The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-10-10
MYSTERIES OF A
PERSIAN VALLEY
Mary Willoughby's Strange Expert
ence in a Foreign Land.
THE VISION OF THE SILVER CUP.

Mary Willoughby's Strange Expert
ence in Foreign Land.
THE VISION OF THE SILVER CUP.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Mary Wiiioughby's eyes had looked
on many strange and beautiful scene
within the past eleven months that she
had spent with the Smilers on their
tour of the world. But she gave "a
gasp of real delight and wonder as she
stood al the door of the squalid little
Persian khan and looked out over the
valley on to the stately mountains, ris-
ing peak on peak as far as the vision
could wander. 1t had been late the
previous night when they had halted
there, and though a sickly moon strug-
Cling with envious clouds had lighted
the way, she had hurried in too worn
out by the wearisome journey TO careto
look about.
1t had been rather odd change
which had brought them here at all,
for the little valley, clasped 10y the
strong, Jealous arm of its mountain lover,
lay out of the beaten path of the ordi-
nary tourist They had been resigned
Iy jogging along this path beckoned by
the conventional guide, when they had
encountered native, who, though on
fpot, was 20 evidently person of some
consequence that Mr.. Smiler, always
on the lookout for odd and interesting
things for that wonderful book of his,
had arrested him. OR no, TO be strict
ly correct, the grave, whitebearded
man with the beautiful face, which
might have been carved from choco-
late-colored marble, had paused in his
stately walk as the party approached.
His large, intelligent eyes rested for a
moment on each member of il As they
rode by on surefooted little Persian
donkeys-rested on Mrs. SmiIer, fat,
rosy and fretful over having left her
quiet New England home on a wild
goose chase" as she termed this tour
% her aspiring husband; rested on
Lawrence Townsend, who had Joined
them at Damascus, attracted, Miss Bel
Ia thought, by her chubby, vivaciOus
face; on Miss Bella herself, who gig
Cled and .affectedly urged her donkey
closer 10 Mr.. Townsend's. Then the
deep, soft eyes fell on Mary Willough-
by to wander no more, save for a mo-
ment or two as the owner talked with
Mr.. Smiler.
''YOu are writing book" he said 10
that gentleman, who stared and NUT
tered:
"Now, how the deuce did you know
that?''
''And yoa will doubtless be glad To
see something that is generally passed
over by the guides because il lies lit
tie remote and difficult of access, and
Yet which equals in beauty the vale of
koSh-i-mur.
He went on in as good English as
ever Moore sang of the vale mention
ed. "Ah, N.Y. Mr.. SmiIer had the
words ''my good fellow" on his lips,
but they died before the dignity of tha;
gaze, and he went on with respect
that made Mary open her eyes, for re-
spect for anything 10 anybody was not
usual in Josiah Adams Smiler, whose
favorite boast, made many times day,
was that he was as good as anybody.
"And where may this place be, and
what makes you think it'll be worth
my while Ia 90 out of my way to see
it,"
''The spot lies only about ten En-
glish miles from here and il i the pearl
of valleys, rich in history now m-
written and preserved only in the songs
Of the late singers"
Lawrence Townsend, who had heard
with interest, now urged Mr.. Smiler TO
take the mans advice, and Miss Bella,
eager for anything that her fancied
captive desired joined her entreaties 10
the weight Of argument brought 10
bear upon the leader of the party, who
finally yielued, turning 10 the stran-
ger with a command of 'Iead on"
az said the man, with a touch of
banter which sat a. easily upon him as
upon a monarch born. Then, step
ping 10 one side of the path, he spoke
in Arabic to the guide, who betrayed
considerable astonishment at the in
structions he was receiving, but he
bowed and saluted humbly when the
other was done AZ shall conduct YOU,
my master" said the man when the
stranger with slight bend of the
head pursued his way without a back
ward glance, and "a if the further ex-
isfense' of the party was a matter of
szprcIile indifference TO him.
M. Ssniler's dignity was 50 upset 10y
''the insernal impudencer of the man
that ne would have refused to visit the
pearl of valleys with feeling that in
this way he would ehagrin the man
who had left them in 80 careless man
ner, but the guide had already turned
the horses, and fearing Miss Bella's an
ger-tlIe one thing Mr.. Smiler did fear
If he changed the plan, he eontented
himself with fuming over the rough
ness of the way.
We'll break our necks if il goes on
this rough after dark" said Lawrence
putting out his hand to pull up the
stumbling donkey Mary rode, which
action Miss Bella observed with a flash
of her cold blue eyes and sudden de
termination TO get rid as soon As posi-
bile Of the girl who, being papa's pen
nilcss ward, he must needs bring with
them because, he pleaded, she spoke
German, French and Spanish and
picked up other tongues 80 quickly.
''No, no"' said the guide, answering
Lawrence. 'From yonder rock the
way is even and smooth straight down;
a child might ride il"
''Well, this here valley must he
something extra" moaned poor Mrs. |
Smiler, as her donkey lurched forward. |
81 d9lare If this gallivanting don't
stop I'm going TO leave Mr. Smiller. / |
will, | will, Marriage vows never |
,,,a..,.. 81. - -.