Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-11-05

onS Adu tine courage and strength
that her people never lack. She was
bred in the mountains, used to climb
ing the sleeps with the water jar on
her head, or herding her. fathers
| Hocks, yet she was comely and pleas
ant to look upon, one in thousand for
grace.
Still L spoke not to her, for was she
| not OF the Wahabis? 1t would be sin
to bless her, and curse her.I,cou1d not.
Again night, and we journey ed west.
Still l stumbled, and still the woman
held me up. Yet her step, it seemed,
was less strong, and saw in the moon
light that her face had grown. drawn
and weary. ~ $50.
In the dawn I heard her whisper:
courage, I smell the lime trees. /"
Then l felt that she .tottered; and
together we. sank upon the sand; yet
even then she tried to lift my head.
and poured between my lips the last
drop of water. I5crawled on, alone.
and reached the Wady f.aymum. and
heard the tink1e of the waite and smelt
the fragrance of the lines.
But in the green Wady there was no
soul but me. The woman lay out there
IN the desert, and the Wady was lone
Her than the desert. Icurs ed the fever
and the greed of thirst that had made
me push on unmindful thatIWas alone.
Lake the rush of the wind my man
hood came back to me. Gathering my
hands full of lines, went back to
where she lay. Her lips could utter no
word, but her eyes-Allah! did ever
eyes show such wonder of Joy?
L laid her in the shade of the lines.
by the pool. She drank of the water.
and the cool sour of the fruit revived
her.
There were roses blooming by the
water, and a wild melon that climbed
about the trunk of pomegranate
made a screen like a curtain where the
woman rested. Her name was that of
the prophets daughter, our lady Fat
imah.
L strayed down by the stream, seeing
the birds flee from me, and stopping to
gather the dates that had fallen in the
grove. The cry of the bittern sounded
so sorrowful that it made nv heart
ache, and l crept back to where Fati-
NAH lay.
Her face lit gloriously when spoke
to her.
Why did you give your strength for
mine? Why did you, of all the cara
van, take pity to help me ?" 1 asked.
Give years ago." she answered.
smiling, yet speaking slowly and
barely above whisper, five years ago
L came with my father, child, to Alex.
andria. Five years ago-and YOU were
there, though you remember me not.
How could you remember the Wahhabi
girl you saved from the stick of the
camel driver? You forgot in an hour
but never forgot. Till saw your face
in the caravan four days ago L had not
hoped ever to see it again, yet never
for moment had forgotten it."
She stopped, too weak for further
speech, but her eyes frightened with
smile that was the dawn that breaks
over the holy city. She did not try
even to veil her secret. 3
o, wonderful heart of woman, Who
that lives can fathom it's DEPTHS of
tenderness, or measure it's heights Of
SdSI 11ICC w ~ Cdu DOunQ 1t. de-
scribe it, or explain it? Its love is born
of word, movement of kindness. =
glamour; and is immortal as the stars
and mightier than death!
When night came again and the moon
struggled to pierce the screen of the
melon vine that yelled Fatimah's rest
ing place, her voice was silent and her
eyes were closed. All night long Law
upon my face on the ground, mourning
for the daughter of my enemies. the
woman of the Wahhabis, whom love
had slain.
Then in the morning I dug a grave
under the lime trees and laid her there
and made long lamentation. And there
my heart lies, with Fatimah.
Then the Hail Al Sheriff hid his face
in his hands and bowed his head, and
knew he forgot that 1 had heard the
story that is written here.-N. Y. Post.