The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1877-04-21

away piecemeal, as mementoes. NO o.
can doubt that she, whose youth was
rendered famous by love for an ut1fortu-
nate animal, has lived a life of benltl-
cence and charity. With a heart over
flowing with love toward all Gods crea-
TIRES, she has indeed lived to care for
the needy and destitute, and be a moth
er to the motherlees. And now, in a
green old age, she is surrounded by those
whom her warm heart long since taught
to cling to her and follow as the lamb in
vouth.-Sprinqfelh Republican.
THE CRUSADERS AND THE SARA
GEM
The two armies, encamped within a
few miles of each othe7, 1nd about TO
engage in battle, were the representa-
tiyes of two faiths. The one, the army
of Islam, imbued with vigorous living
enthusiastic faith in the camel driver OF
Mecca; the other, the army of the cross,
having scarce enough of the ancient
faith to entitle them to the christian
name; looking to the wood with a SUI
perstitious hope that it might have some
virtue, but utterly oblivious nov of Him
whose death for their salvation it typl'
fed. The leaders of the two armies
presented a terrible contrast in character.
The religion of the cross was not re-
sponsible for the shame Of the one, who
was a worthless king and a perjured
knight, nor was Islam to be credited
with the nobleness of the other. Guy
was an exceptional disgrace to chris
tianity. Saladin was an exceptional
glory to Mohammedanism.
The greatest soldier and the purest
monarch of his age, a man the like OF
whom has been rarely known in this
world, was Yusef Salahed-D Din, or as his
name is now commonly written, Saladin.
A devout Mohammedan, constant in
prayer, brilliant in feats of arms, the soul
of honor, accustomed to victory but
always self restrained, stern and tremen-
dous in battle but gentle and pitiful as a
woman to the conquered, unrelenting in
Justice but merciful beyond prudence,
ever ready to forgive injuries even the
most foul, true as truth, | know no more
Respondent character among the heroes
of history. Scenes in his life are full OF
poetic beauty. His ever open hand and
purse, filled again and again with the
spoils of conquest, were emptied in char
itv. A christian mother whose babe had
been seized by a Saracen and carried into
the hostile camp, rushed in frenzy across
the lines. and made the air ring with her
walls. Saladin heard her, called her to
him, found the child, paid the ransom to
his soldier, aud sent the mother back
rejoicing and safe. When Jerusalem fell
into his hands November, l1S7), the
terms of the ~capitulation were ixed that
the christians should pay ten dinars
ransom for every man, five for every
woman, and two for every child, and
those who could not pay should be
prisoners and slaves to the ~conquerOrs.
The,clemency of SaladfA WAS unparalleled.
He discharged free large numbers I'M
solicited. Then two of his generals OBJ
tanned the liberty of 1900 Armenians,
alleging that they were their country
men, and only pilgrims. Thousands of
poor christians remained unransomed, OF
whom many were women and children.
Self-ed-Din, brother of the sultan, said
to him, II have fought we'll; give me a
thousand slaves" "What will you do
with them ?" said the sultan. What |
see fit" The sultan approved his
brothers intent, gave him a thousand,
and they were at once set free. Then
the patriarch went To him, and the
sultan gave him seven hundred and to
another who begged them, five hundred
more, all of whom went free. Now |
will give my own gift of charity" said
Saladin; and opening the gates, he
directed that all the poor, known abso-
lutely to be too poor to lay the ransom,
should have free egress till sunset, and
thomqnds thus went out free. Then he
opened his Parse and poured out actual
wealth % the widows and orphans Of the
christian knights that he had slain in
battle. And when the great companies
Of the christians went to the part OF the
land still in christian possession he sent
troops with them, charged to take such
care of the sick and feeble, that these
Saracens, i~1yyded with the spirit of their
leader, put the women on their horses,
and walked, carrying the children in
thDir arms. 1t was not strange that
when hedied the morning Of the Moslems
of Damascus was greater than before or
since for any other khalif. The account
of his death, given by Ben.Sieddadi, his
biographer, who was with him to the
end, is exceedingly simple and touching.
Lying in the delirium of fever, as the
last night wore on, isfaithful physician,
who says the historian, remained by his
side to direct, if it might be, his wander
ing mind toward God, to read aloud now
and then passages from the koran.