Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-18

to go from youth to age. from our mothers
care to the darkness of the grave. As the
son is, SO was the father, and so the fathers
father, even to the generations afar off,
when the patriarch Abraham built the holy
house of Mecca, and Job, after manifold sui.
ferings, was enriched for keeping his souls
integrity and numbered the increase of his
flocks and herds and gathered the overflow
ing gold and silver from his thrashing floors
gold from that which was for wheat. and
silver from that which was for barley. 1.-THE
Arabs believe that Abraham built the
Caaba, and that after proving the right
eousness of Job God sent two clouds which
rained gold and silver on his thrashing
floors till they ran over.l The children of
Ishmael have been the same since the be-
ginning, like the sun, and the moon, and
the stars.
"Yonder hills, my son, have yielded more
to time than the seed of Hagar, and the
sea has been farther moved from its place
than they. AS q people, we abide by our
selves. Noships go from hence to far lands.
Wherefore if thou desirest to return to
thine own country it may be hard for thee.
And grieve to tell thee that sojourning
has many perils, for my people are incensed
against the face stranger. Three moons
have not passed since an Egyptian spy was
slain and torn asunder in a public place, and
the blood of Persian who came seeking
what was not his is yet wet on the ground,
Yet let not these things dismay thee. know
an evil countenance when see it. Thine
pleads for thee; therefore thou shalt abide
with me. Moreover, a man of thy nation
once gave me mylife. 1t would be a long
tale to tell, but will remember it to his race
forever. For all these things tarry with me
for time, and while l have store thou
shalt not want And if thine ears are open
to counsel there is one thing more would
say"
Speak" 1 said earnestly. IF thy wis
dom equal thy goodness, it will indeed be
well with me if attend to thy counsel"
Mortal knoweth not what may come to
pass" said the Arab solemnly, "only God
and his holy prophet. This, then, is my
counsel-that thou make thyself as one Of
us. Already, to my establishment, thou art
master of our tongue. As thou canst be an
Arab in speech, be one also in apparel.
Thus far honor our country and be assured
it will stand to thee"
sit shall be as thou wilt" answered.
Said Achmet got to his feet with an eager
smile.
"Goodr' he cried. "See if make not as
likely follower of the prophet of thee as
the best of them" Whereupon he began
hastily to search out the clothes that were
to effect my transformation.
He was fastidious in having me Ortho-
doxly arrayed. My long shirt was spotless
white, my turban was of fine yellow silk,
my mantle was black and gold, gorgeous
scarlet sash that would fifty have adorned
a queen encircled my waist and my naked
feet were put in costly sandals.
"By my faith, as genuine child of the
desert as ever ! set eyes onr' exclaimed
Said Achmet when / was habited in my
flowing robes. But one thing thou yet
lackest."
He ran into an inner room and brought
forth a small silver hilted sword, supported
by richly wrought. variegated belt Of
cancels hair and leather, set off with silver
edgings. Thou shalt wear this" he said
warmly. sit once belonged to the head Of
the faith himself and never before dangled
by the side of an infidel. Nay, nay; what
said 1? Thou wilt pardon the unthinking
haste of the tongue. Not an infidel, an
alien-that is to say, strar ger such ao
thou art"
Partly to cover his confusion, partly to
show the heartiness of his friendship, he in
sisted ON investing me with the badge of
honor himself.
Fit to be a sheik, by the glories of AL
Raschid," he said, stepping back in admi-
ration when he had buckled on the weapon.
Il tell thee that great are the swordsmith
and the maker of garments. Who confer
reth distinction like them? Thou art no
longer as straddling tongs. Thou hast the
grace of the waving palm; thou bendest as
the willow by the brook. On a warhorse
thou wouldst be the bravest of warriors.
Yea, and in the shadow of the court, in the
90 lxv1
liver laws? In every line and look of thee,
save mayhap in the fairness of thy face.
thou art a son of Ishmael. And the Arabian
sky will quickly take that fair cast out Of
thee. Then of truth thou shalt be as our
selveSI"
He walked deliberately round me noting
with words and beams of delight each point
of resemblance to the true born Arab. He
could not enough admire, though l suspect
his pleasure in my gallant equipment was
rather due to his own share in it than to
the dignity and naturalness with which
carried it. Suddenly he got grave.
Thou remindest me of them | would
fain have about me-" he said with some
thing of a sigh. AS If to explain his change
of manner he added: 81 had three sons
One sleepeth beneath the green waves that
bore thee hither; one lies deep under sands
desert wind. The third is even now doing
battle, or it may be he has gone the way OF
his brothers. My heart Is. solitary at the
thought that l may never look on him
again. And thou art so like him. He re-
sembled thee in youth, in suppleneSs, in
bearing, in goodness of appearance, his eye
had tho hardihood of thine, and his arm
the same readiness to strike"
His comparisons were cut short by an
imperative knocking at the door, which
replaced his look of sadness by one of
alarm.
What meaneth this?" he said, with
bated breath, as he bent his ear to hearken.
The knock was almost instantly repeated
with an added imperiousnesS and empha-
sis. ''It must be a summons from the gov
ernor," he said, glancing at me with an ex-
preston of anxiety as he rose to meet his
visitors.
1t was as he suspected. A dozen of the
castle guards, armed to the teeth, clustered
about the door, and it was evident they
were excited. Said Achmet endeavor-
ed to temporize, but he was peremptorily
ordered to stand aside, and the men, with
weapons drawn, pushed past him. With
out word they seized me and began drag
ging me toward the door. The idea of re-
sistance comes strong upon one so uncere-
moniously handled without cause, and
had swift thoughts of trying the quality of
Said Achmet's silver hilted sword. He
perceived the danger and rushed to my
side.
LAS thou valuest thy life resist not" he
whispered, hurriedly. THE governor has
sent them to take thee. Go and rely on
my aid"
In the grip of dozen armed fanatics it
hox foll 20
position. So, merely begging that might
be permitted to take my green bag, quiet
ly suffered myself to be thrust into the
midst of bristling clump of spears The
greatest malefactor on earth could not have
been more jealousy guarded or more ig-
ANONYMOUSLY hustled. l had just one word
of encouragement. In passing through the
door I got whisper from Said Achmet
that he would be at the castle by sunrise
on the morrow to testify in my favor. His
meaning was not clear, but it was solacing