The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-03-03
The Five Stars OF kOrtlsh.

An Arab sheik, owner of 100 camels,
300 horses, and 1000 sheep, always kept
his encampment at some distance from
his kinsmen. He had five sons and four
daughters. who, as they grew, were re.
garded in all that region as the flower of
that country, so careful was their train
ing, so thorough their accomplishments,
and so pure their lives. One evening,
when the father and his son were return
ing to the encampment, having ridden
nearly seventy miles in search of some
camels which had strayed, the boy asked
permission to speak, and then asked his
father why he and his brothers and sis
tiers were fed from day to day on dates
and bread, with a strip of dry meat at
noon, when the boys and girls in neigh
boring encampments shared this luxury
and that-fresh meat, killed daily, fruits
of names unknown from Yemen, and
spices from the ships of India.
And his father said: "Are not your
bodies strong? And can You not ride as
| we'll as they?
The son replied: "There is not q
youth in either camp who can throw me
in wrestling and you know if have asked
to draw bride or dismount 10 day"
His father said: "This is what your
food is given for. If our fare is simple,
it is that you may not be tempted to prize
the food more than than the strength for
which the food is given"
Another day, the father of the shiek
had sent courier to all the camps to ask
the attendance of his sons, and of their
friends, that they might hear an mbassa-
dor who had come from Yemen. He took
with him his second son, to care for the
horses and learn the methods of embas-
sizes. One day they went, one day they
remained at the encampment, one day
they returned. On the third day, when
they had ridden ten hours, they saw in the
horizon the black tents of their tribe.
Then the son asked leave to speak, and
said to his father:
80 my father, why did you sleep upon
the ground, when your kindred had
cushions and woven mats brought by
their slaves, and had furs from the North
ready, should the night be cold. Why,
in our camp, do We have neither furs,
cushions nor slaves?"
And his father said: 1--WE sleep at
night, that we may be strong tomorrow.
Are not your bodies as strong, and can
You not ride as we'll as they p
And his son answered: "There is not
a youth in their tents who can throw me
in wrestling. you know if asked to
draw bride or to dismount to-day?"
His father said: ''This is what sleep
is given us for. If our beds are simple,
it is that we may not be tempted to
prize the sleep more than the strength
for which the sleep is given"
Atanother time there came a message
that the elder brother of the sheik was i'll,
and had sent for him. The sheik rode
across the desert on the swiftest drome-
dairy, and took with his third on. Two
days they rode, two days they watched
with the dying man, two days they joined
in the lamentations over him, and for
two days they rode on their return. On
the eighth day, a. the sun went down the
boy asked leave of his father to speak,
and said:
"Why do my cousins dress in shawls
of cashmere, in silks Of Ispahn, and wear
clasps of gold and pearl from Serendib,
while we are dressed in camePs hair, and
wool Of our own hocks and herds, which
my sisters spun and my mother wOve?'
And his father said: Are you not as
warm as they? Are you not Is strong as
they? Are not your clothes a. easy for
running and for riding?"
And the boy said: ION the evening
when we came to the camp. there was .
wrestling match. l threw all my cous-
ms in their turn; and when the turn
came round, threw them all again. We
have ridden 20 far that the ravens are
weary Of following. You know il have