since my infancy. Like all
Frenchmen, I knew that I could marry
only the young lady who would be
thought by my parents to be suited to
me in station and fortune I knew that
only such wife could suit me, and had
not the slightest idea that my Eastern
romance would interfere with any of my
engagements, not even with my love.
For 1 loved my betrothed, though I
had not seen her since she was a child.
The daughter of an old friend of my
fathers, she had been brought up by
her mother in the strictest seclusion,
and in my wandering, soldiers life, L
had not seen her for six years. But this
was my last years probation at the
close of the autumn I was to return to
Marseilles Cecile was to come with her
mother beneath my fathers roof, and we
were to be married.
The passion I intended to feel for one
of the Oriental houris had nothing to
do with the holy love for my future wife
for the future mother of my children.
She was incased in the holiest temple OF
my heart-the very altar fire of my life
the Oriental episodes were but as the
lightning flashes of the summer storm,
d11u 0Ndu0SC0ub.
1t so happened that at one of the cafes
I made the acquaintance of an intelli-
gent, rich old Jew merchant, who, from
the first, appeared to take extraordinary
interest in me. He amused me with de.
tails of Oriental life and manners told
me the legends of the country !; and, IL
fact, seemed to be living page from
the arabian Nights
In return, I told him all the circum
stances of my life, all my military ad
ventures, and even, in a moment of ex
traordinary confidence, went SO far as tt
tell him all about Cecile and our future
marriage. This was done rather to giv'
him an idea of our European customs
than with any idea of confding in him
] scarcely felt the indelicacy of talking
about Cecile, because he was SO utterl,,
a stranger to her.
/ had been some weeks in Algiers
watching anxiously for an adventure
when one day a note was put into m.
hand. 1t was highly perfumed, and tied
instead of being sealed, with gol'
thread. It was written in a most elegan
hand, and was in the purest French, an
it bade me repair at nine o'clock to on
of the mosques, where most importan
revelation would be made to me. Her
was an adventure at last. In the excite
ment of the moment I rushed to tn
Jew.
"What am to do What does thi
mean 2"