The Holly chieftain., 1901-12-13

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have to impart and we're he now up6a
thu verge of death. no psrsusnoa.
should draw It from me. It may bs
that the disclosure viii consiSn me TO
your sxecutioner; but.I cars netptI
ahall waste NO words. lives born tA
this city, and was married at an early
zge. O1a SON Wis BERN To ms. affdF
then my husband died., Shortly attepI
this Bereavement was CALLED to purpst
sick childAG sfh, some three yeirs
old-who 1rsaMerfhg from In, scci-
dent Ths child Fecovsrsds unass my
care. and a had formed, = strong
Attachment for her, and As she had
also conceived the same for me. i was |
retained to attend upon her. Her par
ents were Of the wealtniest of Damas~
Gus. and while they made It very
pleasant for mssto remain with their
daughter. they ALSO provided a good
place for my SON, Hobaddan. Ny
charge grew up to be i beautiful maid
en-. and became my mistress; and r
served her with joy, for she Wes. good
and kind and generous; and ! knew
that she loved me. In time my mis-
tress became = wife. and vent with
her to her new home. For a. few
months all went pleasantly under this
new relation: but finally dark cloud
arose to obscure the hsaven Of my
lady's Joy. Her husband became jeal-
Gus of her-became SO Jealous that his
soul was fraught with deadly ven-
geance. He fancied that his wife'S
guilt had been proved, and he resolved
to put her away from him forever.
Her protestations availed nothing. He
would not listen to her-he would not
even allow her to approach him; but
he gave her into the hands OF his ex-
ecutfoners. and bade them drown her
in the waters Of the Pharphar. dis
covered what was to be done, and
slipped away from the home Of the
cruel husband, and sought my son.
who had then become stout youth.
Hobaddan and / hid ourselves near
the gates Of the city. and when the
executioners came out, we followed
them. They had with them a large
sack, asnd I knew that my mistress
was in 1t. We saw them sink that
sack in the river-they sank 1t where
the water was dark and deep-sank
1t In the middle Of the night-7and then
went away. AS soon as they ware gone
we hurried to the shore, and my son
plunged into the stream, and succeed
ed In bringing the sack to the land.
We opened it, and my sweet mistress
was taken forth, cold and senseless;
but she was not dead. Her heart still
had motion, and after much labor we
succeeded in bringing her back to con-
sciousness. The next need was to find
safe shelter for her. We dared not
take her back to the city. l thought
Of the hermit, Ben Hadad. 81 g. had
heard that he was q benevolent man,
and resolved to seek him. We found
his cave; and when he had heard my
story. he promised to give US shelter.
and to protect the unfortunate lady.
my mistress SO far recovered as to
be able to sit up; but she could not
get we'll. Her system had received too
great shock, and her poor heart was
broken. In two weeks from the time
when she entered the cave she gave
birth to son, and shortly afterwards
she died.. She died as pure and true
as heaven itself. and her child was the
offspring of an honor which no temp
tation could have tarnished. She died
but the child lived. and thrived-lived,
and grew strong. and noble, and bold.
We told him How his mother had been
wronged; but we did not tell him all.
We did not tell him who his; father
was; only we told him that he owed
his orphahage to the king OF Damas-
Gus. When he grew up he resolved
that the king should suffer for the deed
he had done. and subsequent events
have proved that his resolution was
not vain.s ~ @f IN II
This. sire, is the son of the woman
who was my mistress. Julian, the
scourge Of Damascus is the child
have reared. Would you know more?''
Horam sat in his great chair. with
his hands clutched tightly upon the
golden arms, and his whole frame quiv-
ering. f.f. g.,
Co." he gasped. "the secret IL nigh
to the surface! What shall ask?"
The king Of Aleppo moved to Ho-
rams side. and whispered in his ear.
Aye" exclaimed the quaking mon
arch, whom he had listened to the
words Of his brother. ut shall be 10
What no! Benoni- clear this chamber
OF all save this old man and woman