Daily camera., 1901-10-03

THIS Is the quaint legend that
heard half-reci,ed. half-chanted
by an old Arab. one evening when I
had joined small group which sur
rounded him:
1T is no, only the birds. but also the
flowers which hsve wings. In the Kingdom
Of the sun lived a sultan great and just.
beloved OF God. who blessed him in his
children. and dropped from Heaven the
souls Of three houris. the self-san'e day
that his favorite suitara brought into the
world three daughters so alike tha; their
own mother was not able TO distinguish
them from each other. She placed upon
their cradles three different flowers. pink
tor the elder. Leila; white for the younger.
Netji: blue for the third. H1dje. They
grew like the palm tree tall. ard tlossomsd
Ike the Iotos, Each had green eyes, not
OF sad green like the leaves OF the f's
tree. but OF deep green like the waves Of
the sea The leaves fell from the tree OF
life Il time. before they had felt the flower
Of love They seemed to wait the coming
OF the mysteriou. friend. as the mrs; star
of the evening.
"ora day some urbe,ieyers entered the
country OF the prophet with their chisf.
who was Christian. blond and pale as the
snow o. his country. aac with eyes ths
color Of the sea. When the sisters saw him
al his audience with the grand sultan.
they iremblsd. and all three loved him. for
their hearts wers as ore. Love 70 nre IN
Asia. where perfumes change to poison.
but II Is ice in Europe. where the sky 10
covered with clouds and the rose without
perfume. Bu; the avar.cious Frank had
come to conquer gold. rot women. ard soon
left. bearing away his .iches-as IL gold.
a ray from earth, was worth more thap
love- a ray from Heaven. They did not
weep a his departure. but said: He IS the
lover OF our soul. and we must go TO him
After embracing their brother. they went
in the night from their gilded palace, alone.
saying: We are going TO the Icy country
TO find again our master But II was too
.ar from the land OF the faithful. to that
Of the accursed. and when they had
walked for long time. they stopped and
said 10 each other:
1t Is here that we must die"
And they died with hands Joined. as
when they came into the world. But an
angel saw them in that hour. and cried to
Mahomet:
".An powerful master. the three hours
have died while seeking their beloved
The prophet felt tear in his eyes as hs
looked et them. then he said:
But they may be Gowers-Leiia pink,
Nedje white. and Hadje blue. like the
flowers of their cradle. and may have wings
like the birds, that they may yet seek their
beloved. as they sought him when they
were women. And the wind will be their
servant; It will carry them upon its breath
each springtime. from land to land. SO
that they may find again the one whom
they geek; they will blossom everywhere,
even to the last day OF the world. where
they will find him, when Allah will Judge
all souls
THE three flowers blossomed upon the
mountain, and the word Of Aahomet has
been accomplished ever since.
1T IS not only the birds. but the flowers
also which have wings"
He drew from his bosom three
small flowers as large as violets-
pink, white and blue, as he had told.
They were the three sisters. Then
the Arabs knelt, and their prayers
commenced.
IF you please, sir" said a voice be-
hind me, at the moment was going.
I turned and found myself in the
presence Of an Englishman, tall, ele-
CANT, handsome and distinguished.
Sir said he to me, with bow, II
am Lord M. / have been listen
ing to the Arabs story, and noticed
that you wrote down his words. We
do not understand the language, and
my lady, who noticed his gestures,
would be most happy to have the
translation. 1 pray you to excuse
this request. which may seem little
bold, and l count upon your charity
to obtain this favor"
His courtesy was too genuine to
permit me to hesitate, besides his re-
quest was for q lady. 1 answered
that was quite At my lady's orders,
and would be charmed to render 30
slight q service.
will you, then, do US the favor to
come and take tee with us this even
ing, at the consulate where We are
staying?"
That evening, in the consulate, 1
was duly presented to Lady NJ. She
appeared very pale and nervous, and
had the reserved air Of the women
of her country, but without the af-
fectation Of prudery, which made
Byron so angry. Her eyes were low
cred without ceasing; but this
seemed natural, for she was not over
1s years of age. She received me po-
litely and let her husband remind me
of the translation promised. read
it slowly, trying only to put into my
voice that kind of indefinable melan-
choly note which had accompanied
the chant of the raconteur.
When I had finished, the young
woman, instead of taking part in the
usual reflections, remained seated ~
il lost In thought. A little aston