Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-04-02
THE THREE BEAUTIFUL PRIN-
~ CESSES. r:

have wished they had been sons, but
consoled himsslf with the idea tina,
three daughters at a birth were pretty
well for a nan somewhat stricken il
years, and left-handed. As usual with
all Moslem Inonarchs, he summoned hie
astrOl0gers on. this happy event. They
cast the natiyities of the three princes.
SEES, and shook their heads. i :
"Daughtels, o king I" said the sages,
"are always precarious property !; but
these will most need your watchfulness
when they arrive at manageable age
at that time gather them under y0ul
wings, and trust them to no other
guardianship" =,
The threefold birth was the last mat.
rimonial trophy of the monarch his
queen died soon after, bequeathing he1
infant daughters to his love, and to the
fidelity of the discreet Kadiga.-fo1
such was the name of the duenna.
Acting upon the advice of his astrol-
ogists, the cautious monarch sent his
daughters under the care Of the KadiRa
to be reared in the castle of Solobrena.
This was sumptuous palace surround
ed by strong Notifications and situated
on the summit of hill which over
looks the blue waters of the Mediter-
ranean sea. Here the princesses re-
manned surrounded by all kinds of
luxuries and amusements. Years rolled
on smoothly and serenely, the discreet
|Kadiga watching her precious charge
with unremitting care. At q corner Of
the garden which clothed the side of
the hill on which the royal castle of
Salobrena was built, was small watch
tower, fitted up as q pavilion, with lat
tioed windows to admit the sea-breeze.
Here the princesses- whose names
were Zayda, Zorayda, Zorhayda-used
to pass the sultry hours of midday,
taking their siesta, or noontide slum-
Der. Here, as the sisters were one day
inhaing, the healthful breezess waited
over thefazure bosom Of: ths Mediter-
ranean, their attention was attracted
by galley which c1me scoastinS along
with measured strokes of the ar. As
it drew near they observed that it was
filled with armed men. The galley
anchored at the foot of the tower in
which they; sat, and . number of
Moorish soldiers landed on the marrow
beach, conducting several Christian
prisoners. The fair occupants of the
tower7peeped cautiously through the
close ialop6eesof The slattioa which
screened them from sight, aumsperceiv-
ed among the prisoners three Spanish
cavaliers, richly dressed. They were
in the flower Of youth, and of noble
presence; and the lofty manner in
which they carried themselves, though
loaded with chains, and surrounded
with enemies, bespoke the grandeur. Of
their souls. The Prinoeeses breathed
with intense and breathless interest,
Cooped up as they had been in this
castle among female attendants, seeing
nothing of the MALE sex but black
slaves, or the rude fishermen of (he sea-
coast, it is not to be wondered at that
the appearance of three gallant cava-
Hers, IN the pride 81 youth and manly
beauty, should produce in their unso-
phisticated bosoms sensations closely
bordering upon the agreeable.
+ did ever nobler being tread the
earth than that cavalier in crimson?''
cried Zayda, the eldest of the sisters.
..See how; proudly he bears himself, as
though all around him were slaves!'
al" But notice that one in green |" az
claimed Zorayda. "What grace what
elegance! what spiritv' -.
The gentle Zorahayda said nothing
but she secretly gave preference to the
cavalier in green.
Weeks and months glided on, the fair
sisters thinking only Of the captive cav.
alters, and becoming daily more and
more under the influence Of the fatal
passion which the memory of them had
strengthened and confirmed. The prog.
ress of this dangerous and subtle dis.
ease was not unperceived by the sharp.
sighted Kadaga. The discreet old wo-
man became alarmed at the mischief
which she had not the power to coun.
teract or remove, and resolved to rid
herself Of her responsible charge by in:
timating to Mohammed that his daugh.
ters had arrived at the marriageableage
the critical period at which the astrol.
|ogers had warningly pointed.
As he sat one day on dlvan in one OF
the cool halls of the Alhambra, q slave
arrived from the fortress of Salobrena,
with q message from the wise Kadiga,
congratulating him on the anniversary
of his daughters birthday. The slave
at the same time presented o delicate
little basket, decorated with flowers
within which, on couch of vine and fie
leaves, lay peach, an apricot, and.a
|nectarine, with their bloom and down
and dewy sweetness upon them, and all
in the early stage Of tempting ripeness.
The monarch was versed in the orienta
language of fruit and flowers, and read
lily devined the meaning of the emblem
attic o6ering.x
"The critical period has arrived,
said he; II must gather them under
my wing, and trust no other guardian
ship,y = 81 -, .a = ~ faa.Aa
So saying, he ordered that tower o
the Alhambra should be prepared fo]
their reception, and departed at tn
head of his guards for the fortress o
Salobrena, to conduct them home il
person. About three years had elapset
since Mohammed had baheld his daugh
ters, and he could scarcely credit hi
eyes Mt the wonderful change wllicl
that small space Of time Ind made i
their appearance. DURING the interva
they hadpassed that wontlrous bountlar
line III female life which separates til
crude, uniformed, and thoughtless gi,
from the blooming, blushing, meditativ
woman,