Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-07-18
WITCH HAZEL OIL
THE Pile OINTMENT
HIS ADVENTURE

"Did you ever hear OF my oriental ad-
senturei" said Tom, pcrching himself up
On the counting house desk
"Your oriental adventuroi" asked Ned
amazed.
"Well, It's worth hearing" said Tom,
III it did happen 90 me IL was when I
was in Damascus, a mere attaoho Of a
grave diplomatic party, boy Of co. who
might as well have been left at home, I
suppose
II had bought cigar cases and smoking
caps and tobacco bags and all sorts OF
things, said Tom. II had slippers and
scarfs for my mother, and l was buying n
pipo of oriental style, with long stem,
and a water bottle for the smoke 10 pass
through, when a great puffy bag of black
silk which enveloped u lady paused near
me and squatted down before the shop
Of a young jewel merchant for the pur
pose OF examining his bracelets
"Ouly the eyes Of the figure were Wis
ible, but they were blacker and moro
beautiful than those of any heroine Of the
Arabian Nights Entertainments, and
they lit on mo once, twice, three times and
which IL was happily as yet a stranger
Behind the figure stood less carefully
veiled person OF an old foInRle servant.
That it was a young beauty thus hid un-
der tho silken balloon had no doubt.
"The jewel merchant was busy with his
wares. No one but the old woman saw
the beauty make "a little sign with her ex-
quisite hand but sho did It. The sign
seemed 60 say, Wait / waited
What waited for hardly know My
repertory of gesture is not large No Eng
lishmans Is j nodded 'Yos IL suf-
feed
"As she went away, guarded by her old
attendant, she repeated the motion.
Wait, IL said again.
There was "A coffee house close at hand,
open to the street like all the other shops.
There j squatted Oh II cushion and slipped
and smoked
II saw figure pass-pause-make a
sign to me.
'It was the old woman, the servant Of
my mysterious beauty. flung coin TO
the story teller and followed her.
"Sho went on for long while, until I
began To think she would never speak 20
me; but at last she paused under the
shadow Of the blank plaster walls Of n
house in q quiet part of the city, and sud
denly letting down a long wisp of gray
hair took from it letter-a little crooked
thing, written on bright paper and
drenched with perfume.
"'I little English, know IL began.
My mother she English. wait for you.
Come
"Whero shall goS' asked of the old
woman.
"She beckoned. Again followed. We
walked ON, she going before, following,
until she paused before white plastered
wall, In which was "A narrow door. I'm
locking this, she motioned me 70 enter,
and, almost treading on my heels In her
haste, instantly slipped In after me and
relooked it.
II found myself In the most beautiful
garden Imagination can depict. Beyond
II was "a rose arbor. Obeying the old wom-
ans motions, entered the door Of this
fragrant retreat.
ION the instant two beautiful arms
were cast about my neck, and a voice like
that of the nightingale softly breathed
these words:
"'oh, how long have waited for you,
Joy Of my soulr
1T was the girl whom / had seen at the
bazaar. knew her eyes and her hands at
once, and knew also that ] had met my
fate. i loved her on the instant as well az
she seemed TO love me-"
Bother, =" said Dick.
II can't make you understand that do
licious emotion" said Tom, sighing.
There we sat together, talking like lo"ers
who had been parted for year. She slip
ped ring upon my finger. gave her one
from mine. vowed to bear her away to
the land where lovers were not the slaves
they were thore, and she promised TO meet
me at the little garden gate at midnight" I"
"Going it fast, " said Dick.
Suddenly, as we sat there, the old
woman rushed into the arbor She whis-
pered word TO my beautiful lsdylovo,
who wrung her hands In terror
Fly for your lifei she said. If Allah
spares my life, will meet you at the gates
at midnight II not, odieu until We meet
In paradise
bench again, clad in o coarse oriental
dress, but with a pistol hidden beneath IT,
/ had resolved tO die rather than 20 allow
her TO be torn from me.
II waited. Tho moon arose, round and
yellow, In the sky. a strange bird uttered
a shrill cry. A dog barked heard steps
within the garden and shrank back into
the shadow. They weru not tho steps Of
women.
"As listened the gate opened. and four
black slaves, bearing n burden, emerged
therefrom. AS the moonlight fell upon
them saw that they held the sides Of a
great sack.
They marched away toward the river.
AZ i watched them, dreading knew not
what, the old woman, with her hair di-
shevelcd, rushed out of the garden. and
wringing her hands pointed after them.
What has hnppenedy ! shriekcd.
"Sho threw into my hands "A little note.
/ tore II open and read those words:
'Adicu' The caliph has discovered all
/ was his wife. The fate ~ an unfaithful
wife ia this land L. 10 bc sewcd up in
bag of lime and cast into the river Adieu,
forever MAZDA
with "a shrek, rushed after the TO.
treating slaves and--aw,-e. Do
"EhF" said Dick "Awoko9"
Yes, 4" said Tom. That was when |
was down with bad fever thrce years ago,
and sam had bccn showing me Turkish
pipe. and my black haired cousin Belle
bad read me TO sleep with the Howsdji In
Syria, and out Of these things my adven-