Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-28
THE WHISPERING TREE.

In the city Of Cairo there once dwelt q
Christian merchant named Hanna who had
auassed considerable fortune, SO that envy
often turned It's glances toward him As is
usual, however, IN this world, Hanna found
cause 70 complain Of his condition 1t was
true that he had fine house in the street Of
the saddIenakers that his furniture was
costly, that his slaves, pipes, mules and asses
were Of the first quality. One thing was
wanted-a son and heir to inherit his wealth
and continue his name.
Now, In an eastern story no sooner Is this
difficulty mentioned than we can, as gen.
eral rule, foresee that In some manner more
or less ingenious the much desired addition
10 the hero's family IS uirsculOusly made
Sometimes q pilgrimage IS undertaken 70
the tomb Of saint; sometimes prayers are
addressed directly TO heaven; sometimes q
magician makes his appearance and gives
two children, on condition that at certain
age be shall be allowed 10 claim one and slayi it
for the purpose OF some horrible incarnation;
il following as matter Of course that he
chooses the faTprite, and leaves the discon-
ISOLATE parent TO cover his head with ashes, TO
clothe himself IN sackclpth and 10 perform
al the heart breaking ceremonies Of an
eastern mourning. The difficulty IN the case
OF Hanna was that he had no wife and was
determined never TO get married, and, con-
sidering that he was past his seventeen year,
the discrimination can scarcely DO called IN
wise
There was mystery, however, il the life
OF this Christian, which vii explain in some
measure Why he did not give hiuself up TO
absolute and suIlgn despair. About half
century teiEe the period Of which we speak
he had been q Traveller. had visited Hind and
Sind, with many othG, wonderful places, had
resided II Persia and sailed upon the Caspian
Hewprili ten 90 oneor two intimate friends
that when Ct Irahaa he had loved end been
beloved By a lady, whom he married and
lived With for nearly q year. child was
born to them, u boy, On whom both Showered
al tho treasures Of thIr affection. But it
happened, one day, that they were in the
gardens in the ne3ghbUhood Of the city, and
Hanna, feeling weary, went under some trees
70 sleep, while his wife sat with the child by
the side Of stream OF water that danced
along through grass fringed bed The
Young mans slumber lasted sou2e time. The
shadow which bad protected him when he
lay down had moved away when be awoke.
lids that recalled him from the land Of dreams.
He rose from the warm turf and called Ian
guidiy for Lisbet; but, though be could see
all across the meadow where he had left her
under locuEt tree by tie side OF the water,
his eyes discerned no sign Of life.
He went forward slowly, stretching his
arms and yawling, until he came 70 the
spot where the young mother lad been sit
-, - ffr,-,
of many fset. both Of horses and men, and
1ibbaad that had adorned the wrist Of the
child lay on the ground Fear Of a calamity
came upon him He gazed more eagerly
over the meadow, and beheld a track through
the grass as If 8 body Of horse had rushed
rapidly along. One loud cry Of "Lisbet!-a
cry that burst II anguish from his lips, but
TO which he did not expect an onswer-showed
that he understood what disaster had befalen
him. He sprang on the track of theravishers,
crossed the meadow, burst through a little
screen Of trees, and saw, on the extreme
limit of the plain, Just fading from bis view,
Us It were, q little moving cloud with q
cluster Of sparkling rays Of light above It
The Turcomals were shaking their spears il
triumph as they entered upon the desert
with their prey.
information as TO the fate OF Lisbet. Per-
baps he did not do all that some heroic ma
lures would to recover her and the child. he
sent messengers with offers Of money te the
tribes; be even undertook q Journey 10 the
stronghold Of Jafir Khan, bet without sue
cess. The Turcomans limited that perhaps
the charms Of Lisbet had sE1itten some indie
PENDENT chief, who had carried her far away
4 - q g. 8
waiting, the extreme manifestations OF grief
disappeared Hanna resumed his commercial
enterprises, and at length became established
IN Egypt, where be remained, buying and
selling, until wealth surrounded him But
Iltty years passed away, and he did not taho
uuto himself another wife.
So far be easily con1ided to the few whom
lie called his friends, aud when these would
condole with hin Us 10 his chudleSS position
he used to smile strangely and i2sinuate that
there might vet be found en- heir 10 inheri:
what lie amused Yet be never admitted
that his hopes lay II the child CT LiSbet, and
that he had some faint reason for believing
that be WIS not feeding upon deluslon-
The truth Is that Hanna, who was Z good,
kind nall-inade better and kinder By al his
Inisfortunes-as he was travelling between
b1El2l ana D1lAstlSCl>, S5f , Ne-AS
the loss Of Lisbec. fell II with q man who
begged for succoz from amidst some bushes,
for 10 was totally naked, having been strip
red by robbers Al lie asked was cloak
and a loaf, that lie might continue his Jour
rev and reach q reighborIng town But
Hanna stopped his ka-ila and clothed and
fed him, and gave him money and set him
upon Z r1ule-his own mule, white Grd IT for
q kicg-a-,i took him al the way u Dumas
Gus. where be st him down in the streets,
without So much Is asking his name, his
country Or his faith.
This poor stranger was a Jew, who came
many years af1arward to Egypt and Tecos-
niza3 bis benet.ctOr. He WIS also magician,
who discov ereI the secret thoughts CT those
with whom IL co2ve-sed; 50 he said one day
to Hanna: '.The-s Is mighty sorrow within
thee, to- sec the sis2ature OF regret upon
thy brow near the right temPle-'
~ regret not 10 have child, replied the
merchant.
Nay said the Jew; thy grief hath rela-
ton 10 q thing past Tel ne thy story and
] may De Of service."
Hanna told his story, AID the Jew forth
with went away, and burned perfumes, and
uttered words and wrote symbols, and
wrestled with the keepers OF the unknown
When be came back 70 the merchant. he said,
81 have nor discovered al that wish 70