The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1891-01-16

1
with characteristics decision. how
ever ne began 10 brush his clothes as
DcSt he could and rub the mum bncss out
/" ms limbs. Then he turned and
walked down the alley and entered The
scarcely wider street AZ It's end.
ne was walking along slowly and
nimiessly, wondering what he hnd bet
ter do. when he happened 70 look up
and catch sight Of large placard fas.
tened on the wall Of public building
which he was passing.
lie stopped and spelled Il out labori-
ously. His knowledge OF Arabic was
not unlimited What he read was, in
substance, as follows:
His Exalted ami Majestic Iilrhness. the
Saipn OF Aliamagiaila, protector n the poor
anu hght " the universe. whose dominion was
iikc unto the dominion Of the sun and whose
power was The greatest Of all under Allah who
y great. etc. etc, having decided 10 Increase
MS household, was In need OF servant 70 act
rs tasterm the monarch's food the said
servant would receive large salary. and in
addition would have the priyIleg. Of looking on
the divine face o. the caliph. more beautiful
than the moon. etc. etc"
Such was the extremity to which the
Caliph's chief servant had been forced
70 accomplish that which he had SO read
lily told his master was done.
Tom Walters stood for some time
looking AT the proclamation. Finally
he turned away
What lark he said. And really
I've got 70 do something until can hear
from London. and through these
wretched mails, too"
ZiIlah.. daughter Of the Caliph OF
Allamagdalla, was walking one sultry
evening in her little garden accom-
panied by a single attendant. a girl OF
about her own age. The Caliph's daugh-
ter. as bcfitting the offspring Of one so
divinely endowed as her father, was tall
and straight and walked with aqueenly
stateliness that became her well.
She was quite young. though
woman grown, with large dark eyes set
under noble brow, over which her
dark hair curled caressingly. She was
walking slowly up and down in the twi-
light, now and then STOPPING to pluck a
flower, or pausing TO speak word to
her attendant. when suddenly there was
sound as Of somebody coming over
the wall and the maid pointed, with a
little scream. to the farther end of the
garden.
The Caliph's daughter looked in the
direction Of her attendants gesture and
beheld tall young man, dressed in the
uniform Of her fathers court, leisurely
picking flower from one of the many
beds that skirted the wall.
As she saw him he looked up and
caught her glance. He Strengthened up
and came toward her in manner that
fitted in qucerly with his Oriental dress.
Excuse me. ladies'" he said. trying
to summon all he knew Of Arabic to his
aid. II saw the flowers from the win
dow above. and I could not resist the
temptation to drop down and get over.
did not know you We're in the garden.
am sorry to have disturbed YOU"
Zillah's face had at first assumed an
expression of extreme hauteur. but as
the stranger Numbered through his
speech. smiling confidently all the time,
her expression changed TO one of be-
wildcrmcnt, and her hand tremblcd .
little. for she began. strangely enough,
TO be frightened for her queer visitor.
''Hush!" she said, hurriedly; ''some
one may see you"
Tom did not stir. He began to real
ize that he was talking to = very pretty
girl, and such IN occurrence was SO un-
usual TO him at present that he did not
wish to break II Off SO suddenly.
MAY have the fiower?" he said, to
gain time.
She made no answer to his question.
but put her hand on his arm command
ingly-
Are you mad?r she said IF you
were seen here"
Tom squared his big shoulders and
showed no inclination to go. Really
she was very handsome girl.
Are you his Majesty's daughter" he
asked.
BY this time the attendant had recov-
cred from the shock that the young
mans appearance had given her, and
was trying to draw her mistress away.
The latter yielded TO her guidance and
was about to turn from hir.l, when Tom
;nterposed hurriedly.
Il say now" he said, rapidly, don't
60 III 60 myself il staying here is go
ing to drive you away, but you see l be-
long to the old duffer-I beg your par
don. to the household Of the Light Of
the Universe in there, and ! thought,
being one Of you, ! might take turn in
here I'm awfully sorry ! disturbed
YOU" and with quick turn he rcgaincd
the wall and swung himself over.
Zillah looked after him until his long
misfitting Oriental robes had followed
him over the wall. and then she turned
away with queer look on her pretty
face.
That night she dreamed OF tall
young man who came down TO her in a
winged chariot from the skies, and who
tried to carry her away with him. just
as he was drawing her into his strange
car she awolxe with start and little
scream.
A few weeks later another scene was
enacted in the little garden. "Zillah,
said Tom, standing with both her hands
in his and looking down into her deep,
dark eyes, II don't believe can stand
this much longer. 1t isn't natural, why
can't just ask the Caliph 70 let me
have you and end it there. lie cant
Ill