The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-09-05
Farmer Dennis's Story.
OR, THE pAsnA's MORAL SIEVE.

And, for tho want of other topic, being
And overfull of bounding blood, they told.
Each to the others, just '"hat sort of maid
Would suit their fnncies for n wife.
One would not we'd unlcs the girl had wealth
Another would have Beauty fill his arms
With ever ready dilliancc. The third and
last,
Beardless and junior of the other iwain,-
Who seemed to carry, in each full, frank
beating heart, said Love was all lie cray
For was not love both sewing and
queen
Of happy homes, content with serving whom
1t loves, and yet inspiring service from the
same.
The farmer Dennis. owner Of the fields.
And master of the day, had heard it nll;
And now arose among the three,
In all the grizzly glory of patriarch.
He was q walking book of tales to fit
All times and seasons, and n hint would
touch
The copious tnp-spring Of his appos;tencss.
'The dial gives us yet ten minutes, bows
He said, ''lf nll agreed. I'll tell n tale"
-'Wc'rc nll agreed they answered in a
breath,
hnu h'i "iBHt tac .toHSue Oh DennlS started
of.
Wise Ozmun Eli, Pasha Of Bagtlad,
Upon the hill sides had long herds of sheep;
And many camcls trod the torrid sands,
To bring him wealth of gold, and spice; and
slaves,
From far off coasts and all the midland
marts.
But these to him were common things of
life.
Not holding in their dusty claims his heart,
He had daughter, fairer than flower
The gift of Allah to his fayorite house,
Who moved above these yapois like star,
And hid his being with ray of love-
As bulbuls'c come to scourt the moon kissed
So came the Princes Of adjacent lands
Towoc the rnsha' daughter She, disturb
Dy 50 much much wooing, could not tx hor
Upon choice; for like the passive rose
Whose petals are kept trembling all the
s$ while
SO futtered her Joung heart bcsct with
Yet Homeless mid tho pleading multitude
Not much the wonder, then, that she should
droop,
And have recourse, quite oft, to secret
tears:
Nor that old Ozmun Ali should look stern.
TO sec SO many horses haltered at his gate,
And oil his ground n court of screnadcs
By night, and nothing coming Of it ALL
.Light of mine eyes !" he cccd, "Why, day
by day,
Come all these Princes hither! In;cndcst
0 honey of my soul to wed them all?
And wherefore on thy checks, that shame
So oft are seen the tell-tae marks of tcnrs."
She answered, wit h q rising gush of sobs:
20 sire, beloved of my utmost soul
cannot make n choice among the crowd
or soft eyed princes MI protesting love
With equal tongues, and all so grand and
fnr.'
"By Allah then IN help thee, O my soul ~
Said Ozmun Ali. while n frown of sage,
Parental wisdom oyercame his face
t.Within my hall, tonight, let all be met:
And let thy maid proclaim, so all may hear,
Thou shalt not wed that if thou disobey,
Thou goest naked to thy husbands house,
Without robe, jewel, or n Sheep
Save only thou shalts.take bleating lamb
10 be thy portion, to the law be filed y
Next morning, soon as e'er the risen sun
Had chased the early vnpors from the hills.
The Pasha met his daughter walking our.
Among the flowers: yet wet and cool with
dew 8
'.Hail, spouse of the morning come to nee
Thy Lord; the Sun! How fare the moon
struck yOutlI 2n
He asked, elbow took they my decrce?"
"Father,
Z And wise protector of my simple soul ~
She spake, and blushed. GAS tho, comman
ded me
II hath been done. While yet my maiden
spakc.
There was mutter, as of distant winds,
Among my lovers; when looked again,
Behold onc more than half the whole had
gcne;'
"Allah is great, my daughter !" Ali said.
"fet still there is q host, what Eshal do,
My father, to decide among ithc rest 2"
This night, bind all thy locks in cloth of
tow"
Said 0zmun Ali. $50 that all he hid
And er it draw The close-clpped wig l
got
In traffic with the shavcn Frankish infael,
and Ger thine eyes, like evening stars, ar
range
One OF thine arms in bandago to thy neck
Tic deftly also limp upon crutch
INT INTO the court where all thy lovers are;
Ihen let thy maid proclaim, so nll may hear.
! Behold our mist ess, SCARED with lucklcss
fire,
Today, while trifing with Chinese toy,
Ihen, stumbling in blind fright, fall hath