The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-12-31

NiSSA ENTERS SERGEANT y Y.
death of both parties probably, or the forci-
BILE conversion to Islam of one of them,
would have been the certain result, and of
the two contingencies the former was much
the more likely. No; Sergt. Brecken-
ridge determined never to tell his love, and
like good fellow as he was, he would have
been the last to endanger even the lady's
peace of mind, much less her life. In Per-
sia the infidelities of the fair sex are pun
ished ruthlessly; ladies are walled up alive,
cast into wells, stoned, poisoned, or, being
rolled in carpet, are trampled to death;
while such an abomination as an intrigue
with a European would be visited with
punishments even more horrible.
But though Sergt. Breckenridge might
love in secret, it was another thing when he
found his love returned In Persia, in the
warm weather, everybody sleeps on the roof
One very hot night, as the sergeant lay awake
on his fiat roof, only the starry sky for his
canopy, he heard sly laugh. He looked
mp mt the spot whence it came, and above
the low wall, only a yard high, that sepa-
rated his roof from that of the leader of pray
crs, he saw the unveiled face of NsSa Kha-
mum, the Syud's pretty daughter. Nissa
was a true Persian beauty; unmarried at
tiS vi ~, Silc Islu
single SO long merely because her father de-
manded too enormous q price for the hand
of his pretty child dn Persia wives are
bought, 1t must be remembered); round
plump face of the brunette type, ruddy lus-
cious lips, waving masses of hair falling 20
her knees, and eyes-eyes like the gazelle of
her country-eyes so large that she seemel
to be all eyes. Suddenly plump arm, gilt
fariny with hfanalafS ,aical oh no
gold embroidered scarlet silk kerchief
which framed the lovely face, and some
thing was thrown to him. ''Hush!' she
said, once more putting her finger to her
lps-she disappeared.
But the sergeant knew that it was not
safe to show his face over that walls top;
not safe for him, dangerous perhaps to her.
So be seized the object flung to hint was
q china rosebud-and pressed it to his heart
after covering it with kisses. Time rolled
swiftly by; the meetings were many and
always at dead of night.
One day the sergeant received a bouquet
and huge loaf OF sugar candy; they were
from Hadji Aga Mohammed, the toothless
head of the law. That worthy invited him
to be present at his wedding feast, to take
place on that day week. The bride was Nissa
Khanum-the Hadji had found his fourth
wife. That day week his legal amount of
happiness would be complete. The sergeant
sent polite answer. and smiled on and
feed the bearer of the present; then he
went into his little cGtna and ravel He
could ne. prevent the marriage, elopement
or escape was impossible. Every Persian
house is an inaccessible prison for its female
inmates, save by the roof.
That night Nissa wept on her lovers
bosom in his tiny Office. "Ho! murder
thieves-help-my daughter! All, Aga
Hadji! Help, helpw Footsteps were heard
on the roof. Nissa rushed from the room
Lights appeared on both sides of the SER
geant's house. Men half dressed, but armed
with swords, guns, pistols, daggcrs and big
bludgeons, swarmed into the Europeans
house. Women, yelled women yelled
curses from the roof.
"Where is my daughter shouted the
Syud.
"Where is my betrothed?" shrieked the
toothless Hadji Aga Mohammed, each in
disordered nightgear.
The sergeant answered never a word.
''Infidel, give up my childn' yelled the
father.
"Search the house, screamed the man of
law, who had turned a blStchy yellow color.
They did search it, and found-nothing.
The sergeant was uhhanded. The father
apologized, the Hadji tore his beard
Ere dawn the house was empty of all save
the sergeant and his Armenian cook and his
Arab horse keeper. Breckenridge sat at
his office table and pondered. Where had
she hidden? How had she escaped? They
had searched the chimneys even. Brecken-
ridge went to the telegraph instrument and
reported, as in duty bound, Lines clear;
disturbance last night in this office; mob of
armed Persians searched the house" In a
few hours he got reply. keep quiet
and indoors. Probably mistake"
Breckenridge did keep quiet. He spoke to
no one. He did not leave his house. In
vain the Syud and the Hadji wished to see
him; he would not receive them, he said he
had been insulted.
Three nights afterward his cook went to
draw water from the well. Something was
in the well. The cook, though an Armen-
ian Christian, was a reliable fellow; for the
last three days he had shivered in his Shoes
He went to Breckenridge.
"Sahib," he said, 81 have found it."
"It. WHAT"
"Come and see, sahib, " said the old man.