The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-03-10
A CHARMING POEM.

We republish the following poem, which ap
peared somey ears ago as one Of series Of Orr
entail ballads, Of which "Abdel Hassan" wa
another. written 10. the sat antic Monthly.
BY the Representative from Galveston, Major B
Rush Plnmly. Recently. distinguishes
American, travelling in the distant Orient, re
cited this poem TO a company n, or near, tn
quest of that gentleman we reprint itnow:
ABOU AND SELIM: THE ARAB AND HI;
HORSE.
One day, along the burning sand,
The desert horseman sped;
At night, the Kislar Aga's band.
Abou, a captive, led,
Wounded and bleeding, forward bent.
Bound hand TO foot, he lay
Besideshis sleeping captcr's tent,
To die, CT break Of day.
Above, the stars, ali bright and free,
On Abou's bondage shone;
Below, the strong pulse of the sea
Did seem to mock his own.
Ages OF dead, heroic things
Made Abou's captive bed:
The dust Of kingdoms and of kings,
With Abou's blood was red.
In pain he chafed him on the sands,
Impatient for the day;
When on the stiffness, near at hand,
Broke Selim's eager neigh.
No watch, at night, the Arabs keep,
And all the Aga's force
Lay In their sable tents asleep,
When Abou heard his horse.
Over and over, on the ground,
Then Abou rolled along;
And Selim near the picket found,
Held bya knotted thong.
:. @Thy master, selim, " Abou said,
AS Selim sprang apace
Then, with low Whitney, bent his head
And touched his masters face
lSelim, my joy, captive l,
Ny Selim shall be free
No Aga's Kahn shall hide the sky,
My Arab horee, from thee.
AT dawn we left our rocky height,
We swept the desert dim
We robbed the caravan, in the light
At the horizons rim.
"God curse thy masters cruel greed,
That babe the booty's weight
Bring down my Selim's flying speed.
70 the cursed Spahi's gait.
"Free as the winds Of Egypt blow,
Shall thy fleet footsteps roam (;
Go, where the Jordan's waters flow,
And cool thy sides OF foam.
$50 to my ent; thou know st the way /;
Share with my child the floor,
Kiss the dear hands, and, Selim, say
Abou will come no more!
Then Abou, with his teeth, undid
The knots that held the steed
And Selim of his fettets rid,
Stood with his strength and speed,
Free as the wind but Sellm stayed
By Abou. sore and bound,
And with his masters garments played,
And raised him from the ground.
Selim's soft lips his master felt,
In his strong teeth he hung;
For lifted by his leathern belt
Securely Abou swung;
As safely, In his teeth and mouth,
He held the fettered man;
Free as the winds Of Egypt, south,
selim his race began.
He left behind the Aga's band,
As rose the morning star;
And stretched him fleetly, DER the sand,
For Abou's tent, aGar.
Up rose the sun; his shining eye
Had no such race beheld;
Never was horse, below the sky,
BY Selim's love impelled.
At noon, a moment, by the well
Selim, his master laid;
A moment by the palm trees fell,
And rolled him in the shade.
All day, above the burning sand,
The courser held his speed;
All night, along the silent land,
Labored the weary steed.
At morn, he climbed the mountains side,
Where stood his masters home;
The blood drops, from his nostrils wide,
Fell, with the flakes of foam,
With pant and stagger, Selim went,
Dim eye and dropping head;
Laid Abou, safely, in his tent.
And by the door, fell dead.