Middletown transcript., 1874-09-12
gelett Storp.
THE MAID OF DAMASCUS.

In the reign of the Greek Emperor He
raclius, when the beautiful city Of Damas-
Gus was at the height of its splendor and
magniicence, dwelt therein young noble,
named Demetrius whose decayed fortunes
did not correspond with the general pros
perity of the times He was youth of
ardent disposition. and very handsome in
person pride kept him from bettering his
estate by the profession of merchandise,
yet more keenly did he feel the obscurity
to which adverse fate had reduced him.
that iu his lot was involved the fortune of
one dearer than himself
1t SO happened that, in that quarter of
the city which faces the row of palm
trees, within the gate Kesan, dwelt a
wealthy old merchant who had beauti-
full daughter Demetrius had. by chance,
seen her some time before, and he was so
struck with her loveliness, that after pin
ing some months in secret, he ventured on
disclosure, and, to his delighted surprise.
found that Isabelle had long silently
nursed deep and almost hopeless passion
for him also; SO, being now aware that
their love was mutual they were as happy
as the bird that. all day long, sings in the
sunshine from the SUBMITS of the cypress
trees.
True is the adage of the poet, that "the
course of true love never did run smooth"
and in the father of the maiden, they
found that stumbling block lay in the
way of their happiness, for he was of an
avaricious disposition, and they knew that
he valued gold more than nobility of
blood. Their fears grew more and more.
as Isabelle, in her private conversations,
endeavored to sound her father on this
point; and although the suspicious of af-
lection are often more apparent than real,
in this they were not mistaken for with
out consulting his child-and as if her
soul had been in his hand-he promised
her in marriage to a rich old miscr, ay,
twice as rich, and nearly as old, as him
self
Isabelle knew not what to do for, on
being informed by her father of the fate
he had destined for her, her heart forsook
her, and her spirit was bowed to the
dust. Nowhere could she rest, like the
Tracian bird that knoweth not to fold its
wings in slumber-a cloud had fallen for
her over the face of nature-and instead
of retiring to her couch, she wandered
about weeping, under the midnight stars,
on the terrace, on the housetop, wailing
over her hapless fate, and calling on death
to come and take her from her sorrows.
st morning she went forth alone into
the garden but neither could the golden
glow q =H4 % trees, nor the perfume
of the rr h' delicate fragrance Of
the c ma and jasmine. delight
her, ned for the hour of noon,
havi, sent to Demetrius, invit-
ing h. ct her by the fountain of the
pillars :. mat time
Poor Demetrius had, for some time, OBJ
served settled sorrow in the conduct and
cOuntenance Of his beautiful Isabelle: he
felt that some melancholy revelation was
to be made to him and, all eagerness, he
came at the appointed hour. He passed
along the winding walks, unhecding Of
the tulips streaked like the ruddy evening
clouds-of the flower betrothed to the
nightingale-of the geranium blazing in
scarlet beauty-till, on approaching the
the place Of promise, he caught glance
of the maid be loved--and, 10 she sat
there in the sunlight, absorbed in thought,
book was on her knee. and at her feet
lay the harp, whose chords had been for
his ear SO often modulated to harmony.
He laid his hand gently on her shoul-
der, as he seated himself beside her on
the steps, and seeing her sorrowful, he
comfarted her, and bade her be Of good
cheer, saying, that Heaven would soon
smile propitiously on their fortunes and
that their present trials would but endear
them the more to each other in the days
Of after years. At length. with tears and
sobs, she told him Of what she had learn
cd and, while they wept on each others s
bosoms, they vowed over the Bible, which
Isabelle held in her hand. to be faithful to
each other to their dying day
Meantime the miser was making pre-