The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-02-24
PURE, PEACEFUL, GENTLE, TRUE
AND BRAVE.

| thousand Sneep, always Kept his en-
campment 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
training, SO thorough their accomplish
ments, and so pure their life.
One evening. when the father and his
eldest son were returning to the. en-
campment, having ridden nearly sew
enty miles in search of some camels
which had strayed, the boy asked per-
mission 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 strip of dry
meat at noon; when the boys and girls
| in, neighboring 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: ssAre not your
bodies strong? And can you not ride
as well as they?''
The son replied. There is not youth
in either camp who can throw me in
| wrestling; and you know if I have
asked to draw bride or to dismount to-
day.
His father said: ssThis 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 the strength
for which the food is given.''
Another day, the father of the Sheik
had sent a courier to all the camps to
ask the attendance of his sons, and of
their friends, that they might hear an
ambassador who had come from Yemen.
He took with him his second son, to
care for the horses and to learn the
methods of embassies. 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 hori-
ION the black tents of their tribe. Then
the son asked leave to speak, and said
to his father, 80 my father, why do
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, or
slaves?"
And his father said: "We sleep at
night, that we may be strong to-
morrow. And not your bodies as
strong, and can you not ride as well as
theYP7'
F. And his son answered: .. There is
not youth in their tents who can throw
me in wrestling. You know if l have
asked to draw bride or to dismount to-
day."
His father said: 'sThis is what sleep
is given to 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" fee
At another time there came q mes
sage that the elder brother of the Shiek
was iii and had sent for him. The
Shiek rode across the desert on the
swiftest dromedary, and took with him
his third son. Two days they rode,
two days they watched with the diving
man, two days they joined in the la.
mentatiOns over him, and for two DAYS
they rode on their return. On the
eighth day, as 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 Ispahan,
and wear clasps of gold and pearl from
Serendib, while we are dressed in CAM
els hair and wool of our own flocks
and herds, which my sisters spun and
my mother wovep'
And his father said: "Are you not
as warm as they? Are you not as
strong as theyp Are not your clothes
as easy for running and for ridingP'
And the boy said: ION the evening
when we came to the camp there was q
wrestling match. / threw all my cous-
ms in their turn; and, when the turn
came round, l threw them all again.
We have ridden in two days so far that
the ravens are weary of following. You
know if l have asked to dismount or to
draw rein.'
And his father said: "Our clothes are
given us to screen us from sun and rain.
and the pestilence which walketh in
darkness. If your clothing is simpler
than your kinsmen's, it is that You NAV
not be tempted to value the thing more
than the strength and swiftness for
which the thing is given"
AGAIN, the word came that the chiefs
and their children should carry each,
his offering to the temple at Mecca.
And his father, with his wife and his
children, and forty attendants, went to
the Holy City, with fifty calnels and
fifty horses. The Offering that he made
was bezoar, and onyx, and mvrrh.
Seventy days were they in going, in
sojourning and in returning. On the
SEVENTEEN day, as they approached the
date palms which they knew, the
fourth son asked leave to speak to his
father, and said, ''Why do the people
OF the city go to the mosque to wor-
ship God, and we kneel beneath the
open sky?'
And his father was troubled, and his
countenance fell. and he said, ..Since
we LETT the city, have either Of your