Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-10-23

an. but my neart sank anu LuTHeu my
head away when | knew that it was
the hated daughter of the Wahhabis.
She kneeled at my side, raising my
head to her knee. l heard he gurgls
of water in the goat skin zemzimiyah
that she carried.
Drink" she commanded. /, being
too weak to contend, drank; then she
made a shade over me from the sun
and pillowed my head in her lap, Groom
ing a mountain song until slept. But
before | slept knew that Fear had
gone away.
When it was night again the woman
reused me to put between my lips
sweet strong cordial that gave me
strength. With her arm still under me
l staggered to my feet, and thus we set
out, guided by star that hung high
in the west.
All night we journeyed. was like
one walking in sleep, or like child
wakened unwillingly, crying with
weariness and anger that she would
not let me lie down on the sand. My
shroud was around me still, and il
trailed on the sand, but | needed not
Far away now was the trail of the car.
avan, like scar on the bosom of the
desert. and our own track a pitiful
wavering line that bent to the west.
| cursed the woman that she would
not let me alone, but my weak rebel
lion was as nothing to her will, so
stumbled on and the daughter of the
Wahhabis held me up till it was dawn,
Then we rested.
All day she sat by me. while the all
quivered with heat and the light daz-
zled the eye. All day she sat between
me and the sun, holding her garment
as an awning over my face, and moist
ening my lips with water from the zem-
zimiyah Dates, too, she compelled
me to eat; yet herself tasted neither
date nor so much as drop of water.
lest there should not be enough.
saw her face: Lustrous eyes, black
as midnight, and mouth that the IL
sam would not hide. Beneath the linen
] could see the tenderness of it's smile
almost forgot that she was the
daughter of my enemies. Slowly my
strength returned, as if it flowed
from her life into mine, till at the
evening hour of prayer | was able to
kneel unaided and repeat the words
that the prophet teaches.
She had the courage and strength
that her people never lack. She was
bred in the mountains, used to climb
ing the sleeps with the water jar OF
her head, or herding her fathers
tiocks, yet she was comely and pleas.
ant to look upon, one in thousand for
grace.
Still 1 spoke not to her, for was she
not of the Wahabis? 1t would be sin
to bless her, and curse her could not
Again night, and we journeyed west.
Still | 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.
In the dawn ! heard her whisper:
Courage, l smell the lime trees
Then | felt that she tottered, and
together we sank upon the sand; ye,
even then she tried to lift my head.
and poured between my lips the last
drop of water. l crawled on, alone.
and reached the Wady Laymum, and
heard the tinkle of the water and smelt
the fragrance of the lines.
But in the green Wady there was nc
soul but me. The woman lay out there
in the desert. and the Wady was lone
lier than the desert. Icursed the fever
and the greed of thirst that had made
me push on unmindful that was alone,
Like 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 nc
word, but her eyes-Allah, did ever
eyes show such a wonder of Joy?
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
about the trunk of a pomegranate
made a screen like a curtain where tht
woman rested. Her name was that o.
the prophets daughter, our lady Fat
imah.
strayed down by the stream. seeing
the birds flee from me, and stopping tt
gather the dates that had fallen in the
grove. The cry of the bittern sounded
so sorrowful that it made my heari
ache, and | crept back to where Fati
nah lay.
Her face lit gloriously when l spoke
to her.
why did you give your strength for
mine? Why did you. of all the cara.
van, take pity to help me ?" / asked.
Five years ago" she answered,
smiling, yet speaking slowly and
barely above a whisper, five years age
| came with my father. child, to Alex
andria. Five years ago-and yos 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 had not
hoped ever to see it again, yet never
for a moment had forgotten it,"
She stopped. too weak for furthe.
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.
o, wonderful heart of womani Who
that lives can fathom its depths of
or measure its heights OF
sacrifice? Who can bound it, or de-
scribe it, or explain il? Its love is born
Of a word, movement of kindness. a
glamour; ami 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 veiled Fatimah's rest
ng place, her voice was silent and her
eyes were closed. All night long l lay
upon my face on the ground. mourning
for the daughter of my enemies, the
woman of the Wahhabis. whom love
lad slain.
Then in the morning | dug a grave