The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-12
THE MIRACULOUS WELL.

A truly magnificent city in centuries
past was Hastlnapur, former capital
Of India, but the flight of t. me has car
fried witnit such destruction and devas.
tatien that not vestge of it's ruins now
remain to bespeak its former grandeur,
and the place that once knew of this
mighty metropolis Of the . lent now
knows 1t no more. 1t was in truth a
famous city, and the atmosphere OF its
streets was ever heavy with the fra
GRANGE of Oriental spices, and here and
there GOULD D0 heard soft music and the
murmurlng of fountains which gushed
forth in the midst Of rare exOtics. In
it's baZars aud marts were exposed
many patterns OF superb silks and other
exquisite fabrics, and here the iashiOn-
able young men found an agreeable
place oil resort, while the b!adMes OF
the Orient passed from booth to booth
IN a state OF irresolutlOn, yet with quite
| as much determination as do our city
bellies Of the present generation while on
a shopping tour; the eau iOus merchant
perliuaciOusly adherng 10 his price, and
| not allowing himself for moment to
| forget his own interest, though beset by
many soft voice and beautiful pair of
leyes.
| Early one afternoon, when the stree ts
were thus thronged, man. OF singular
appearance entered the city by the east
ern gate, and while passing slowly along
made many cabalistic signs In the air
| His dress was that OF BraHmin, but in
stead Of leathern gtrdle, d nideOus SER
pent was enLWined about his waist, and
this monster, with eyes like glowing
Goals of FIRE, shot forth its forked tongue
every moment with strange Kissing
sound, and laZily loiled its hOrrid head
| from side lO side. AS the stranger
moved slowly through the streets, now
and then leaning on mis- staff Tor support,
u crowd Of OfspecLators, attracted by his
manner and curious garb, followed his
footsteps, yet keeping at a respec ttul
distance. Reaching the grand plaza he
turnei, aud with sweet-sounding, but
deep-toued voice, he thus addressed the
people:
Long may Brahma continue to shower
| favors on the citizens OF Hastinapur;
your city is the fairest in the world !;
| your society the most polished ana
charming; your women the most en-
chanting, and your warriors the brayest;
but no spot, however favored, can boast
| OF exemption from the griets and evils
| of humanity. l have heard that within
these walls many groan with sick.
ness, anu that the music OF those
who divert themselves at eYentide
on the sacred waters of the
Ganges falls upon the ears of num-
bers OF your people who are unable to
participate in the general gladness. l
am come hither to open the door of
health 10 all, and now, good people, give
ear to what say. A Brabmn, distln-
guished for his great learning and piety,
has again discovered that miraculous
we'll Of which we read In the PuranOs.
For almost countless years has this
tount OF blessing been concealed be-
meath huge sauu-covered rock, and its
influence In all these ages has been lost
to the human race. A dream sent from
The gods has at last revealed its siLua-
tlon, which lS about a league eastward
from the gates of your magnificent city.
And now let those who Ieel inclined lol-
low me in pilgrimage to the spot and
drink Of this wafer OF lite. At the well
you will find the venerable Brahmin
waiting with his gourd to dispense its
waters TO all, without money and with
out prioe-thus giving enduring health
to one and ALL"
A great shout rent the air as the
stranger closed his speech, and on the
moment hundreds, whether afflicted
with real or imaginary ills, hastened
away to oruer their palanquns. the
nova of the miraculous well was borne
hither and thither, and presently the
whole city was in commotion. Theo-
dora, young lady OF great wealth and
beauty, while seated in her verandah
Iangu shlng under the influence oil nall
pleasing and half painful sensation that
she could not we'll understand, heard
the strange news from her slave girl.
The seat OF her trouble was in her bosom
and the first symptom had occurred
after a
dent who sometimes amused himself with
dressing the parterres OF neighboring
garden. She had consulted the great
physician OF the city about the pain in
the region OF her heart, but he had given
ner no satisfactory advice, and she
thought she could do no better than
join the pilgrims and see il the water
would not cure her of her passion; but
as she could not have the use of the pal
anquin without consent OF her maiden
aunt, peeyish orOss-tempered old dam.
sci, she tossed aside her embroidery and
sought her relative.
80, aunt" she exclaimed, "the mirao-
ulous we'll that we read Of In the Pu,
amos has been again discovered, and |
want to join pilgrimage thitner to drink
OF The water TO cure my ao4ing heart
Can | have the palanqutn this after.
noonT
"Fle! tie! you foolish girl, who has put
such nonsense in your head? Use OF the
palanQuin, eul to 60 on such tooPs er. |
rend. No, indeed. Now 20 back to your
"But, aunt, the news was brought by
an aged Brahmin. and all the great
people are going TO the we'll. Do let me
20, and come yourself, tor the water VIII |
do you good."
"Nonsense, silly child. l wouldn't stir
a step on such pilgrimage, though
every one else in Hastlnapur went"
Theodore Went back to her boudoir |
secretly resolving TO join the pilgrims.
and summonlng a Iavorite slave to at.
tend her on the walk and shade her with
an umbrella, she slipped out of the house
unseen by her aunt.
toward evening large procession.
composed OF the Wealthiest citizens of
Ine place, Quilted the city under guid.
ance OF the brahmn, VINO walked some
'ods ahead, beating the air with his
stan, and muLtering unintellik ibIe
Worus. The high road was followed a
lLtle distance, when The Brahmin, with
more mysterious signs, struck Of to.
ward range of solitary mountains, ana
'he handsome city OF Hastinapur was
'oon lost to view. the golden sun sank
n the west, and delightful breeze