The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-10

in pointing out this pearl of valleys
green as the fairest English hillside.
1t wore across its placid breast, like a
necklace of diamonds, stream that
glanced down from the heights yonder
message of love and hope, while the
mountains themselves, like sportive
giants that had watched in play the
gossamer adornings of court ladies,
now draped about their grim peaks
airy robes of snow and ice that flushed
into roseate splendor with the thousand
ever-varying tints of mother-of-pearl-
The village in the midst of which
the khan stood was small, but marked
for exquisite cleanliness and quiet,
which. in its strong contrast 10 the
general run of Persian villages, gave il
an air of almost religious sanctity.
There were no beggars, no shops, but
few women and children, only men in
white. like the one they had seen the
dav before. who moved about with
their eyes down, and with an air OF
preoccupation.
'sNo wonder that they worshiped the
sum- thought Mary, watching that
orb rise like a victorious banner over
the mountains summit, turning their
holiday attire to a dress of blood
"Now I'd just like to know what that
fellow meant by sending me here, "
broke i'm voice behind the rapt girl,
and Mr.. Smiler came forth putting.
''Why, that Look, uncle" said Mary
printing to the scene to which he had
not raised an eve. Describe that III
your book and Moore and Byron and
Shelley will not compare with you at
ALL"
"Hey? Well, Mary, child, just you
write it out, will you, and Pll-In go
over it, of course" which was his usual
speech when any allusion was made TO
the great work he contemplated.
But, after breakfast, there arrived a
native gentleman in rich robes, who
announced that having learned that a
most crudite and wise poet of England
No? America, tiren-had arrived, he
was anxious To have that great poet
make mention in his wonderful book,
of which even he had heard, of some
of the stories of the land about. Mr..
Smiler won by the fiattery delivered IN
so courtly and eloquent manner,
graciously signified his willingness to
crafty this petition, 50, for the greater
part of the day, this grave, stately
courtier sat at the ''poet's feet, recount
ing, in English so beautiful and poetic
that il would have made him won
der before the learned of the civilized
world, romances and narratives
OF the Persia of the days of NerXes.
Even Mr.. Smiler was impressed, and
Lawrence and Mary so obviously de
lighted that he would have had TO for
felt forever all pretext of being one of
the literati had he betrayed impatienee,
and still the raconteur continued To
pour forth the riches of his memory or
imagination.
He rose at last, however, and Mr..
Smiler cycling the sun declared that
they would have to stay till next day
now, as it was too late TO get back TO
where they had turned yesterday.
When Mary Willoughby opened her
ewes it was to find herself looking up
at the stars. Why, where was the
roof of the khan? Where was Bella nj
whose side she had laid down? She
struggled to sit up, remembering dis
tinctly now that she had fallen asleep
very suddenly after drinking the sher-
bert the woman who attended the Ia
dies of the party had brought them.
And now she woke to feel herself being
carried briskly along through the
night by some one unseen on a sort of
litter with low sides. \ cry Of alarm
broke from her lips and she sat up
looking wildly about her, but close TO
her ear a voice profoundly melanchol-
ly and winning said i'm English: ''Have
no fear, my child. None desires to
harm the On the contrary, yours is
the most precious life in the world to
those who have dared to bring thee "A
little space from thy friends"
''But who are you?" cried the girl,
straining her eyes TO make ont the feat
ures of the white-clad figure beside her
and yet re-assured 10y the tones.
"One of whom thou wilt have COM
passion and lend thy pure spirit for a
while
MY spiritr' exclaimed Mary, vague
fears again arising in her.
She had read OF horrible rites of hyp-
notism and magic in this strange coun-
try, and in her terror she would have
Ieaped from the litter, which she now
saw was carried on the shoulders of
six men. But hand was gently laid
on her arm and her fears Were quieted
a. an image passes from mirror, and
she lay back conscious only of sense
of infinite peace. In second, howev-
er, her passiyeDess gave way To wonder.
Look, and look
She was being borne down Il passage,
the walls Of which brought from her
cries of amaZement and admiration.
Not of glass, nor of crystal, but clear
and translucent and glowing with Il
rose pink light, which, though warm,
had yet in it nothing of the heat of
fire. Ii difiused clear soft radiance
by which Mary recognized the man
who had induced her guardian to come
hither. and as he met her eyes he smil-
cd, and his face, dark and quiet as il
was, was ineXpressibly beneficent and
magnetic. He put out his hand and
the litter bearers stopped, lowering
their burden gently 10 the ground,
when the stranger as listed the girl to
rise, and the men who had borne her
retreated in the direction from which
they had come.
Mary and her guide stood, as she
could see, before an archway i'm the
glowing rock, and entering, the girl
was Obliged for a moment TO shield her