The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-02-19

my lad" he said, taking the bud and
kissing it. Don't you be scared. I'm
looking out for you: and I'm wiser than
a thousand such old mules as Hatipha.
| talk openly to you because | love you.
and Senuah Is our confidante because
she's your sister and the princess fa-
vOrite maid-and there's no one to take
her place. But / can hold my tongue
when | see fit. And when the time
cOmes'-here he bestowed upon the
youth "a wink of great significance.
"Ill take you along with us to America
and make your fortune. Well, now, be
off, my beauty, and leave me to drink
my coffee and mediate"
But / may help my lord to dress
| later" asked Ebal, reluctantly retiring
from the fascinating presence.
when I'm ready I'll hit the gong.
There - Allah - Il-Allah Bismillah!
Clear out"
As Ebal vanished with n smile and n
sigh, Meryon fell upon the bud with
amorous rapture. 1t Jared badly. as
buds are apt to do, in the cause of love.
After smelling and kissing it till 1t
looked as If ruined by premature dis
sipation, the lover ended by devouring
ii, petals. calix and all, as If by incor-
porating it with his b Idiy substance to
myStically bind to his own the soul of
his beloved Then he drank his coffee
and took counsel with himself.
He was an American artist in search
of the beautiful, whose devotion to his
art was proved by his possessing a
fortune that made him more than in
dependent of the world. He had
brought good letters Of introduction to
the prince of this little kingdom, and
had confirmed his welcome by painting
a capital full-length portrait of his host
Great favor was his; a suite of rooms in
the palace, and servants for his cxclu-
slve behoof, The prince was not only
at all times accessible to him without
ceremony, but could not get enough of
his society. During his two months
soiourn he had made lot Of valuable
studies, In many of which Ebal In all
poses and costumes, or with no costume
save his own boyish beauty, was the
center of interest. This was all very
well.
But alas for Unsuitable human nature
and malicious fate! one day lowing to
u concatentation of accidents which
cannot here be detailedD he met face to
face and unpremeditatedly the only
daughter of the prince, Terah the beau
tiful. It was all UP with him in mo-
ment; and her oriental fancy seems to
have been no less captlvated by the
fresh complexion, handsome features
and red hair of the occidental stranger
They loved each other at the first in
tention. as surgeons say. just as young
people used to do in the golden prime
of the good Haroun Alraschid. Ah!
| Romance fingers in this old world yet.
as we shall see!
Meryon had the tact to cover his face
with his hands. and the presence of
mind to look through his fingers Tho
princess replaced her veil not so hastily
as to prevent a quick, artist glance
| from catching rapturous impression
of her dusky grace and glorious eyes.
Fat old Hatipha, with pendent cheeks
Tapping, hustled up In vast perturba-
ton and whipped the princess out Of
the iniidels sight as fast as he could
But Senuah. following, threw over her
| shoulder an arch glance which In
America would have passed for wink
of sympathetic intelligence. Mischief
was afoot.
Then followed intrigue. One after
noon the back part of the booth of
Musreddin, the jewel-merchant, con-
tanned new apprentice, with huge
turban and voluminous drapery. whose
blue eyes wandered from his work as