The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1894-08-18
LAFAYETTE, La, SATURDAY, AUGUST 49, 1884,

and, fitting It, bore it into his tent
The soldiers did not dare to follow
and, seeing they were not wanted, re
tired.
Softly as mother BEATS her child
1Din laid his burden down upon tn,
| down beside it.
His heart was betting wildly.
| He trembled from head to foot. Hi
| eyes-the eyes of lover. agains
which no woman ever yet disguised
herself-had recognized his cousin
| fat-Meh on tho instant. Why she thu:
1nas1ucfaded lie did not know, but she
had asked for him and wild fancies
| filed his mind. Now as he knel,
there he whispered:
! II know you! 1 know you, Fat
Meh! Tell me quickly what it is that
| ails your
''Oh. Cousin bin, it is a wound" the
CIR! gasped-''here in my arm! I came
with the new soldiers who came
to-day. Two of them quarreled. One
struck at the other. He sprang behind
me and the blade entered my arm.
am dying: And, oh! 1t was so horrible
to think of dying amongst strange
knew that you would keep my secret.
Hide me! Let no one know even after
I am dead!''
''Have no fear I will shield You with
my life If necessary said Ibin Here
on your sleeve I see blood. Is Il
here?"
''Yes!'' whispered the girl.
On the instant lbin ripped up the
sleeve, and to his joy found n little
wound, which had blcd badly but not
dangerously. When he bound it up
and treasured her he covered her face
and left her to rest and went out to
tell his tale. The little soldier, he said.
was not much hurt. He was a nero
boy and fancied himself dying, and had
asked for him that he might send a
message to his parents. For the pres
ent he would care for him. Then he
returned to his tent.
Fat-Meh was awake. Her great eyes
turned upon him.
''Ibln,' she said, "do 1 seem bold to
you? I suppose SO. But listen have
been learning lessons. In Egypt xon-
en- are slaves. They sell us as if we
We're birds. /, for instance, have a
heart. I wish to marry one 1 love.
And there came to our house IN old
woman, who told my parents that a
r,ch man wished to marry me; and
they said must marry him. 1 prayed
them not to give me to him. They
laughed. The prepare tions were om-
Plete. The time had come. Do you
ol anne me for running away: A few !
jewels bought the help of an old vvon- |
an While they were looking for a !
lost girl, boy marched away with the !
soldiers.
"Oh, would have done anything to !
escape that frightful man! See, have
even cut my long hair! Does it mako
me ugly? Do you think me bold and
very bad? l saw that you
loved me when you looked up at mo
you despise me, at least let me stay
and be little soldier, and see you now
and then, and perhaps, wait on You
And when there is a bat
lie, fight beside you. Only do not send
ne back to marry somebody hate.
Pity me. even if you scorn me-
On this, Capt. Ibin El-Vyarralxah
lutte forgot Egyptian good manners,
md took Fat-Mch's hand in his and
leld it against his heart, and told her
hat she was rose, Il nightingale and
dove, and he recited this verse to her:
:" va m1lah knafoo min Allah
Wa Shanlaf aShilx i-ah
11obukum mex tooh min Allah,
knddarn mowla aleirjia.''
Which might be very freely trans.
atcd thus:
ooh. beloved one! Since Allah has
wen US to each other. the love we feel
5 ordained by him. Therefore, let no
ne blame us for what was decreed in
aradise.''
But in spite of this bold speech and
heir brave hearts, matters might have
ndcd badly for both had it not hap ,
ened that the l<hedive elected to visit
Is soldiers that morning, mounted :
n Prancing horse, followed by .
ther highmightinesses mounted on ,
ther pranciog horses, with music and ;
ASH and jingle and floating banners .
nj great po1nP and ceremony. And =
so happened that Capt. Ibin El-War- =
llsah had of late accomplished certain
oughty deeds, and been reported IA
orably for them, that when he e.
egged for mercy, mercy was granted. +
Like all the viziers and sultans in | +
le 'Arabian Nights Tales" the khe- u
We was sentimental. lie felt for true | g
vers. Therefore, having a right to e
, as he pleased, he declared that these | o
vers should be married, had the cere- e
ony performed as soon as possible, | a
,stowed his blessing and a. cowry t.
Don the bride. made the captain 4 O
lionel. and sent u message to the ! E,
rents to the effect that they had bet R
r not let him hear them make any OBJ. | m
ctions. ri
And this was all very lucky for little "
'trMeh, for Egyptian fathers make Il
thing of putting a daughter who has
sgraced her family as completely as
is little rebel had certainly done into
bag, along with few Jumps of lime,
d having her quietly tossed into the
Arrest river. AS it ended, we NAV !
ppose that she lived happily ever
Howard Appleby, in e
Y. Ledger. "