Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-04-11

was less strong, and I saw in the
moonlight that her face had grown
drawn and weary.
In the dawn l heard her whisper:
Courage, | smell the lime trees"
Then | felt that she tottered. and to-
gether we sank upon the sand; yet
even then she tried to lift my head,
and poured between my lips the last
drop of water. | 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
no soul but me. The woman lay
out there in the desert, and the Wady
was lonelier than the desert I cursed
I the fever and the greed of thirst
that had made me push on unmindful
that | was alone Like the rush of the
wind my manhood 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
-Allahl 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 we're roses blooming by the
water, and a wild melon that climbed
about the trunk of a pomegranite
made q screen like a curtain, where
the woman rested. Her name was
that of the Prophets daughter, our
lady Fatimah
strayed down by the stream, see
ing the birds fee from me, and stop
ping to gather the dates that had
fallen in the grove. The cry Of the
bittern sounded so sorrowful that it
, made my heart ache, and | crept back
to where Fatimah 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?" | asked.
Five years ago." she answered,
smiling, yet speaking slowly and bare
ly above a whisper, five years ago |
| came with my father, a child. to Alex
| andria. Five years ago-and you were
| there, though you remember me not.
| How could you remember the Wah-
habi 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 further
| speech. but her eyes frightened with
a smile that was like the dawn that
breaks over the holy city. She did not
try even to veil their secret.
oh wonderful heart of woman!
Who that lives can fathom it's depths
of tenderness, or measure it's heights
OF sacrifice? Who can bound it. or de-
scribe it, or explain it? It's love is
born of a word, movement of kind
ness, glamor; 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 Fati.
mah's resting-place. her voice was ST
lent and her eyes were closed All
night long | lay upon my face on the
ground, mourning for the daughter of
my enemies, the woman of the Wah.
habis. whom love had slain.
| Then in the morning | dug a grave
under the lime trees and laid her
there, and made long lamentation.
And there my heart lies, with Fati-
nah.
Then the Hail AL Sheriff hid his face
in his hands and bowed his head, and
| knew he forgot that had heard the
story that is written here.