The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-09-12
HE DREAMED IT.

Ibid youtever hear of my oriental ad-
venture?'' said Tom, perching himself upon
the counting house desk
Your oriental adventure asked Ned,
amazed
well, it's worth hearing" said Tom,
''if it did happens to me. 1t was when I
was in Damascus, a mere attache of a
grave diplomatic party, a boy of 20, who
might as well have Sbeen left at home,
Il had bought cigartcases and smoking
caps aud tobacco bags and all sorts of
things, said Tom. ''I6had slippers and
scarfs for my mother, and was buying a
pipe of oriental style, w15h long stem,
and a water bottle for the smoke to pass
through, when a great putty bag of black
silk which envelOped a LADY paused near
me and squatted down before the shop of
a young jewel merchant for tie purpose of
examining his bracelets.
f'Only the eyes Of the figure were visible,
but they were blacker and mOret beautiful
than those of any heroine of the Arabian
Nights Entertain mentS,' and they lit on
me once, twice, three times and sent sen
sation through my heart to which dt was
happily as yet a stranger.
Behind the figure stood a less carefully
yelled person of an old female servsnt.
That it was young beauty thus hid an
der the silken balloon had no doubt.
1.-The jewel merchant was busy with his
wares. Nc one but the old woman saw the
beauty make a little sign with her ex-
quisite hand, but she did it. The sign
seemed to say, Wait. I waited.
''What I waited for hardly knew. My
repertory Of gesture is not large. No Eng
lshman S is I nodded d Yes. It sufficed
AS she went away, guarded by her old
attendant, she repeated the motion.
q Wait, it said again.
''TheTe was a coffee house close at hand,
open to the street like all the other shops.
There L squatted on a cushion and slipped
and smoked.
II saw a figure pass, pause, make sign
to me.
1T was the old woman, the servant of
my mysterious beauty. I flung a coin to
the story teller and followed her.
She went on for a long while until I
began to think she would never speak to
me, but at last she paused under the shad-
Ow of the blank plaster walls of house in
quiet part Of the city, and suddenly let
ting down long Wisp of gray hair took
from it a letter, little crooked thing,
written on bright paper and drenched with
perfume.
'''I little English know it began.
My mother she English. I wait for you.
Come
Where shall 1 go2' I asked of the odd
woman.
''she beckened. Again I followed. We
walked on, she going before. 1 following,
until she paused before a white plastered
wall, in which was a narrow door. I'm
locking this, she motioned me to enter,
and, almost treading on my heels in her
haste, instantly slipped in after me and re-
looked it.
81 found myself in the most beautiful
uaPf7or ina uiF1af5oF1 eaT7 1T
was a rose aRbOr. Obeying the old wom-
ans motions, 1 entered the door of this
retreat.
ron the instant two beautiful arms were
cast about my neck, and a voice like that
of the nightingale softly breathed these
words:
'F'Oh, hew long I have waited for you,
joy Of my soulY
1t was the girl whom had seen at the
bazaar. / kneSR her eyes and her hands at
once, and knew that had met my fate
I loved her on the instant as WeA as she
seemed to love me -
Bother, - said Dick
Il Cart make you understand that de-
lioious emO6ion,'' said Tom, signing.
- There We sat together, talking like lovers
who had been parted for years. She slip
ped ring upon my finger. I gave her one
from mine. l vowed to bear her away to
the land where lovers were not tine slaves
they were there, and she promised to meet
me at the Hssle gardsn gate at midnight
"Gofng il fast, said Dick
Suddenly, as We sat there, the old
woman rushed into the arbor She wills !
pered wOrd to my beautiful ladFlove, !
who wrung her hsuds in teFror
'' Fly for your lifeI' she said. IF Allah
spares my Hfe, I will meet you at the gates
1T midnight If not, adisu until we meet
N paradise.
g At mianigAt sat upon the steae bench |
again, clad in coarse oriental dress, but
with pistol hidden beneath It, had re-
solved to die rather than to allow her to be |
81 waited. The moon arose, round and !
yellow, in the sky. A strange bird uttered !
. shrill cry. A dog barked. heard steps |
Nibfdn the garden and shrank back into |
he shadow. They were not the steps Of !
70 wen
''Nas listened the gate opened, and four
lack slaves, beRHipg a burden, emerged /
here 9oFIn. AS the moonlight fell upon |
hem I saw tiat they held the sides Of a |
great iNaek-
They marched away toward the river.
Is I way ched them, dreading 1 knew not |
what thA9 old woman, with her hair di-
heveled, rushed out of the garden, and |
Vler hands pointed after them
g What ahas happsned2' shrieked.
She thrSw into nay hands a little note. |
tore it opep and read these words:
'sAdieui I We caliph has discovered all. I |
yas his wife. THE fate Of an unRsithful wife |
q this land is q, be sewed up in a bag of hne /
nd cast into the river. Alden forever.
MAZDA.
''Vith a shrink, I rushed after the re
reatinR slaves al tl--awoke. -
''Eh?'' said pfeA, 'AwolzeP''
Yes said ToAa. ''That was when I !
Ees down with bsal fever three years ago,
nd Sam had been yhowing me a Turkish |
ipe, and my black, haired cousin Belle
ad-read me to sleep with the 'Howadji In |
yria, and out of these things my adven-