The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-02-15
MULEK.

was travelling to Egypt. with MIN were
his wife and three children, and two
other merchants. They rode upon cam
els, and camels bore their merchandise.
In their way they we're to cross the Lyb'
ian Desert, their business being below
the tropic.
At the close of hot, sultry day, worn
weary and athirst, the party reached the
small oasis of Lebon, which was nearly
in mid-desert. There they found water
for themselves and camels. and an ample
place for repose The tents we're pitched
and the beasts secured in their feeding
places, and after this the evening meal
was prepared.
Yezid had gathered his family about
him and read chapter from the Koran
and his wife and youngest child had re-
tired for the night. He sat, with his tw o
elder boys, discussing some mercantile
matters, when the tramp of horses feet
was heard upon the sand. Starting up
quickly, he fastened to the door of his
tent, aud looked forth upon the desert.
"What il it, father" asked tie eldest
son, who had also arisen.
"There comes band of horsemen."
returned the merchant, pointing OF to the
westward.
"Aye, and they are OF the wild lib
bous, too the son reioined, the dim
moonlight revealing the quaint garb of
the coming party. 1--WE are In danger" y
Yezid at once sprang from his tent and
aroused the other merchants, but he was
too late. The Tibbous, eight in number,
came dashing up, with the pale moon
beams reflected from their bright cine
tars.
Mulek, the youngest child of Yezid,
heard the loud din, and in sudden alarm
he left his couch and crept out beneath
the back OF the tent. How long the noise
had lasted ere he awoke, he knew not,
nor did he have time for thought, for
hardly had lie reached the open space
when ne saw some men unfastening the
camels He stopped only to see that
they were of one of the tribes OF the lib
bous, and then he crept back into the
tent for the purpose of giving the alarm.
He searched for his father, but could
not find him. He then went ont by the
front way Just in time to see the Tibbous
driving off the camels.
The boy, who was only fourteen, would
have given some alarm, but at that mo-
men. bis eye rested upon a PROSTATE
form close by his feet. He stopped
down aud turned the pale, cold face
of his eldest brother to the moonlight.
His hand touched something warm upon
his brothers shoulder; he looke6--it
was blood.
Father! father" the boy cried.
But no father answered him. Then
he arose and found another PROSTATE
I. hant nd that
was the body of his other brother-and
this one was dead, too. At short dis
lance another form lay-a female-his
mother. He found his father, too, and
the other two merchants but dead, all
dead The Tibbous had murdered them
every ore. and carried off everything of
value save the tents.
Poor Mnlek wept and tore his hair, and
rent his garments in twain. He had
loved his parents and his brothers, and
he was frantic now. When he had be-
come weak from excessive grief, he threw
himself upon the blood-stained grass,
and there he lay for hours among the
dead, with the moonbeams resting npon
his pale cheek and glistening upon his
tears.
Finally the boy started to his feet and
gazed once more about him. For o long
while he stood thus, and then he raised
his clasped hands toward heaven.
"a poor child is left alone upon the
desert. His life has been made dark in
its early morn, and all he loved have
been stricken down in death. NV
mother, where art thou? NV father,
where art thou? Ny brothers-ohl what
hath befallen ye? Dead dead! dead
And who hath done it? The chief of the
Tibbous hath been here with his men,
and this is the work Of his hands,
Having spoken this in mournful, i'm
passioned strain, the boy moved to the
side of his dead mother and kissed her
He did the same to his father and
brothers. and then he started up and
clasped his hands again. This time a
IRE burned in his eye, and his fine form
was sternly erect.
"The Tibbou chieftain hath done it.
Mulek alone. of all his family. is left to
tell the story Shall he tell that he fled
from before the face Of the murderer, or