The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-08-23
THE EYES OF LOVE.
ny PERCIE w. HART.

by Special Permission)
1T was night The City Of Ten Thou.
sand Wonders lay in the quiet Of
repose. Upon the fiat roof of his dwell
ing Ahmed Ben-Lemoth crouched among
the soft cushions of his divan and gazed
appealingly at the stars.
Many another night had Ahmed Ben
Lemoth lain thus. Yea, had he lain there
and dreamed love dreams Of her that had
captivated his heart, and tonight, try as
he would, he could not repress the vision
of sweet disposition and a face, though
far from beautiful, yet so intelligent that
physical beauty seemed as naueht beside
it. And then beside that vision would
arise another Of face divinely fair, Of a
form divinely beautiful, and between the
two it seemed hard TO choose.
1t was these two visions that had kept
Ahmed Ben-Lemoth dreaming upon the
housctop night after night, while the City
of Ten Thousand Wonders slept the sleep
of the quiet east, yet he had come TO no de-
cision between them, nor did he seem likely
to do 50. Friends Of the thrifty turban
merchant sighed when they thought Of
his dreaming, and prophesied dire evils to
his business did he not soon reach de-
cision.
Verify, Lotella the Circassian is beauti-
ful as a fawn," be said to himself, with
eyes so melting in their tenderness that
they call aloud for love. Why should |
hesitate! True, the price demanded for
her by the rascally slave merchant will take
the bulk of my inheritance; but then, no
other turban merchant in the City Of Ten
Thousand Wonders will have such beau.
tiful wife. Beautiful. All, if Lotela only
possessed the intelligence and sweet daspo-
sition Of Felicia, the charcoal burner >
daughter! | fear me much that the divine
ly featured Circassian is but a poor-witted
quick.tempered fool, in spite Of her glS-
rious outer gliding Of loveliness. This Fe-
hcia l could purchase for a moderate sum
Of money, and love her bright sayings and
quick thoughts But, pshaw! The girls
looks are commonplace. Perhaps not thor.
oughly ugly, but nevertheless, plain-very
plain. | will none of her. | have decided.
l will purchase the elegantly-formed, the
luscious-ipped, the surprisingly beautiful
Lotella."
Then Ahmed Ben-Lemoth fell asleep and
dreamed a dream.
1t seemed to him that he was in his stall
at the grand bazaar, when an AGED man,
with bare head exposed to the sun and
winds, drew near and cried:
Il wish to obtain turban."
And Ahmed dreamed that he reached
down the commonest turban cloth in his
stock and offered it to the patriarch, say
ing:
IT'S the finest web that ever was wove.
Take the lovely piece OF goods for a beg
carly ten piastres. By the beard OF the
prophet, it cost ME double the price l
ask.
"If you paid more than one piastre for
the thing you deserve to be carried before
the cadi and adjudged fool" retorted the
old man, severely. Il have no money, but
will give YOU that which is worth a thou.
sand times its value for the rag
And Ahmed dreamed that he replied;
b let your servants eyes see this thing
you propose for barter"
"'Tis something that cannot be really
seen, smelt, tasted, nor yet handled" went
on the other. IT'S knowledge. By reason
of my long life of study and experience,
can tell you how to accomplish anything.
Speak! What 90 you wish for most at
the present time"
And Ahmed dreamed that he pondered
deeply for few moments, and then re-
piled;
Il desire that Felicia, the charcoal burn.
er's daughter, might become beautiful in
form and feature, in keeping with her ami
able disposition and wel.-s,ored mind"
Good" calculated the ancient, receiv'
ing the turban cloth from the reluctan;
hands Of the merchant and winding the fab
ric about his gray-hsired head as he con
tirued speaking. Obtain thou handful
OF grass from the plains OF the Northland
small lump OF rock from the mountains
Of the Eas;land, pinch of sand from the
deserts OF the Southland, and gourd ful
Of water from the lakes of the Westland
Nix al these together most thoroughly, and
let the maid take a swallow OF it once &
day, until she arrives at the desired point
OF loyeiiness.'
And so saying, the wise man departed
the way he had come, with the new turbar
upon his head. All this did Ahmed Ben
LeInoth dream, while sleeping upon tn,
housetop Of his house, in the City Of the Ter
Thousand Wonders.
Now, it so CHANGED that upon the fol
lowing morning, when Ahmed counted oyel
his stock Of goods, he could not find tn,
particular piece OF turbsn cloth about
which he had dreamed the dream. 1t hat
been stolen by shrewd customer upon th,
preceding day, but Ahmed did not know
this and quickly came TO the conclusion
that his dream was more than a dream
Accordingly, he arranged his affairs anC
journeysd many days until he came to tn,
plains Of the Northand, where he gathered
bu. a single handful Of grass and returned
home. And 50 he made an expedition I,
each Of the other district countries Of which
the old man had spoken-to Eastland. anC
70 Southland, and 10 WestAnd, did h,
journey, with much danger and suffering
And from the first Of these last thre,
brought he back lump Of rock From tn,
second pinch o; sand, and from the thir,
a gourd full Of water And after he ha,
thus secured these four ingredients an,
finally returned home, he did mix them al
four together, according to the words O
the wise man, and put the Gecoc;ion in al
earthen jug,
And, forthwith, Ahmed Ben-Lemoth pur
chased the maid Felicia, the plaiu-,ookjni
daughter of the charcoal burner, an,
/ brought her 10 his home And he did CIV
TO his young wife the earthen jug Of med
icine and bade her take OF il, even a syal