Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-06-28

ward Capucines. You are in the orient
now, mon ami. and in the orient hus-
bands are u,i cOnplaisant; in Paris
well. it would pass. More than this,
your unknown is not unknown To me;
she is called Nissa.'
"'Nissai
"'Exactly, and charming as the name
may be the husband is just the reverse.
H. Is very wealthy merchant of the
ola Iaubourgs, celebrated for his vio-
fence ana his jealousy. His mother
was originally English, but he is truly
oriental in ways and manners. He
would kill you like a dog
land the name Of this Blue Beard
OF Ispahan and his dwelling"
'Astoulla, and he lives in the build
ing on the banks Of the river at the
end of the bridge. but | advise you not
to seek his acquaintance.
land Nissa, the wife; what say they
OF Nissar
"Oh, thou Partisan! when | have
tod you, too, that you are now in the
orient, where we do not occupy our
selves with women! If we do it's easi-
ly arranged we simply tie them in a
sack and throw them in the water.
Horrible! horriben
"'Not at ALL said the sertip indif-
ferently; formerly we added a living
cat to the sack to claw the face Of the
victim in the excitement OF suifocation.
This, however, thanks to the influence
OF Europe, we do no longern
"A little discourse that somewhat
chilled my ardor and made me pre-
occupied nd thoughtful. despite the
wines and Zenghoule melodies with
which Mehmed-Aga proceeded to en-
tertain me. l saw always before me
the slender, rounded outlines Of the
! figure bending from the litter, the
white and jeweled hand that had drop
! ped the handkerchief and voice, an
obstinate voice, louder even than the
song of the man1olins, sang in my ear
| like the refrain of a ballad: 'Nissa,
Nissa! the adorable Nissar
''And, par example. the whole night
long | suffered with nightmare, dream.
! ing that | was vis-a-vis with huge
tomcat whom they called Astroulla,
and who tore and clawed continually
at my visage. | reused with relief al
10 the next morning. atlectually dis.
! enchanted.
'Disenchanted for three hours pre-.
cisely-that is, till the moment when
1 seated upon my terrace in the evening
twilight, | saw woman come into the
court by the lower door, hideous ole
/ hag. who desired TO speak with me,
/ but who arrived beside me without
waiting TO hear if would receive her
"'Are You braves? she said to me in
eXecrable English that | could witt
difficulty understand; have you the
courage of the king of the hills? II
So, she added answering the fatuous
smile with which |, like all men, in
variably reply to similar questions. ii
SO, I've walk 10 propose TO you. The
night il il Cslrk-no one will see Won,
and you have only to follow me. Half.
way the road | will bandage your eyes,
and you will swear to me not so seek
TO see where | conduct you. Do you
agree"
Agree? yes?' | responded, and
gave the promise. pushed by an IRE,
sistible impulse, without the slightest
hesitation. Daylight, you compre-
bend, had obllterated even the mem
ory of my unpleasant dreams, and
heard anew that siren whisper 'Nissa
| Nissar
This hideous hag had come from
Nissa; Of this was sure.
I'm five minutes time we were or
the way.
"A mad, reckless and absurd ad
venture! | grant it true, but there are
absurdities that one does not reason
about, particularly when-en bonnC
fortune. And Nissa, this unknown one
exercised over me, / know not wha
mysterious empire. ] had never 81
much as seen her face. yeti longed
for her madly-her flaming glance haC
fired my heart!
1--WE had nearly arrived at the turn
ing 10 the bridge of Djoultfa before my
guide drew n handkerchief from he
pocket and bound my eyes; from this
on, naturally, ! saw nothing, though
knew that we were crossing the wateI
by the freshness of the air and the
voices of the walkers on either side o
me-
And no one saw you or stopped
you9"
NO one stopped me. TO a certainty
as for the other, | never gave il ;
thought. walked like man il
somnambula, nothing visible to IN,
but the gracious supple body OF my
enchantress. her soft and feline curves
her reckoning hand. her fulgorant
devilish eyes!
AT the end of the bridge we turned
to the right, still keeping to the bank
of the river. | knew this, for | hearC
it rushing hurried and tumultuous, anC
its waves every inst mt tapping anC
breaking against the stones of the
arches, and soon. for second time
my conductress halted, "A key grated il
lock. voice directed me TO
Mount
al mounted five, six. eight steps e
find my feet upon a thick and yielding
carpet. At the same instant tn,
bandage was drawn from my eyes.
"The chamber into which | had en-
TERED was small one. dimy Lighted
by copper lamp. and with the walls
contrary TO the usual fashion in Per
sian dwellings, entirely concealed b,
draperies of vivid yellow Musica
instruments and a varied collection o
ieweled weapons hung en- panoply up