Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-12-21

worthy of its respect and admiration and
who is retiring into private life.
In TIE SULTDN'S HARUM.
The Life of Minister Wallace Tells Of
Visit to Nourmahal.
From the Light of the Harem.
A broad, low divan of pale blue silk
ran round the apartment. No pictures
on the marble walls. no books, no brio
a-brac, no trumpery collections" cera-
mics, aesthetic trash, grave or gay, nor
muff1ing hangings. These are not orien-
tai luxuries; but instead, cool, shady
emptyness, plenty ofspace for the breeze
ro futter the gauzy curtains and carry
the. echo Of the plash and drip of the
fountains
At the furtherest end, and reclining
on pilloWs Of silk and lace, rested tn lady
we sought. One little foot, in red velvet
slipper, was first seen below white trou-
sers Of yellow silk; loose robe OF white
silk, embroidered with gold thread, was
perfectly coverSd by 81 sleeveless jacket
of crimson, dotted With seed pearl;
O broad yariegated sash wound the slen-
der waist. Half concealng the arms
was light scarf fairy us the woven wind
Of the ancients. A head band, with
diamond pendants, fringed her fore
head; REVERE Of diamonds circied the
bare throat, and here and there solitary
drops flashed in the braids of her night
black hair. Among the billowy cush-
ions and vaporous veilings rose the
young face--oh, what q revelation of
beauty!-uplifted in curious, question
ing way to see what manner of women
these are, who come from the ends of
the earth with unveiled faces, and 90
about the world alone, and have to
think for themselves-poor things! The
expression WAS that Of lovely child
waking from slulnber in the happiest
hunlor, ready to play. a sensitive, ex-
quisita face, talr as tbs first Of women
while the angel was yet unfallen. A
perfect oval, the lips scarlet thread,
and oh, those wonderful Asiatic eyes
Iustrous, oai-black, long, rather round,
beaming under the joined eyebrows OF
which the poet Hdhz sings.
Nourmanhal did not rise, but held out
one jeweled hand, <1impled SIS baby's,
with nails and finger ends dyed pink with
henna-hve clustered rosebuds. The
magic Of beauty made us her subjects.
We kissed the little fingers Loyalty, and
yielded ourselves willing captlves ready
to be dragged at her chariot-wheels. My
lifelong notions Of the subsection of
woman (see Stuart Mill and the wretch
edness OF prisoners pining IN palauial
splendors vanished at the first glance;
went down al touch like the wounded
knight in the lists OF Templestowe. She
smiled and hoped We We're well; then
followed suitable inquiries as to health
and Journeys, and expressions Of the
charm Of finding It all out [ ventnred
the high assertion that we had sailed
6,OO0 miles On purpose to
lay our homage at her
blessed feet: which rhetorical -four
ish was received with q childish nod at
about what 1t was worth. Somehow she
did not seem SO enchanted with her new
Worshippers as they were with her. It
appeared the Beauty had never seen
the sea except from the shore.
At the signal the slaves disappeared,
except one Old woman and the negroes,
cry. IN few minutes FIVE slaves re-
turned, each carving a small round
table of cedar, inlaid with scraps of
mother of pearl. Five others followed,
with lighted cigarettes lying each in
silver saucer; and coffee IN tiny cups,
about the size OF a giants thimble, rest
ing in silver hlagree holder, set round
with diamonds.
My new friends have come 50 far"
said Nour1nahal, they must be tired.
Take a cigarette ana refresh yourselves"
rather ,kwardIy adjusted the hold
er Of amber and ventured one faint
Whit. Imagine my establishment at
seeing my friend, whose name with diff
fculty surpre IS, puff away like a dis
slpated old smoker. The Armenian was
native and to the manner born. Nour-
mailal smoked, of course, and lulLing
calm succeeded the excitement
of the brilliant conversation
round in my brain for o subject of COM
mon interest, adapted to my hostess ca
pacity and mine, | tried a sip of the cof-
fee. 1t was strong enough to bear upan
egg, thick with grounds and bitter as
death. I pretended to deep enjoyment
of the dose, and slipped it, drop by drop,
to the bitter end.
. Nourmahal clapped her hands again
and the ten virginia took away the sau.
GERS. I think none Of them We're foolish,
for they fell into line without effort, each
one treading in the footsteps of her
predecessor at an interval to avoid her
train.
"tn this charming palace yoa must be
very happy. How do you pass the
The dimples deepened in the cheeks
Of Beauty.
"Pass the time, pass the timer" she
dreamily repeated, playing with the
knOtted fringes of her scarf. Il do not
pass it, it passes itse|f.' and again she
laughed. and the laughter was as sweet
as the tenderest voice CAD make it.
Are you fond of music?"
Three ladies in black: "Oh! very"
"Oht very" Oh! verge
"Then you shall be amused" She
clapped the rose-leaf palms, and in
marched eight women musicians 1--WE
saw no men that day but the barem
guard), bearing stringed instruments,
curious looking things. like over-grown
vlo'lns and half~fnished guitars, and a
round shell, with strings across, beaten
with two sticks.
Didst ever hear Arabic music, beloved?
NO? Then never hast thou known sorrow.
Since Jubal first struck the eanlut.
there can have been no Improvement in,
these compositions. How long the eaer-
elses lasted | am unable to record; but,I
90 know we grew old fast under the beat.
beat, hammer, hammer, in the terse.
unmeanlng notes of the banjo In the
orlet interval at the end of peculiarly
agonlZing strain, sung by the nlulatto, I