Middletown transcript., 1874-09-12

parations for the marriage ceremony, and
the father of Isabelle had portioned out
his daughters dowry; when the lovers.
finding themselves driven to extremity,
took the resolution Of escaping together
from the city.
Now it so happened, in accordance with
the proverb, which saith that evils never
come single, and. at this very time, the
city Of Damascus was closely invested by
a might army, commanded by the Caliph
Abubeker Alwakidi, the immediate sue
cessor of Mahomet !; and in leaving the
walls the lovers were in imminent hazard
of falling into their hands yet, having
no other resource left, they resolved to
put their perilous adventure to the risk.
Twas the Mussulman hour of prayer,
Maggrib the sun had just disappeared,
and the purple haze of twilight rested on
the hills, darking all the cedar forests,
when the porter Of the gate, Keisan, hav-
ing been bribed with bribs, its folding
leaves slowly opened, and forth issued a
horseman closely wrapped up in mantle;
and behind him. at little space, followed
another similarly clad Alas for the un-
lucky fagitives, it so chanced that Derar,
the captain of the night guard, was at
that moment making his rounds, and OBJ
serving what was going on, he detached
party to throw themselves between the
strangers and the town The foremost
rider, however, discovered their intention.
and he called back to his follower to re.
turn. Isabelle-for it was she-instantly
regained the gate which had not yet
closed, but Demetrius fell into the hands
of the enemy
As wont in those bloody wars, the poor
prisoner was Immediately carried by an
escort into the presence of the caliph, who
put the alternative in his power, of either
on the instant, renouncing his religion, or
submitting to the axe of the hcadsman De-
metrus told his tale with noble simpli-
city and his youth, his open countenance
and stately bearing, so far gained on the
heart of Abubeker, that, on his refusal to
embrace Mahometanism, he begged of him
seriously to consider of his situation, and
ordered delay Of the sentence, which he
must otherwise pronounce, until the NOR
row.
Heart-broken and miserable, Demetrius
was loaded with chains, and carried to
gloomy place of confinement. In the
solitude of the night-hours he cursed the
hour Of his rth-bewaled his miserable
stuation-and feeling that all his schemes
of happiness were thwarted, almost rejoic-
ed that he had only few hours to live
The heavy hours Jagged on toward day
break, and quite exhausted by the intense
agony of his feelings, he sank down upon
the ground in aprefound sleep, from which
band, with crescented turbans and crook
ed sword blades, awoke him. Still per-
sisting to reject the prophets faith, he
was led forth to die; but in passing
through the camp, the Soubachis of the
caliph stopped the band, as he had been
commanded, and Demetrius was ushered
into the tent, where Abubeker, not yet
arisen, lay stretched on his sofa.
For while the captive remained reso-
lutte, preferrng death to the disgrace of
turning renegade but the willy caliph,
who had taken deep and sudden interest
in the fortunes of the youth, knew well the
spring by the touch of which his heart
was most likely to be affected He point
ed out to Demetrius prospects of prefer
ment and grandeur, while he assured him
that, in few days, Damascus must to a
certain surrender, in which case his mis-
tress must fall into the power of the fierce
soldiery, and be left to fate full of dis
honor, and worse than death itself, but if
he assumed the turban, he pledged his
royal word, that especial care should be
taken that no harm should alight on her
hs loved.
Demetrius paused and Abubeker saw
that the heart Of his captive was touched.
He drew pictures of affluencc, and domes-
tic love that dazzed the Imagination of
his hearer; and while the prisoner thought
of his Isabelle, instead Of rejecting the
impious proposal, as at first he had DONE
with disdain and and horror, his soul bent
like iron in the breath of the furnace
fame, and he wavered and became irres-
solute. The keen eye of the caliph saw
the working of his spirit within him, and
allowed him yet another day to form
his resolution When the second day
was expired, Demetrius craved a third
and on the fourth morning. miserable
man, he abjured the faith of his fathers,
and became Mussulman.
Abubeker loved the youth, assigning
a post of dignity, and all the mighty host
honored him whom the caliph delighted
to honor. He was clad in rich attire, and
magnifcently attended aud. to all eyes,
Demetrius seemed a person worth of
envy; yet. in the calm of thought, his
conscience upbraided him, and he was far
less happy than be seemed to be.
Ere yet the glow of novelty had entire
ly ceased to bewilder the understanding
of the renegade, preparations were made
for the assault and, after fierce but in
effectual resistance, under their gallant
leaders Thomas and Herbs, the Damas-
ceans we're obliged to submit to their i'm.
perious conqueror, on condition of being
allowed, within three days, to leave the
city unmolested.